Film No. 11 (2014) Feb 17th. 6.30PM PARADISO Northbridge.
Si Parla Italiano
Jack and his wife Teressa are friends of our family. Both emigrated to Australia from Italy to Melbourne in the mid sixties, before finally settling in Perth some years later. Regular visitors to the Fremantle Markets will know Jack for his "Con the Grocer" like dialect as they pick their week-end fruit. We took Jack and Teressa to Lygon St - Si Parla Italiano last night and what a joy it was.
This slickly made film depicting the evolution of Lygon Street post WWII by the Italians is interesting; it is more interesting if you watch it with someone who remembers intimately the time and even remembers some of the people depicted.
Jack and Teressa chuckled their way through this piece of digital history and even cheered when it was revealed that McDonalds and Starbucks where both closed due to a lack of patrons. The only time these institutions were unable to make a profit in an Australian venue.
The film gives a fantastic guide to the Italian influence on an Australian landscape. It's funny and revealing, but don't believe everything you've seen on Underbelly; and if you have an Italian friend who knows Melbourne, take them along, you'll get another dimension. 8GUMS
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