A new film about the struggles of Mexican immigrants in Queens — “Amexicano” — will be sneak previewed tomorrow night at 7:30 by the Ridgefield Playhouse Film Society.
Director and producer Matthew Bonifacio will do a question and answer session after the screening.
The film was an official selection of the Tribeca Film Festival last year and received the Grand Jury Prize for “best narrative feature film” at the Sonoma Valley Film festival earlier this year.
“Amexicano” is set for theatrical release in September.
Screenwriter (and leading player) Carmine Famiglietti explores the culture clash between old and new ethnic groups in Queens.
The Italian-American Bruno played by Famiglietti loses his job, runs out of unemployment benefits and finds himself doing landscaping and construction work.
Bruno meets the Mexican day laborers who “work the corners” along Northern Boulevard each morning hoping for work.
The day laborers don’t speak English and Bruno doesn’t speak Spanish.
Bruno becomes friends with Ignacio (Raul Castillo) and his wife Gabriela (Jennifer Pena), who open a door into a whole new culture for the Italian man.
The movie blends comedy and drama in a telling reminder that the Mexicans are just the most recent in a long line of “foreigners” who have come to this country to better themselves.
The screening is latest offering of the Ridgefield Playhouse Film Society which has been programming special film events at the Ridgefield Playhouse since 2004.
Tickets for “Amexicano” are $10, with a $2.50 discount for senior citizens and a $5 discount for students.
To order tickets in advance call 438-5795 or go online to www.ridgefieldplayhouse.org.
The Playhouse is at 80 East Ridge Road in Ridgefield.
