Southern Italian immigrants founded the town of Roseto, Pa., more than 130 years ago. The town attracted attention not just because it remained purely Italian for four generations, but also because at one point in history, doctors thought the community might hold the secret to longevity.
Experts realized that residents of Roseto lived longer than most Americans in the 1960s and, unlike the rest of the country, they weren’t plagued with cardiac diseases. An extensive study got to the bottom of the town’s phenomen: It found that people in Roseto lived stress free and emotionally securely because they felt safe in their close-knit, family-driven community. They would grow old and rely on friends and relatives to take care of them, and thus, they lived happy and healthy.
This is just one of the stories that illustrates Italian-American values in a new two-part documentary series that will premiere on WETA-TV and PBS at the end of the month. John Maggio wrote and produced the four-hour film, titled “The Italian Americans,” while journalist Maria Laurino authored a companion history book.
A partial screening and panel discussion with Mr. Maggio and Ms. Laurino took place Wednesday at the George Washington University’s School of Media and Public Affairs and featured remarks from House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and SMPA Director Frank Sesno.
WETA and PBS have several connections to SMPA. Mr. Sesno explained that many students have gained broadcasting experiences through internships with WETA and PBS. One of WETA’s senior leaders will teach a master's class on April 7 to provide lessons on documentary and television production. Films like “The Italian Americans,” he said, showcase the original content public broadcasting provides.
“Public television plays such a crucial role in producing programming that cannot and will not be seen anywhere else,” he said.
Ms. Pelosi, who is interviewed in the film, took the stage and joked that there is nothing she enjoys talking about more than being Italian American. She praised the documentary for showcasing the love Italian Americans have of their heritage.
“This film is a magnificent manifestation of Italian pride and accomplishments,” she said.
Through narration by actor Stanley Tucci, the film winds its way through the history of Italian culture in the United States, starting in the early 19th century. It includes stories of the first generations of Italians adjusting in America and everything afterward—from tales of singer Frank Sinatra to memories of New York’s first Italian-American governor, Mario Cuomo. Interviews with celebrities and politicians like Tony Bennett and Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia provide candid insights into growing up in Italian-American families.
The audience met the final clips of the film with thundering applauses. The National Italian American Foundation’s President John M. Viola moderated a panel discussion after the screening and took questions. One member of the audience worked at Casa Italiana, a cultural center and language school in Judiciary Square that is featured prominently in the documentary. He was so moved by the film that he suggested it screen in Milan to give native Italians an understanding of their culture in America.
The film will premiere on WETA-TV and PBS channels from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. Feb. 17 and 24.