Popcorn, Movies & Cannolis At Little Italy's Film Fest
BALTIMORE (WJZ)--It started with a crazy idea about how to show a movie outdoors, 17 years later Little Italy is proud of what happens there every Friday night during the summer.
Ron Matz reports on what's new at this year's Little Italy Film Festival which kicks off tomorrow night.
It starts with Moonstruck and the streets fill up. The Little Italy Film Festival is in its 17th year.
"Another year for the film festival and how fortunate we are. Every summer we look forward to all of these people coming down to Little Italy to join us for this great community event which brings so much joy," said Mimmo Cricchio, Da Mimmo Restaurant.
It started in 1999 when the late John Pente agreed to put the movie projector on the third floor of his High Street home.
"17 years ago Mr. John Pente was nice enough to open his home to try this idea. This crazy idea to put a projector in his third floor bedroom to shoot across the Da Mimmo parking lot onto this big board. He was willing to take a risk with us and now 17 years on this event has come to mean so much for not only Little Italy, but the City of Baltimore," Cricchio said.
Colombo Bank provides free popcorn. There's entertainment before the movie and you can even grab a cannoli at Vaccaro's in the shadows of St. Leo's Church.
This year's festival features some Hollywood classics, including Casablanca, Citizen Kane, The Wizard of Oz and Gone With the Wind.
Summer magic under the stars at High and Stiles.
Cricchio says, "People come here early and stake their spot out. They bring their lawn chairs and blankets. They'll turn this parking lot into a piazza. Every Friday night during the summer we have something special here."
Show time for "Moonstruck" tomorrow night is 9:00 p.m.
For a complete list of the movies at the Little Italy Film Festival CLICK HERE.
