More Info on Luca Guardabascio's New Movie

Luca Guardabascio with Don Marcello Stanzione

On June 2nd, Luca Guardabascio will be presenting his new movie project to the International Angel Meeting in Campagna (SA) organized by Don Marcello Stanzione.

"I think all heroes and everyone who fought to have justice, freedom and legality are angels like Joe Petrosino," said Guardabascio. 

Luca Guardabascio Set to Work on A New Movie

Padula (Italy)

Luca Guardabascio is currently working on a movie, which he will be directing. It will be produced by Coimar S. P. A., a big production company in Padula, a commune in Salerno, Italy. This movie will be based on his upcoming book, which will be published by Historica Edizioni and the youngest editor in Italy, Francesco Giubilei, described as "a good friend with an open mind" by Guardabascio.
The working title of the movie is Padula-New York- Pittsburgh: Emigrazione Sangue Speranza (Padula-New York-Pittsburgh : Emigration Blood and Hope) and the subtitle is La storia di Joe Petrosino e del suo migliore amico Giovanni Esposito (The story of Joe Petrosino and his best friend Giovanni).

Luca Guardabascio, Pino D'aloia (actor) and Francesco Giubilei

"The story [will depict] the strong friendship of Giuseppe (Joe) Petrosino and Giovanni Esposito, growing up in Italy in Padula near the Certosa (the biggest monastery in Europe) with their friends until they decide to leave Italy to go to the United States to have a better life," narrated Guardabascio.
Giovanni, who is the first one to migrate to the United States, embarks in a long trip to Ellis Island, also called the island of hope, with this simple promise from Joe: "We will meet you there."
In the United States, he survives through illegal means whereas Joe becomes a New York City police officer and a pioneer in the fight against organized crime.

Nino Melito Petrosino in Joe Petrosino Museum

"This strong brotherhood of the two men will be described through the double face of emigration, and thanks to Petrosino and his honest way of life, Giovanni will understand the sense of his life," recounted Guardabascio.
The movie will mainly focus on the true story of Petrosino and will tell the amazing story of migration from 1860 to 1980.
It will also cover the Italian unification and the earthquake that hit the south of Italy (Irpinia) on Nov. 23, 1980 when a very old Giovanni Esposito comes back to Padula after years of building his life in the United States.
"It will be an important movie about the good Italian emigration in the world that produce true hero like Joe Petrosino a man who fight all his life against the Mafia," Guardabascio quoted.
The movie will also show non-fictional personalities like singer Enrico Caruso and former US president, Theodore Roosevelt.

Luca Guardabascio in Pittsburgh

"It will be a movie about legality, justice, love with some part ironic because the Italians are people who overcome all situations with passion and laugh in a 'Tragicomical' way'," explained Guardabascio. "The emigration will be described to remember all the men and women who built Italy and America in an honest way."
Guardabascio, along with the producers of Coimar S. P. A (Caputo, Cancellaro, Giobbe, LaManna), decided to film most of the movie in Padula as a way to pay tribute to this important and historical little village and the culture of the Italian people.
"The Casa Museo Joe Petrosino is a very important museum that you have to visit once in your lifetime because it is an example of memories against all the Mafias. The house was the original house where Petrosino was born and lived until 12 years old and where he cames back before being killed in Palermo (Sicily)."

Luca Guardabascio and Joe D'Andrea

Parts of the movie will be shot in New York thanks to different associations like the Lt. det. Joseph Petrosino Ass. Of America inc. and l’Associazione Internazionale Joe Petrosino, handled by his nephew, Nino Melito Petrosino.
Guardabascio also wants to shoot parts of the movie in Pittsburgh, where he was a Rooney Scholar at Robert Morris University in 2011.
"Part of my heart is there," confessed Guardabascio. "The people are nice, and I work with them on many projects, which was great."
"There are professors and filmmakers like Michael Di Lauro who helped me grow in my career. I love Professor Joe D’Andrea, the one who gave me suggestions with his emigration story to write this story."

Luca Guardabascio in Pittsburgh

Guardabascio would love to make use of some RMU students and professors for the movie, including Di Lauro, John Radamacher, Jim Vincent, Lutz Bacher, John Lawson and Helene Vanhala. He would also love to work with Joe Hale, Ray Zapparoni and Steve Troutman because of their technical talents.
He described the RMU president, Greg Dell'Omo as a "super nice friend who loves Italy and who is another good example of the wonderful things Italian American people do in the United States."
"I would also like to collaborate with American artist like George Nista and teachers like Paola Basile, Ida Mansourian and Viviana Altieri of Mondo Italiano, people who can give me more input to film my movie."
"But one of my best friend and part of my crew is Lisa Nutt, a very strong woman who will be translating my book in English and Spanish and who will be the best production assistant on set I've ever had in my life."
His goal is to go back to RMU next fall, give lectures on the topic, show his next documentary and try to organize the movie in the best way with the people he considered his best friend.
He is currently working on the screenplay along with Stefano Stanzione and Giovanni Cancellaro. Luigi Spagnol, the "maestro," is supervising the project. They are currently holding a contest and looking for a female writer who can collaborate and give the screenplay the right touch it needs.
Guardabascio mentioned that the book will be ready in a couple of months. In addition, in the upcoming weeks, he will be a guess at Cancellaro's hotel, Villa Cosilinum, which has a great view of Padula. This will help foster his imagination for the movie.

All photos are provided by Luca Guardabascio

Pittsburgh emerging designer: Beth Shari

Beth Shari, former Point Park University graduate with a degree in technical theater and an emphasis on costume design, opens up about her passion for designing.
With her main aspiration being lingerie designing, Beth also designs ballroom dance costumes, and designs for theater.
"Silk and Satin are great for my vintage inspired designs," she explains. "They hug the body well."
However, she does not only limit herself to these two fabrics.
"I'm definitely a fabric junky," she says.
It is a lovely recreation for her to visit a fabric store and explore new materials for her designs.
"Things will inspire me by what I touch," she explains.
Occasionally, Beth also works on other concepts to create. For instance, she recently designed the bridal dress for a friend's beach wedding, and worked on a client's daughter's first communion dress. Right now, Beth has only a handful of clients who are all located in Pittsburgh.

To collect more clients this summer, she plans on hosting a fashion show in which she will show 10 pieces of her lingerie designs.
"We're thinking some time in July," she states regarding the date for the event. For now, she is working with a location to host it.

Aside from designing, Beth finds herself busy with other projects.
"I do several different things," she says.
She has been doing her one-woman show, Carousel of Costumes~Variety Show, for the past three years. She entertains at private parties or senior facilities by dressing up as different characters, such as Betty Boop, Marilyn Monroe and Mae West, and interpreting them (dances and sings like them).
She also does face painting at KinderCare facilities in the Western Pennsylvania, and at different festivals during the summer. She has created her "Pixie Painter" character for these events.
"Each thing has its own joy," she affirms. For example, Beth enjoys bringing good memories to the seniors.
As of now, Beth works at home. However, she hopes to grow her designing company in the future.
"I would like to be designing for Christina Aguilera," she jokes. "I would like to be established enough where I would have a nice clientele and do what I love."

Photo provided by Beth Shari

Photo provided by Beth Shari