\u201cSt. Joseph\u201d, directed by <\/i>Maky Rupert<\/i><\/b>, <\/i>has been awarded the top prize at the 8th Annual Russo Brothers Italian American Filmmaker Forum fellowship program.\u00a0<\/span><\/i> LOS ANGELES, CA \u2013 DECEMBER 10, 2025<\/b>: AGBO<\/a> and the Italian Sons and Daughters of America (ISDA<\/a>) proudly announce \u201cSt. Joseph\u201d, directed by Maky Rupert<\/a>, as the winner of the 2025 Russo Brothers Italian American Filmmaker Forum (RBIAFF<\/a>).<\/p>\n Earlier this year, five filmmakers received $10,000 production grants to create short films based on concepts exploring the Italian American experience. From this year\u2019s exceptional works, \u201cSt. Joseph\u201d was selected as the top prize winner and is set to receive an additional $10,000 grant, along with access to the AGBO Storytellers Collective.<\/p>\n Rupert\u2019s film follows a group of estranged cousins who return to their now-empty childhood home in search of a statue of St. Joseph, which their Italian grandmother buried in the yard for good luck 30 years prior. Through this nostalgic and deeply personal journey, the film explores themes of grief, the evolving bonds of family in adulthood, and the enduring power of cultural and familial traditions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Since its inception in 2017, RBIAFF has supported emerging voices in cinema by awarding over $450,000 in grants to more than 55 talented filmmakers. This year marks a continued celebration of Italian American culture, language, and heritage through the lens of creative storytelling.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n This year\u2019s winner was chosen by a committee composed of the AGBO creative team, ISDA leadership, and a distinguished panel of judges that included AGBO Co-Founders and Partners Anthony Russo and Joe Russo, AGBO\u2019s Chief Creative Officer Angela Russo-Otstot, ISDA National President Basil Russo, and ISDA representative Patricia Russo. The program\u2019s mission remains steadfast: to elevate authentic, compelling narratives that highlight the richness of the Italian American experience.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The AGBO Storytellers Collective, an alumni network exclusive to those honored through AGBO\u2019s fellowships and competitions, will provide the 2025 winner with mentorship, industry guidance, and a platform to collaborate with fellow emerging filmmakers. The Collective supports its members\u2019 growth as artists and empowers them to realize their creative ambitions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cSupporting emerging storytellers is central to AGBO\u2019s mission, and RBIAFF embodies that commitment by amplifying voices that thoughtfully illuminate the Italian American experience,\u201d said Angela Russo-Otstot, AGBO\u2019s Chief Creative Officer. \u201cWe\u2019re inspired by these filmmakers\u2019 distinct perspectives, and congratulate Maky Rupert on St. Joseph<\/i>, a resonant film capturing the poignancy of family, tradition, and the lasting impression they impart.\u201d<\/p>\n In January 2024, AGBO presented Louis D\u2019Esposito<\/a>, Co-President of Marvel Studios, with the inaugural \u201cRenaissance Award,\u201d a distinguished honor to celebrate the outstanding contributions to Italian American heritage and the entertainment industry. This year, the second annual Renaissance Award was presented to Stanley Tucci<\/a>, celebrating his remarkable achievements as an actor, writer, and passionate advocate for Italian culture.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Maky Rupert will screen his winning film at a future RBIAFF event at AGBO in Downtown Los Angeles.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n For more information on The Russo Brothers Italian American Film Forum, please visit https:\/\/agbo.com\/community\/the-russo-brothers-italian-american-filmmaker-forum\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/i> \u00a0<\/p>\n RBIAFF 2025 FINALISTS<\/strong><\/p>\n Grant Recipient:\u00a0TIRAMISU<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n DIRECTOR:<\/strong> Katerina Munis<\/a><\/p>\n LOCATION:<\/strong> CA, US<\/p>\n LOGLINE:\u00a0<\/strong>Two strangers collide in the heat of a Sicilian kitchen.<\/p>\n \ufe0fDIRECTOR\u2019S BIO\ufe0f<\/strong><\/p>\n Katerina is an award-winning writer\/director. She holds an MFA in Film & Television Production from USC\u2019s School of Cinematic Arts and was the Director of Productions at XR Stage, an immersive film & TV studio.<\/p>\n Katerina is distinguished as a 2025 Russo Brothers\u2019 fellow, 2025 McKnight Foundation Screenwriting fellow, 2024 Academy Awards Nicholls finalist, 2025 Stowe Story Labs screenwriter, 2025 Moonshot Feature Accelerator fellow, 2024 Screencraft Screenwriting Fellow, 2024 Next List featured screenwriter, 2023 Fox production grant winner, and 2023 USC Gary Memorial Scholarship winner. Katerina\u2019s 2024 directorial debut DAEDALUS was the recipient of myriad \u201cBest Director\u201d \/ \u201cBest Film\u201d awards and was featured in AMPAV\u2019s \u201cEmerging Filmmaker\u201d showcase at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival.<\/p>\n Grant Recipient:\u00a0PASTA PERFETTA<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n DIRECTOR:<\/strong> Adriano Valentini<\/a><\/p>\n LOCATION:<\/strong> CA, US\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n LOGLINE:<\/strong>\u00a0When a lonely man\u2019s disastrous attempt to impress social media with a picture-perfect pasta dish turns him into an overnight influencer, he must decide whether to keep feeding the illusion or rediscover what\u2019s truly nourishing.