Local Filmmaker Explores the Rhode Island Italian Experience in Comedic Short Film

Courtesy of Joe Picozzi

It’s not every day that a Rhode Island talent impresses Marvel royalty, but Lincoln-born-and-raised Joe Picozzi managed to pull it off with his short film, My Kind of People.

Earlier this year, Picozzi’s idea for the film was selected as a finalist in the Russo Brothers’ (see Marvel reference) Italian American Filmmaker Forum (RBIAFF), a fellowship competition which tasked filmmakers with exploring and depicting aspects of the Italian American experience. He and four other filmmakers were each awarded grants of $10,000 to go towards making their respective films a reality.

Picozzi’s take on the prompt? Starring former Vine star and actor Justin Russo, comedian/actor Joey Dardano, and decorated Queens actress Bonnie Rose, My Kind of People follows twenty-something Rhode Islander, Gio, as he discovers via DNA test that he, despite his very Italia bringing, has not a single drop of Italian blood. Family secrets are revealed, identity crises are had, and both hilarious yet heartwarming shenanigans ensue. We caught up with Picozzi to learn more about how this all came about, the production process, why the Rhode Island Italian experience is so unique, and what’s next for the short film (plus an exciting update!).

A cast member, left, and Picozzi, right, interact offscreen. Courtesy of Joe Picozzi.

How did you first get into filmmaking?

I always wrote stories as a kid. My uncle was an artist and a writer and got me into it — like started writing stories with me when I was six or seven. I would always try to bring them into class and read them to everyone. So that turned into an interest in comedy. And then I got a home movie camera, and I started making my own SNL-style sketches and fake commercials and things. This was even before YouTube, just to play them back around the house. But eventually I made a few YouTube videos. And it kind of went from there — I studied film at UMiami and then a few years later, I went to grad school at USC at LA.

In addition to your own films, did I see you’ve also worked on a few bigger projects around these parts?

I was a PA on a few things: Hocus Pocus 2 first and then “The Gilded Age” in Newport. I got connected with Alex Berard, who ended up producing My Kind of People, and he’s a local location manager that’s done all these huge productions.

Behind the scenes. Courtesy of Joe Picozzi

So, what came first: your idea for the film or the fellowship opportunity?

I came up with this idea to enter for the fellowship. It’s hard to raise funds for a short film because they’re not worth anything, outside of showing your skills, you know. It also aligned with where I was at and what I wanted to do next. I wanted to do something set in Rhode Island about my culture, or more ethnically specific to  how I grew up, and it was a great opportunity to do that. So, yeah, the idea was like tailored specifically for the fellowship, which was supposed to be about the Italian American experience and what that means to you.

What was the submission process like?

There were a bunch of different written things, like we had to submit a budget, a director’s statement, a synopsis and a pitch video. The pitch video was me pulling from a bunch of movies and cutting, kind of like a sizzle reel together while I narrated. I introduced myself, the project and pitched the entire story. The film actually came out pretty much the same as pitch video. It’s cool, I watched it again recently and I was like we definitely stuck to the initial vision.

How did you find out that you were a finalist?

I think I was on the subway when I got the e-mail. So I was  going in and out of service and I got a half loaded e-mail with  the good news. I was like, we got to get out of here so I can read this!

A still from the film. Courtesy of Joe Picozzi

What was the process for making the film a reality? 

They’ve been great. They’ve been in touch and like I’ve been giving them updates. I’ve been

interfacing with Sophia Russo, who is I think is Joe’s daughter, you know, with AGBO as their company, they do it through that. They gave the funds early and after that it was up to up to me to raise the rest of it. We got a lot of private contributions; anybody who’s an executive producer on the film gave some money to fill in the budget. [Local filmmaker] Dante Bellini is a contributor, my parents, family, friends and people I’ve met through making films all contributed.

As soon as I got the award, I had to write the script, crew up, raise funds and it was just a sprint to November when we handed in the movie. We shot in late July throughout in Lincoln, North Providence and Providence. It was a blast.

And did I see you also had family contribute some of their acting chops, as well?

Yeah. So that that wasn’t the plan always. But it became undeniable as soon as I as soon as I learned that he would be open to it that I must use my grandfather [for the grandfather role in the film].  I took him to a coffee shop and auditioned him. It was great. I just started filming him and he did an improv scene. I was like, ‘Wow, he’s actually a natural.’ He’s as funny on camera as he is in real life. That was a fun accident. And then once he was on board, I was like well, we might as well shoot in my grandmother’s house at her table. It really added to the film. My dad is also in the nightmare sequence, so we’ve got three generations of Joe Picozzi in the movie.

A still from the film. Courtesy of Joe Picozzi

What made you want to explore and showcase Rhode Island Italian culture, specifically? What do you think makes it special?

I think it was getting outside of Rhode Island and seeing all different places. I’ve lived in Miami, New York, LA, and just traveling around and visiting where my friends grew up. I’ve always been interested in how things are the same and how things are different, and I think this movie kind of tells you both. It shows how unique Rhode Island is to have such a concentration of Italian Americans all in one place and how that feels. umm. And then also how our values are universal: how we value family over everything and how we have each other’s backs. I’ve already been told that it reaches people outside of the culture as well, so that’s really nice to hear. And then part of our part of our culture has always been comedy for me. So this movie had to be funny, it had to show our personality and our particular brand of humor.

A still from the film. Courtesy of Joe Picozzi

The DNA aspect is also a relatable modern-day story — I took an Ancestry test a few years ago and discovered that my very Irish father is in fact not Irish, but Scottish. I’m pretty sure he’s still in denial about it.

So many people have said that to me. A lot of the actors that auditioned, we had hundreds of actors come out, but like their big thing was, ‘Oh, this happened to my cousin,’ or ‘this happened to me!’ So, it’s a very common experience. I haven’t taken one yet. I’m a little wary of it, actually. But I’m going to have to now – if I go through a similar situation, I’ll have to just follow my own advice from the film.

A still from the film. Courtesy of Joe Picozzi

I know you just recently held a successful screening of My Kind of People at the Avon — what’s next for the film?

This is just the beginning. We just finished the film, so we’re going to begin submitting to film festivals, and an entire festival run could last a year and a half to two years. You try to chart a course around the world, we’ll go as far as we can put it out there. I’ve been really lucky with my past films (see here), they’ve played all over the place. I’ve gotten experiences out of it and met people, some who went on to work on this movie. I’m really excited to get this one out there, I think people are going to like it.

And it must be nice to know you have the Russo Brother stamp of approval backing you.

Yes, definitely. There is one more part of that fellowship: they pick an ultimate winner, one of filmmakers receives some more money and some mentorship. We find out December 2nd.

Update: My Kind of People was selected as the overall winner! Picozzi will receive a 10,000 grant as well as access to the AGBO Storytellers Collective.

 

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Is there anything else you’d like people to know?

Just that my entire extended family had a hand in it somehow. Whether they let us borrow a car or an apartment, or were on set handing out food, moving chairs… It was a real family effort. I got to introduce friends to my family and like my crew members, and it was such a good energy. I think it translates on screen. But regardless of how the film does, it was a really cool moment for me to involve everyone.

If you’d like to learn more about Picozzi and keep up with the future of My Kind of People, visit picozzi.co.

From the private family screening. Courtesy of Joe Picozzi