In 2008 I organised a weekend festival to celebrate my Italian heritage. I wanted it to appeal to a broad range of people so that nobody missed out on any of the fun. The attendance was excellent and I managed to finance each event solely through ticket sales. One of the highlights for me was working with fellow Italian-Australian women who had grown up in the area and knew what I was trying to achieve. They were fabulously enthusiastic, especially when I proposed we create a giant mound of machinette del caffe’ (also known as Moka pots) as a centrepiece for the comedy show. These women had stores of them at home and happily supplied many so that we built an aluminium mountain. I only wish I had taken a photo!
The following is an outline of the festival program:
CON BRIO
adj: with liveliness or spirit
Mildura’s First Mini Italian Festival
February 22 – 24, 2008
Mildura owes a lot to the arrival of Italian immigrants here predominantly in the 1950s. Italian families introduced their traditional customs and practices making the Sunraysia area notable for its Italian farming properties, religious festivals, family festivities, and the introduction of traditional food and wine into the general community.
We’ve set aside a weekend to celebrate all things Italian. We’ve got seminars on the great Italian masters, a special film about the migrant experience, music, dance and comedy. This festival’s for migrants of all kinds, Italian- Australians, Italophiles and anyone who’s curious about how Italians manage to have so much fun. Join us ‘con brio’.
Friday Feb 22
Italian Art & Architecture: The Renaissance
Seminar with Luca Costanza
10.30am – 12.30pm followed by pasta & a glass of wine
Gallery 25
$16 seminar only
$26.50 seminar & lunch
They’re a Weird Mob
This 1966 film by Michael Powell based on the novel by John O’Grady is an insight into the migrant experience in Australia.
Nino Culotta is an Italian immigrant who arrives in Australia with the promise of a job as a journalist on his cousin’s magazine, only to find that when he gets there the magazine’s folded, the cousin’s done a runner & the money his cousin sent for the fare was borrowed from the daughter of the boss of a local construction firm. So Nino tries to get a job & finishes up … laying bricks. Nino works hard & makes friends with lots of locals, Nino & Kay argue a lot, Nino & Kay fall in love … Kay takes Nino to meet ‘Daddy’ but daddy hates journalists, immigrants and bricklayers (he’s now BOSS of a construction firm). Nino starts to win him over with his charm & determination to marry Kay.
7.00pm
Cinema Deakin
$20 per person includes film followed by pizza supper at the Pizza Caffe
Saturday Feb 23
Italy and its Regions
Discussion with Luca Costanza & Cooking Demonstration with Stefano de Pieri
includes lunch, a glass of wine, and a performance by the Pascale Tarantella Group
11.00am – 3.00 pm
Gallery 25
$55.00 per person
Big Italian Night
Comedy and music with Frank Lotito and the Sergio Ercole Band
Apart from performing in his hit one man show ‘It’s All Italiano To Me” Frank toured with the Joe Avati and Friends Show in 2006 to rave reviews and hosted the Big Fat Comedy Show with Gab Rossi and Tahir from SBS’s Fat Pizza. He recently made an appearance on Channel Ten’s Thank God You’re Here supporting comedian Rebel Wilson from The Wedge and made his debut TV stand up appearance on the comedy channel’s Stand Up Australia (Foxtel).
Joining him on stage will be Sergio Ercole, renowned guitarist and composer, with his six piece band. Sergio has been playing classical guitar for many years, with a huge passion for Latin and Italian music. He recently made a few TV appearances on Rove and Sunrise with The Cat Empire.
Apart from Frank’s very funny Italian comedy, both he and Sergio have the pleasure of sharing the music they both grew up listening to, from some of the Jazz greats like Dean Martin, Louis Prima and Domenico Modugno. The show features songs like “Tu Vuo Fa L’Americano”, “Oh Marie” and “Mambo Italiano”.
8.30 for 9.00pm start
Mildura Grand Ballroom
$25 per person
Sunday Feb 24
The great Italian Thinkers: Dante Alighieri, Machiavelli, Galileo Galilei, Giordano Bruno
Seminar with Luca Costanza
10.30 – 12.30 followed by risotto & a glass of wine
Gallery 25
$16 seminar only
$26.50 seminar & lunch
WEEKEND PACKAGES
The Dante Alighieri
Fri & Sun Seminar only & Film @ $42 per person
The Federico Fellini
Friday film, Sat Seminar, Cooking Demonstration,
lunch & tradional dance performance @ $65 pp
The Cicciolina
Entry to all events (meals included) @ $120 pp
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