Relatives In The Movies - And In The News?

Ciao a tutti,

Some of you may remember reading a post of mine a few months or so ago about some possible relatives living in France with whom I share the same surname who found me on the Internet and wrote me. That was Christiane and she is the very proud Mother of two boys, Dimitri and Thomas. I think I joked in my blog saying something like, we have to be related, when I saw that her son and I shared similar passion and drive.

I posted some pictures of him and some American celebrities he had met at a young Directors Conference while here in Hollywood after having won a film competition where his treatment on a film won first prize in France, or something like that. I have to say, some of the juicy details do get lost in the translation. Christiane, having been born in France and not in Italy, after her family moved from Sicily, speaks French and not Italian.

It would be the equivalent of the families that came to America and who's children speak only English and not Italian. At any rate, her English does get us by well enough to know I am proud of her son Thomas too. I have been following his career now, and, evidently I am not the only one.

It seems that the French Ministry of Defense took interest in his movie about a war in Provence in the South of France in 1944 and has helped him film this movie. Though it is a low budget movie, it is already gaining lots of attention because of Thomas. Thomas is the writer, director and one of the lead actors in the film.

Above is an article which came out today in France about him and his movie. In it the writer says many things but pertaining to what I just said, he says that Thomas, at such a young age (23), has somehow managed to professionally shoot a quality movie and get attention of not only the press but the Ministry of Defense etc.

The movie is so low budget that Thomas has enlisted the help of his Mother Christiane and his brother Dimitri. I am sure they are all having a lot of fun even though I know it is hard work.

To see more pictures of the set and scenes from the movie click on the films title here "Au Soldat Inconnu" ("To The Unknown Soldier"). I am sure of one thing, Thomas will not be "unknown," we will be hearing about Thomas Lemoine whether I will be writing about him or not, I am sure many will.

Bravo Thomas,

Filippo

P.S. As those of you who have followed this blog know, I am into connections and certainly connecting, possibly, with long lost relatives is something that excites me. After writing this post, I was looking for an Italian-American connection between Italy and France since Christiane's family moved from Italy to France and not to America like my parents. Interestingly enough, I ran across this video on Youtube.com of a Volleyball European Championship in Berlin in 2003 between Italy and France.

I found this interesting because I thought Volleyball was an American sport. So I did the research and found out I was right. Volleyball was invented by William Morgan, an American, in 1895. I had found my connection. Here is a clip of the game. Incidentally, Italy won. (In Russian?)

Finding Filippo - On The Web

Ciao a tutti,

I am sure you are all familiar with the movie, "Finding Nemo." Well this blog post title, has nothing to do with it. But I wonder, what kind of name is Nemo? Isn't it Italian?

But I digress and I haven't even started my post yet. "Finding Filippo." Obviously, having an Internet presence has it advantages and it's disadvantages. Depending on what kind of life you lead, having people be able to find you could be a good thing, or a bad thing. But again, I digress.

Well, not really, in my case, it is a good thing. Like in this case and the reason I am writing this post. I was contacted by a young lady in France who's maiden name is the same as my surname. She wrote to me how she saw my posts and what I do and how much I reminded her of her son and how we must have "it" in the blood.

I wasn't sure what she was talking about but I was intrigued and I wrote her back and asked her to explain. Besides, when it comes to family I want to know them all, not that I even have time for the family I already know of, but I want to know. Isn't that the Italian way?

So, Christiane, pictured above and her son Thomas just below it, wrote me back and told me that her parents were from a neighboring town to where my parents came from in Sicily and like my parents came to America, hers went to France. She speaks French like I speak English, but unfortunately I don't speak French like she speaks English.

And unfortunately, she didn't learn Italian. Anyway, she grew up Italian in every other sense, traditions, culture, pride, etc. and was so happy and proud to see not only another "family" member who like her who feels strongly about being Italian, and one who was so similar to her son.

Okay, I have "family" in quotes because, I am not sure if we are related closely, distantly, or if at all. But regardless there are so many people who don't share my surname at all and I consider them family, so, why not, he, he. Although, I would like to explore this further someday, of course I haven't had time.

But I wanted to know what she meant by "similar to her son." In answer to that question she wrote that her son was named Thomas Lemoine and he is in the "business," to which I understood to mean the movie or entertainment business. And in a subsequent E-mail sent me all of these pictures of him.

Wow! I see what she meant. Here is a guy who against many odds, is in the "movie" business at a very young age in France. And what does he do. He shoots a short film and submits it to a review board for a competition and of the hundreds of films in the competition, his gets selected.

As a prize and as part of the aid to the development of the film he gets sent to Hollywood, my backyard so to speak, to meet with all these movers and shakers of the business and learn the trade.

Then he takes pictures with them and posts them, he, he.

What do you think of that? Now I KNOW he's family! He, he. I am proud of him and for him and I don't even know him. But CONGRATULAZIONE to Thomas and I can't wait to hear more and see more about him and of him and I look forward to meeting him on his next trip to Hollywood after the film gets made.

Better yet, I would love to interview him on the red carpet on his way to receiving his Oscar for his film. Why not? This is my blog, right?

And oh, yes, thank you Christiane for finding me and writing me and congratulations to you too, or should I say félicitations et espoir de vous rencontrer bientôt (Congratulations and I hope to meet you soon).

Filippo

P.S. Here is a video I just found on Youtube of a comical short that Thomas directed and stared in a year or so ago, it seems. I hope it's comical. Like I said, I don't understand French as much as I would like to but it looks clever. I hope it is something he would all want us to see. (In French)