In collaboration with: Comune di Trivigno, Regione Basilicata, La Cineteca del Friuli, Le Giornate del Cinema Muto, Lucana Film Commission.

Robert G. Vignola (1882-1953) was just a child when he left Trivigno, the small town in the region of Basilicata in southern Italy where he was born. He arrived with his family in America on the busy emigration routes at the beginning of the 20th century. He made his stage debut as a Shakespearean actor, and then started working in cinema with the Kalem Company, taking part in the first overseas American film productions in Ireland, Palestine, and Egypt.
In the years that followed Vignola became one of the most prolific and popular silent film directors, working for Paramount, Select, and Cosmopolitan, the company owned by William Randolph Hearst, who “entrusted” him with his star Marion Davies. Vignola was able to bring out the comic talent of this (underrated) actress, supporting her with elegant settings designed by Joseph Urban.
Vignola signed films featuring some of the best performances of several female silent stars, such as Pauline Frederick, Alice Brady, and Corinne Griffith. He was a multi-talented artist, and proposed original and innovative film techniques.
This documentary presents the film adventures of Robert G. Vignola – an Italian emigrant who found his fortune in the United States, and made a key contribution to American film culture.

Sara Lorusso