Italian Festivals of New Mexico collaborates with The Guild Cinema and Scalo Northern Italian Grill for a first-ever FUN-Raiser / FRIEND-Raiser: Classic Italian Films, Food, Music. Saturday, September 17, 2016 – UMBERTO D, 1:30 PM at The Guild, followed by Scalo patio party; Sunday, September 18, 2016 – BIG DEAL ON MADONNA STREET, 1:30 pm at The Guild followed by Scalo patio party

Like most film festivals around the world, the annual NM Italian Film & Culture Festival features contemporary cinema. During its popular, late-winter, annual event, festival producer Italian Festivals of New Mexico (IFNM) rolls out a lineup of newer films depicting a slice of life in modern Italy as seen through the eyes of today's best Italian screenwriters and directors. But when festival patrons began asking, "What about the old Italian masterpieces and their famous screenwriters and directors?" IFNM answered with a "why not?" and a design for a first-ever, two-day mini-festival of classic Italian films, food and music.

Old friends of the annual festival jumped at the chance to collaborate. Keif Henley, co-proprietor of the Guild Cinema - Albuquerque's historic art-house theater and a favorite venue for the annual festival - noted, "Both films being screened are from the Golden Age of Italian cinema. This is a great opportunity to do what we love to do – old foreign language classics, cult favorites, hard-to-find films..." And, to enhance the experience of viewing an old classic, Henley was even able to procure a vintage 16mm edition of DeSica's Umberto D (screening Sat. Sept. 17, 1:30 PM).

Steve Paternoster, proprietor and self-proclaimed "Head Italian" of Scalo Northern Italian Grill was also quick to go all-in with post-film patio parties featuring classic Italian street food. "I've wanted to do something like this for a long time," Paternoster said. "Nothing says 'Italian' like the aroma of sausages, peppers and onions on the grill." Scalo too is a traditional favorite venue of the annual Italian festival.

The live music will be the source of a "who knew?" moment for patrons of the annual festival who are accustomed to seeing Donatella Davanzo, assisted by Ennio Fermo, in the role of official festival photographer. For this event, the multi-talented couple will add classic Italian songs to the Scalo patio celebrations in their first US public appearance as a musical duo. Fermo, a bass, is a former member of the acclaimed Coro Illersberg of Trieste (Italy) and a member of the ABQ Coro Lux.

FIRING UP ITALIAN CLASSIC ON ROUTE 66 is being called a FUN-raiser and a FRIEND-raiser. "The mission of the Italian Festivals of New Mexico organization is to promote and celebrate Italian culture," says festival director, Maria Arancio Berry. "What better way to do that than with classic Italian cinema, food and music? We'll fire up some authentic Italian fun for new friends and old."

Both films in Italian/English Subtitles. For film synopses: www.italianfilmfest.org