by Sam Juliano
The brilliant Jay Giampietro’s “Best Picture” which features Yours Truly as the main character and narrator screened Sunday night as part of the 2019 BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music) Film Festival in front of a sold out audience in the showcase 300 seat theater of the Jay Sharp Building. The short focuses on this past March’s Oscar Party at Fairview’s Tiger Hose Firehouse. Adam Ferenz, Tony Lucibello, John Grant, Bart Talamini, Cliff Bernunzio, the Lampmanns and my family appear in the film, which received a thundering reception. I appear with Jay prior to the event in the theater’s lobby by the festival press boards; similarly with my entire family. This was an evening we’ll never forget.
His passing was imminent as he’s been ill for several years and recently turned 96, but Italian opera icon and film director Franco Zeffirelli is a maestro like few others. His 1968 “Romeo and Juliet,” lush and youthful is arguably the greatest film version of the popular Shakespeare play, and his 1973 “Brother Sun Sister Moon” is a rapturous work that was initially misunderstood but is now seen by many as a supreme masterpiece. His television mini-series “Jesus of Nazareth” is the best work of its kind and perhaps most of all his opera productions like La Boheme, Tosca, La Traviata and Turandot (all staged at the MET and seen by Lucille and I many times) remain the standards to this day. Zeffirelli was a controversial figure for sure, but what he gave to our culture will leave us eternally enriched. R.I.P. A mover of mountains, this great Italian……The past week also saw the sad demise of the great actress Sylvia Miles, whose supporting role in Midnight Cowboy will be forever unforgettable.
We spent the weekend in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, though we returned in time for our big film event. The Gettysburg trip is taken once a year.
Lucille, Jeremy and I flank the great friend and critic Farran Smith Nehme at showing of “The Story of Adele H.” at Quad on Tuesday evening.
“You Are Home” launching at Books of Wonder with author-artist Evan Turk
The spectacularly-talented young artist Evan Turk has yet again raised the ante with his newest picture book masterwork “You Are Home,” a ravishing ode to national parks. Lucille and I met up with our good friends Sam and Susan Hess this evening to witness a splendid presentation by Turk, who has made two appearances at Lincoln School to promote past picture book gems. (Evan and Susan flank me in photo taken by Lucille)
Farran Smith Nehme introduces Truffaut’s 1975 “The Story of Adele H.” at Quad Cinemas in Manhattan
Watching Truffaut’s ravishing mid 70’s masterwork on blu ray is a treat, but it is much better to see it on a big screen in 35mm. Best of all though is to have the film introduced by friend, critic and writer extraordinaire the lovely Farran Smith Nehme, whom Lucille, Jeremy and I met and chatted with after the film concluded in the lobby of the remodeled four screen landmark on 13th Street on Tuesday night. Photos of our group with Farran were taken in the complex’s lush red “U” theater where film was screened as part of the Pauline Kael tribute. Fab to meet Matt Blankman too, a new FB friend!
Italian directing genius Franco Zeffirelli