<\/p>\n \ufe0fDIRECTOR\u2019S BIO\ufe0f<\/strong><\/p>\n Adriano Valentini is an Italian-Canadian-American indie filmmaker whose work explores identity, comedy, and contemporary Italian-American culture. His films and series have been recognized in major festivals and competitions, blending satire with socially relevant storytelling. A proud triple passport holder, Adriano brings a unique global perspective to his work, drawing from his Italian roots, Canadian upbringing, and experiences in the U.S. film industry.<\/p>\n He was a Top 10 Finalist in HBO\u2019s Project Greenlight and the winner of NBC\u2019s Comedy Playground. His award-winning web series, Little Italy, Los Angeles, won Best Web Series at both the HollyShorts Film Festival and LA ComedyFest. He has directed comedy for Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and his indie comedy series How to Do Sh!t with Guido Gagootz was a smash hit at SeriesFest, building a large, engaged online following beyond just the Italian community.<\/p>\n Adriano is an alumni of the Writers Guild of Canada Diverse Writing Program and has a background in both scripted and documentary filmmaking. His short docuseries Destination: Italia, produced for Telelatino Network (TLN), explores the cultural and historical ties between Italy and North America.<\/p>\n A graduate of NYU Tisch School of the Arts (BFA in Film & TV Production) and Toronto Metropolitan University\u2019s MBA in Media Management, Adriano is committed to telling stories that reflect the modern Italian-American experience. His work, often infused with humor and sharp cultural critique, seeks to challenge stereotypes and explore what it means to hold onto tradition in an ever-changing world.<\/p>\n Grant Recipient:\u00a0LUIGI LOOKALIKE<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n DIRECTOR:<\/strong> Luke Salvatore Petronella<\/p>\n LOCATION:<\/strong> NY, US<\/p>\n LOGLINE:<\/strong> A young Italian-American hijacks the persona of an alleged criminal in a desperate attempt to win his girlfriend back.<\/p>\n \ufe0fDIRECTOR\u2019S BIO\ufe0f<\/strong><\/p>\n Luke Petronella is a 25-year-old Sicilian-American filmmaker with a passion for community service and activism. Currently, he is working to help solve food insecurity in the United States. For the past 6 years, Luke has supported a nonprofit organization called Rescuing Leftover Cuisine and is now its full-time Content Manage & Brand Ambassador. This work allows him to create documentary short films about the people of NYC who volunteer their time to redistribute excess food from restaurants, bakeries, and catering companies, to homeless shelters, soup kitchens, and food pantries. He grew up on Long Island, and graduated from Brooklyn College in 2022. It is because of his experience in helping his community that Luke finally found his true passion: to support his fellow neighbor through the use of documentary filmmaking.<\/p>\n Grant Recipient:\u00a0FORGOTTEN FLAVORS<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n DIRECTOR:<\/strong> Michael Mastronardi<\/a><\/p>\n LOCATION:<\/strong> CA, US\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n LOGLINE:<\/strong> Armed with his camera, a filmmaker sets out to recreate his late grandmother\u2019s lost recipes through family stories and fading memories\u2014uncovering as much about himself as the woman who inspired him.<\/p>\n \ufe0fDIRECTOR\u2019S BIO\ufe0f<\/strong><\/p>\n Michael is an award winning filmmaker based out of southern California. He has spent his career seeking truth in storytelling in both doc and narrative work. His strong voice and vision helps craft introspective pieces that provoke thought and expose the artist\u2019s internal struggles.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n ABOUT AGBO\u00a0<\/span><\/b> Founded in 2017 by Anthony and Joe Russo, AGBO is an artist-led independent studio dedicated to shaping the future of storytelling across film, TV, and interactive media. Known for record-breaking success, AGBO has delivered 15 global #1 openings and, helmed by the Russo Brothers, has generated over $7 billion in box office, including Marvel\u2019s highest-grossing film, Avengers: Endgame<\/i>. Everything Everywhere All at Once <\/i>won seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, while The Gray Man <\/i>and Extraction <\/i>rank among Netflix\u2019s most-watched films of all time.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n AGBO\u2019s Citadel <\/i>universe has expanded globally, with Citadel: Diana <\/i>and Citadel: Honey Bunny <\/i>becoming top Prime Video originals and Citadel <\/i>Season 2 is now in post-production. The studio recently released The Electric State <\/i>for Netflix, which premiered as the #1 film on the platform; wrapped The Bluff <\/i>for Amazon MGM; is in post-production on The Whisper Man <\/i>for Netflix; and continues production on the Extraction <\/i>series and Mercenary<\/i>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In addition, AGBO has Rambo <\/i>in pre-production, while the studio is also producing Avengers: Doomsday <\/i>(2026) and Avengers: Secret Wars <\/i>(2027) with Marvel, with the Russo Brothers set to direct. https:\/\/www.agbo.com\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n In 1930, immigrant families banded together to create the Italian Sons and Daughters of America (ISDA<\/a>), now one of the most prominent and financially successful Italian American organizations in the nation. In the last decade, we built a 725,000-strong\u00a0social media<\/a>\u00a0community, grew our not-for-profit fraternal association,\u00a0ISDA Financial Life<\/a>, to nearly a half billion dollars in member assets,\u00a0co-founded the Russo Brothers Italian American Filmmaker Forum (RBIAFF<\/a>), and\u00a0launched the fastest-growing Italian American publication (La Nostra Voce<\/a>).\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/orderisda.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image002-3-300x143.png\")
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