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ANTONIO'S ROAD

By Donna DIGIUSEPPE

LADY IN ERMINE PRODUCTIONS, LLC - as PROD

Female director - Completed 2025

A Heartwarming American Immigration Story.
Antonio leaves Italy in 1929 to follow his dream to be an artist in America. Widowed Irish Mary wants a better life for her child. Antonio and Mary's paths cross at Ellis Island and as they struggle to make a life in America.

- Year of production
- 2025
- Genres
- Female director, Drama
- Countries
- ITALY, USA
- Languages
- ENGLISH, ITALIAN
- Budget
- 0.3 - 0.6 M$
- Duration
- 86 mn
- Director(s)
- Donna DIGIUSEPPE
- Writer(s)
- Donna DIGIUSEPPE
- Cast
- Andrew ROGERS, Valeria DI MENNO, Heidi SCHOOLER, Mario MASSARI, Rose MCAVOY, Joshua MALEKOS, Isabella BASCO, Toni MADDOCKS, Peter COYOTE
- Producer(s)
- Donna DIGIUSEPPE (Lady In Ermine Productions)
- Synopsis
- ANTONIO'S ROAD
  
  A Story of Hope and Resilience
  
  We begin with a close up of a miniature sculpture of a man "PRIMO" in the hands of an artist who turns it over and over, inspecting for imperfections. The little sculpture is signed, "A. Di Rossi. Atri 1919". Then we realize it's 1929, and ANTONIO (20s) is no artist. He is a laborer in a noisy foundry. His ambition is to be a sculptor.
  
  Antonio returns home where he lives with his sister VALERIA (20s). He's depressed by lack of opportunity for his art. He makes the hard decision to leave all he has ever known and depart for America. Valeria refuses to go with him. He has only his sculpture "Primo" to accompany him.
  
  MARY (20s) is distraught ever since her husband John was killed in the Troubles. Mary decides to leave Ireland and depart for America, alone and pregnant. She's determined to make a better life for her child.
  
  Mary and Antonio bump into each other at the Ellis Island processing center. She sees his coat button. He notices her green scarf. They see their hopes and trepidation reflected in each other.
  
  Mary finds work in Philadelphia at a Grand House but must leave her baby Anne at a convent while she raises other's children.
  
  Antonio takes his sculptures to an art gallery, a market, a shop and is repeatedly mocked. A priest recommends manual labor in Philadelphia.
  
  Mary pushes the baby carriage of her well-heeled employers. Antonio trudges from the opposite direction, exhausted from his labors.
  They pass each other. She sees his coat button. He notices her green scarf. They realize each other's equally dismal state.
  A news truck approaches and a stack of papers falls to the sidewalk, "STOCK MARKET CRASHES!" "October 29,1929".
  
  A wind picks up and the papers flutter. The stack spins. Jumpin' music plays. The spinning stack becomes a spinning record. It's 1955.
  
  A convent door swings open. Mary's grown daughter ANNE (20s) bursts forth. She steps into the street shedding her layers: gloves, hat, coat, sweater. She grabs the air around her. She is wide-eyed and eager.
  
  She sees a notice, "Women's Boarding House." And another, "Belrose Theater. Singer wanted." She grabs them and clutches tight.
  
  TONY (20s) rushes from the opposite direction. He's a striver, anxious to get to Councilman Johnson's office for a scholarship Johnson promised. Tony meets Johnson's clerk JOSH GREENBERG (20s). They recall each other from N.E. High. Josh schemes with Tony: get Mario Lanza tickets from the Italian community to bribe Johnson for the scholarship.
  
  Tony confides his plight to his Pop Antonio. Antonio decides to sacrifice Primo to barter for Lanza tickets from an acquaintance at "Angelino's Palace".
  
  Anne goes to The Belrose Theatre to audition and meets Virginia "JENNY" Webster (20s) who tends the bar. They form a duet, "Salt & Pepper".
  
  Josh and Tony celebrate his new scholarship with jazz music at The Belrose. When Anne steps on stage, it's love at first sight.
  One Year Later Antonio and Mary reunite