Romeo Galante Productions recently completed two full-length films that were international, independent co-productions, and it is currently in production on its latest documentary.

“New Children/New York” is an award-winning documentary screening worldwide that explores the immigrant experience in New York City from the perspectives of three young Latinos studying filmmaking. Using excerpts of the main characters’ own personal films, the documentary provides a first-person, emotionally raw window into being undocumented and struggling with family separation, social isolation and cultural erosion. RGP co-produced this project from its inception in 2006 through to its completion in 2010 in association with Ojo de Agua Arte y Producción. Lauren Mucciolo served as producer, co-writer and an additional editor, and she co-founded and taught the youth filmmaking workshop that supported this project.

“El Regreso de Lencho” (The Return of Lencho), a feature film, is a fictional story about an artist named Lencho’s return from the ex-pat life in New York to his native Guatemala. The film employs documentary filmmaking techniques to illuminate the real-life yet hidden issue of social cleansing against youth and social justice agitators in this increasingly violent, Central American country. Filmed on 16mm and incorporating animation, RGP supported this project during its latter pre-production and its production stages. Lauren Mucciolo served as co-producer.

“The Beaches” (tentative title) is RGP’s current production, slated for completion in mid/late 2012. Filmed in HDV, this documentary-in-progress follows an elderly Italian-American couple living in Howard Beach, Queens (the origin of their nickname The Beaches) who are spending their golden years traveling. And not just on any trips: their love for travel is taking them to UNESCO World Heritage sites all over the world, from Northern Africa to East Asia to South America. But as they get closer to 90, their passion may be quelled, and this personal documentary by the couple’s granddaughter raises questions about heritage, legacy, mortality and living life with exuberance and wonder.

RGP’s Lauren Mucciolo also served as an Associate Producer for “Amorfo: Te Busqué” (Amorfo: I Searched For You, Occularis Films, 2006, dir. Mario Rosales), an experimental short exploring the history of state-sponsored violence and silence in Guatemala, finished on 35mm film; and Raising Noha (in post-production, dir. Sarah Foudy), a character-driven look at the marginalization of Moroccan single mothers.