Lauren Mucciolo

Poor Kids & other updates

~ laurenmuc

Romeo Galante’s Lauren Mucciolo is now working as a producer on a television documentary commissioned by BBC 2’s This World and PBS/WGBH’s Frontline for the leading, London-based True Vision Productions! Tentatively titled Poor Kids USA, the hour-long current affairs program will look at poverty in America today through the perspectives of three children growing up on the bottom rung of society’s ladder. It will follow their experiences and their perceptions of life over several months of filming. Directed by BAFTA and Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Jezza Neumann, the film will highlight the effects of the current economic downturn on families who previously enjoyed middle class life but are now facing hunger, homelessness and other serious struggles for the first time.

In news from the RG catalogue, the Brooklyn Arts Council recently awarded a Community Arts Fund grant towards production of The Beaches. The New Children/New York website just got a makeover. And El Regreso de Lencho will have its theatrical premiere in Guatemala City at la MUCA on February 23rd.

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Admissions Video

~ laurenmuc

We recently completed an admissions video for the City University of New York’s new two-year school slated to open in 2012, which is appropriately named New Community College (NCC). The 2-minute video was presented at an admissions event earlier this month and will be used in other ways to recruit students for this innovative new program.

Special thanks to the amazing production team, including Kalin Ivanov and Sarah Alli; to our cast Brian, Jennefer, Rezwan, Hector, Okello and Eli; and to our partner Silent Five Media.

Check out the new video:

Festivals, DVDs and Showreels

~ laurenmuc

Happy Fall everyone!

Romeo Galante Productions projects continue to make large strides forward. El Regreso de Lencho is an Official Selection in the Panorama Latin America program of the prestigious 26th Mar del Plata International Film Festival in Argentina this month. For more information go here.

New Children/New York is now available for purchase on DVD. We are in the process of updating our website with purchasing information, but feel free in the mean time to contact us at newchildrennewyork@gmail.com for more information. The film was recently presented at Eastern Nazarene College in Quincy Massachusetts, with more screenings coming up soon in the college circuit. We are also still working on curricular materials to accompany the film: a standards-based curriculum for high school students is ready; and college-level and organizing versions are in production. Feel free to be in touch for a copy. Again, the website will soon have these materials available for download.

Filmmaker Lauren Mucciolo has a new showreel available online. Check it out on vimeo.

Festival announcements

~ laurenmuc

RGP films are making their way on the festival circuit right now. El Regreso de Lencho will have its World Premiere as an Official Selection, International Features category, at the HBO New York Latino International Film Festival, on Friday, August 19th, 2011, at 4:30 PM at the AMC Empire 18, 234 W. 42nd Street in Manhattan.

New Children/New York is having its Florida Premiere as an Official Selection of the DocMiami International Film Festival on Sunday, September 25th, 2011, at 4:30 PM at the Doral Golf Resort & Spa, Coco Plum Room. The documentary also returns to Texas for the CineSol Film Festival, which plays in cities across the Rio Grande Valley. Our screening will take place on Saturday, September 17th, 2011, at 5:15PM in Edinburg, TX at the University of Texas-Pan American Library Auditorium. Also on September 17th, the documentary will play at the Puerto Rican Festival of Rochester, NY at The Little Theatre, time TBA.

Production update

~ laurenmuc

We’re taking some time for the next month to work on the edit of “The Beaches” before we shoot more video at the end of the summer. Director of Photography Kalin Ivanov’s camerawork is so beautiful, it’s hard to cut! Lou and Mary are spending their summer in Howard Beach, Qns., and in particular Lou is working on his Turkey photo album. Lou just celebrated his 89th birthday on Bastille Day with a family dinner at London Lennie’s in Woodhaven, where of course Mary and Lou are very close with the owners. Their next trip is likely to Normal, Illinois, where their youngest son and his family live, some time in the fall.

The plan is to apply for grant support in September to get post-production money, and having a rough cut of the film will definitely help. Fingers crossed! If you are interested in making a personal donation to the project, send me an email and we’ll be happy to oblige! — laurenmuc {at} gmail.com .

Welcome

~ laurenmuc

The Romeo Galante Productions website has officially launched. Explore our webpages along the menu above to learn more about RGP, its various projects and filmmaker Lauren Mucciolo!