Charles Sabba Is Awarded a Russo Brothers Italian American Film Forum Grant and is one of the Three Finalists

The Russo Brothers: Two of America’s greatest directors, producers and screenwriters. 

Our film for the Russo Brothers Italian American Film Forum Grant, Defending the Peninsula, was chosen as one of the three finalists and was shown at the Russo Brother's Film Forum at the NIAF (National Italian American Foundation) which was held at the Shoreham Hotel in Washington DC. A trailer of the film was also shown at the Gala the same evening that was attended by a crowd of over 1000, including dignitaries such as Former CIA Director and Secretary of the U.S. Mike Pompeo, Italian Ambassador to the United States Mariangela Zappia, Giada De Laurentiis and many more. The Gala was hosted by Maria Bartiromo and Joe Piscopo.

We filmed on two U.S. coasts: Malibu/Pacific Palisades, California and New York and Boston; then two Italian coasts: Cerveteri, Roma and Fano. We interviewed archeologists, cultural patrimony experts, two mayors in Italy and the lawyer in Fano, Italy who is fighting to get the Lisippo Bronze of Fano repatriated to Italy (currently held by the Getty Villa)! In this film we cover the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum Robbery and Isabella Stewart Gardner’s Italian art purchasing habits through Bernard Berenson, the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Euphronious Krater case, and the current legal and moral battle bewreeen the Italian Government and the Getty Villa for the ownership and return of the Lisippo di Fano (which the Getty calls the Getty Bronze). We Are honored to be in the top 7 and very happy to have an opportunity  to spread our message about Article 9 of the Italian Constitution as well as the battle for the Lisippo Bronze.

The three runner ups of the Russo Brother's 2022 grant awards were:

 

Charles Vincent Sabba, whose film “Defending the Peninsula” investigates art theft and antiquities looting in Italy and how law enforcement in both the USA and Italy work to protect the artistic and cultural patrimony of Italy’s 70% share of the world’s great art.

 

Agata De Santis, whose documentary film, Rossi & Company, explores the history of the 112-year-old Italian American gift shop in NYC’s Little Italy, and the struggle its 71 year old proprietor is having to keep its storied doors open.

Leaving the Facory (Forum Winner) by Alessia Crucitelli and Andrew James Levay.

Mr. Basil Russo and Charles Sabba at the Russo Brothers 2022 Film Forum. Mr. Basil Russo has dedicated his entire life to promoting Italian culture in the U.S.A. and fighting for Italian-American rights and social justice causes.
 

I would like to thank the Russo Brothers and their father, Basil Russo, for their generosity and for giving me this opportunity to express my cause of Italian cultural patrimony protection in film.

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This grant is an amazing opportunity and it is extremely generous of the sponsors. The Russo Brothers Italian American Film Forum is sponsored by four entities: the National Italian American Foundation, the Italian Sons and Daughters of America, the Russo Brothers and AGBO.

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