There, on North Jay, stands Perreca’s Bakery, the crown jewel of Schenectady’s Little Italy, a fixture of the neighborhood for more than a century. From a booth inside More Perreca sits Maria Papa, who has a hand in both of the businesses that neighbor one another, where she talks about next week’s plans to pay tribute again to the late Dan DiNicola.
“You can hear the crickets,” said Papa, about the plans for the second consecutive Dan DiNicola Memorial Little Italy Film Festival; a five-week event that showcases Italian films, or films that with Italian overtones, from behind the eatery, just as she did last year. “You meet new people. You sit next to your neighbors. It’s a real, old-fashioned neighborhood summer event.”
Hosting a film festival in DiNicola’s name is fitting. Having it in Little Italy, well, that’s just the cream in the cannoli. The high school teacher who turned a second career into a three-time Grammy award-winning jaunt as a movie critic for Schenectady’s Daily Gazette and WRGB-TV, let a lasting impression on Papa, who was one of his students at Burnt Hills High School.
As a teacher, “he naturally expected more [from his students],” said Papa. “He had a presence. He had a very physical presence. He was tall, and he had the voice. And, he had the film festival. And, we all wanted to be a part of that film festival.”
Prior to a journalism career that made him a local icon to all things cinematic, he taught English and creative writing on the high school level. He also, said Papa, managed an annual film festival at the high school. So popular was the festival, it would only be open to high school aged students, leading younger students to look forward to their high school years.
“We wanted to be a part of whatever he had going, because it was magical,” she said.
Papa said, DiNicola devoted his life to seeking out the inspiring stories from people, in films, and in the mundane day to day activities of everyday life. DiNicola died in 2010 after battling brain cancer.
The Dan DiNicola Memorial Little Italy Film Festival launched last year. It was planned as an annual, free outdoor cinema event to take place every Thursday evening for five consecutive weeks. To hear Papa explain how events unfolded sounds like Ray Kensella preparing to build a baseball field over his crop of corn. The festival “was never to make a profit,” she said.
Nor was it meant to meant to threaten her livelihood as Kensella did with his ballfield in W.P. Kensella’s novel “Shoeless Joe.” But, where Kensella sets aimlessly towards a path of discovery, Papa proceeds with a clear goal in mind. Her love for movies influenced by her former teacher, she said there’s an element about film that can be “life changing.”
“I love seeing people challenge themselves,” said Papa. “I love hiring a dishwasher and seeing him aspire to be a server or a line chef. I think movies do that for people. Give them dreams and aspirations.”
The schedule of films begin on Wednesday, July 23 with the Dennis Quaid movie “Breaking Away.” Each movie will be shown in the municipal parking lot behind Perreca’s Bakery on N Jay Street in Schenectady’s Little Italy. Papa said the film series continues t DiNicola’s work as it provides thought-provoking films in a friendly, neighborhood setting that is accessible to all.
Attendance is free. Patrons are asked to bring their own chairs event. Food is available for purchase from participating Little Italy neighborhood eateries. Movies begin at dusk, at approximately 8:45 p.m.
“If you want to provide your family, someone with a gift, bring them to the film festival,” said Papa. “Give them a life changing experience.”
The Summer 2015 Film Festival schedule is as follows:
- Thursday, July 23 – “Breaking Away”
- Thursday, July 30 – “Cinema Paradisio”
- Thursday, August 6 – Frank Capra’s “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington”
- Thursday, August 13 – “The Bicycle Thief”
- Thursday, August 20 – “Rocky”
This film series is sponsored by Transfinder, New York BizLab, Spotlight News, Perreca’s Bakery, More Perreca’s Italian Kitchen and the DiNicola family.