We are thrilled to have Antonio Dikele Distefano with us during the festival for his first feature movie screening Autumn Beat. Director Antonio Dikele Distefano scheduled to attend with Q&A. Moderator: Prof. Lorenzo Fabbri, Director of Italian Studies, University of Minnesota.
About Autumn Beat
Milan-born brothers Tito and Paco have the same dream: breaking into the world of rap music and having their voices finally heard. Paco is a born performer and Tito has a gift for writing. They seem destined for success, but ambition, life, and love for the same woman will test their bond in this exciting three-decade-long emotional journey.
DIRECTOR
In a bid to increase black representation in new Italian cinema, well-known Italian author turned screenwriter Antonio Dikele Distefano (Bursto Arsizio,1992) made his worldwide debut on Netflix Italia in 2021 with the groundbreaking mini-series, Zero, featuring a primarily black cast.
Before connecting with Amazon Italy and Netflix Italia, Antonio had already become an inspiration to many Black Italians through publishing, television, and social media projects. He went on to write five novels for Mondadori between 2014 and 2019. Along the way, he founded Esse Magazine in 2016 as an outlet for young Black artists to gain recognition and did video interviews with emerging performers. In addition, he owns the communications agency Cantera.
Antonio, with his own production company, is developing films that bring Black performers onto the world stage so they're no longer invisible. He says doing quality projects that positively portray underserved communities will give people an opportunity to exist. If the mainstream chooses to ignore them, that's their choice, but they'll no longer be invisible.
SPONSORS
Produttore di Elite
Produttore Esecutivo
Produttore
Assitente di produzione
Albert and Susan Colianni
Penelope Scialla
Regista
Nancy Azzam
Ann Burns
Astrid Garino and Massimo Costalonga
Joe Tamburino
Alberto Orioles & Neil Tassoni,
Children's Respiratory and Critical Care Specialists
Aiuto Regista
Catherine Allan
Brian Balleria and Joan Bechtold
Stefano Perugini
Nancy and Gary Schaefer
Kathy Moe and Jonathan Watson
Laurie Zenner
CVito Bongiorno
Giacomo & Denise D'Aurora
Bill & Sandra Gengler
Luisa O'Gara
Individual Movie Sponsors
Dominic Sposeto (Autumn Beat)