Excuse Me - My Heritage is Showing

Excuse Me, My Heritage is Showing  was organised by the Italian Department of the university and sponsored by the Italian Institute of Culture and the Italian-Australian Institute.

The theme of the session revolved around issues of identity, the relationship between second-generation Italians and their Italian ancestry and the manner in which these cultural differences affected the professional development of the guest speakers.

The guest speakers included Jan Sardi,  well-known director (Moving Out, 1982, Love' s Brother, 2003) and screenwriter (Shine, 1997). He spoke at length about the protagonist of Moving Out who, like most young Italian-Australians of the 1980s, desired only to be Australian.

Guest speakers (left to right): Ruth Borgobello, Archie Fusillo and Jan Sardi
(Photo by Gabriella G. Hubbard)

Sponsors and presenters (left to right): Piero Genovesi (I.A.I.), Jan Sardi, Archie Fusillo, Simonetta Magnani  (I.I.C.)and Ruth Borgobello.
(Photo by Gabriella G. Hubbard)

Ruth Borgobello, talented young director told of how she drew directly on her father's immigrant experiences to create her award-winning film, Claudia's Shadow.  Her latest film, The Gift, was also well-received when shown recently at the Berlin Interfilm Festival.

Adolescent fiction writer Archie Fusillo chose to speak about two of his best-known works Sparring with Shadows (1997) and The Don (2001), both of which explore issues relating to the frustration and anger he experienced at being 'different' and his subsequent youthful rejection of his Italian heritage. 

The presentations were interspersed with a number of scenes from the above-mentioned films and Archie Fusillo captivated the audience with readings from his selected works. 

The session terminated with many in the audience participating in a lively discussion over some of the issues raised by the guest speakers on their own experiences of growing up Italian in Australia.

Italian Studies lecturer Susanna Scarparo (second from left) with students Giovanna and Giuseppe Persico and Liesl Cristanelli.
(Photo by Gabriella G. Hubbard)

Italian Studies lecturer Roberta Mandis (centre) with students Maria Marziale (left) and Livia Dasoveanu (right).
(Photo by Gabriella G. Hubbard)