TORRINGTON — Three high school seniors from Torrington, Trevor Llewellyn, Mateusz Haratyk, Bobo Lwin, and their families recently returned from a triumphant trip to Agrigento in Sicily, Italy
Inspired by the short stories by Nobel Prize-winning Italian author Luigi Pirandello (1867-1936), the three friends wrote an original screenplay and created a hand-colored silent film, titled “Nailed,” as part of the CIAO program of the Connecticut Academy of the Arts (CAFTA).
They submitted their fifteen-minute film (which features Trevor as a convincing Pirandello having a philosophical dialogue with Diogenes, played by Mateusz, and Bobo as the detective) to the literary, theatrical and film competition in Agrigento, Italy that celebrates Pirandello’s literature and theatrical genius, “Uno, Nessuno, Centomila,” which translates to One, No One, and One Hundred Thousand.
The CAFTA students competed with 1,711 students representing 289 schools from 19 countries. The students rose to the top 10 internationally. The nominated filmmakers, and their families, were invited to the event, which was held May 6-9, 2024, in Sicily.
Grant funding for the trip was arranged by Julie Scharnberg of the NWCT Community Foundation, who said, “This is the best part of grantmaking—to see what can happen when students have the opportunity to participate in initiatives like CAFTA’s CIAO Program. So much hard work went into writing and producing such an insightful film. And then to see the level of recognition the three Torrington High School seniors received at the Agrigento film festival is thrilling and truly inspiring.” The grant was made possible by the City of Torrington with funds from The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.
Teresa Graham-Sullivan, (co-founder and executive director of CAFTA), her husband John Sullivan (CAFTA co-founder), their dogs Zoe and Circe, the three young filmmakers, Trevor’s mother Michelle Hass, and Mateusz’s Aunt Justyna Ferenz traveled together to Agrigento, Italy (where Pirandello lived) on this whirlwind adventure.
Their film won the special Critics Choice Prize proposed by Italy’s renowned film critic, Benjamin Biondi for their film. CAFTA students also received a Certificate of Honor for their original script from the Director General of Culture for Italy, Alessandro De Pedys, as well as scholarships for script studies in Italy. Their work was well received at the Pirandello Theater where, according to the young men, they were “treated like rockstars with standing ovations” as they made their presentation. They were interviewed by RAI TV, Italy’s National Network.
Trevor Llewellyn as Luigi Pirandello in the award-winning, hand-colored silent film, “Nailed.”Courtesy of CAFTA
CAFTA, located on Prospect Street in Torrington, is the creative treasure of Teresa Graham-Sullivan and her husband John Henry Sullivan III. CAFTA’s mission is to “provide individuals of all ages the means to identify, explore, and utilize their creative ideas and talents with excellence and high standards on a competitively global level.”
Mateusz Haratyk, whose plans now include studying filmmaking in Poland and Italy, remarked that, “I got deeply interested in philosophy because I was looking for any ways to better my life. I began reading Pirandello by accident. What reading Pirandello means to me is understanding to never underestimate the power of planting a seed. Pirandello was writing for audiences in the 1920s but the themes and concepts of his works have never been more relevant than today. His work transcends generations and should be closely studied by modern audiences. Being invited to Agrigento was truly a life-changing experience. From the beautiful award ceremony to the incredible people we met, I can assure myself that this experience will never be forgotten.”
The filmmakers researched “Novellas for A Year” by Luigi Pirandello, who wrote 40 plays, numerous short stories, novels, and is considered the father of the Theater of the Absurd. The theme for “Nailed” was chosen by reflecting on the growing violence in the world. They were drawn to the author, who won the Nobel Prize for literature in 1934, and his themes concerning the senselessness of human existence, questions about death and its meaning, our ability to dominate our irrational impulses, as well as the fact that our lives are often in someone else’s hands.
After returning home, Trevor Llewellyn, who is bound for the Maine Maritime Academy in Castine, Maine, to become a pilot, commented, “Being able to return [he competed there when he was in 8th grade, also through CAFTA] to Agrigento was an amazing feeling. I’m so glad that I was able to see some old friends and meet new people. The contest was organized beautifully, and everyone involved made us feel welcomed and accepted. I am unbelievably grateful to all the organizers, judges and other contestants.”
Mayor Elinor Carbone has planned a ceremony to present the young filmmakers with a Special Commendation from their City of Torrington. This August, Rep. Jahana Hayes (D-5) will award each young man with a Special Congressional Citation in recognition for their excellence in their work presented during the Luigi Pirandello Contest 2024.
Bobo Lwin, who now plans on becoming an electrician, added, “Going to Agrigento is like a movie, from all the cheers from the audience to meeting new people and tasting the culture, I know that this experience will always be in my heart.”
Their film, “Nailed,” has been entered into this year’s prestigious Venice Film Festival as part of the Venice Biennale 2024.
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Stephanie Haboush Plunkett
“The field of illustration is very close to my heart,” she said. Inspired by that example, she studied illustration at Pratt Institute and began her career as an illustrator before shifting toward museum work. An internship at the Brooklyn Museum proved pivotal. “It was inspiring to see the children come alive in front of art,” she recalled.
In addition to her curatorial work, Plunkett is the author of two children’s books, “Kongi and Potgi: A Cinderella Story from China” and “Sir Whong and the Golden Pig,” and has written or co-authored numerous books on illustration, including “Drawing Lessons from the Famous Artists School” and “Leo Lionni: Storyteller, Illustrator, Designer.” She earned an MFA from the School of Visual Arts and built a museum career that included positions at the Brooklyn Museum, the Brooklyn Children’s Museum and the Heckscher Museum of Art before joining the Norman Rockwell Museum, where she has worked for 31 years.
But elevating illustration has meant challenging decades of critical skepticism.
“The goal has been to shine a light on this important American art form and to elevate public awareness of its artistic and cultural importance,”Plunkett said.
As a popular and widely circulated art, illustration is sometimes thought of as inferior to fine art, such as painting and sculpture. Plunkett considered why. She theorized that the 1913 New York Armory Show, the International Exhibition of Modern Art, with works by artists such as Picasso, Matisse and Duchamp, initially contributed to this evaluation. In the 1930s and ’40s, abstract expressionism became the art of the nation, and the rift widened further.
“Norman Rockwell became the antihero for many art critics of the time,” said Plunkett. “Illustration was viewed as too commercial and sentimental because of its emphasis on visual storytelling.”
Plunkett calls illustration “art with a job to do.” She explained, “Illustrators are adept at solving visual problems for their clients while expressing their own aesthetic and artistic vision.”
Visitors consider Norman Rockwell’s paintings on Civil Rights for Look Magazine, “New Kids in the Neighborhood” (1967) and “The Problem We All Live With” (1963.) L. Tomaino
She noted that the line between the fine and applied arts “is much more porous now, with many artists working across platforms and styles.” She cited late-20th-century illustrators like Marshall Arisman, Barbara Nessim, Robert Cunningham, Bernie Fuchs and Mark English as illustrators who forged unique approaches to working and seeing.
Plunkett commented that people want to see the original illustrations. “Generally, Rockwell exhibitions bring high attendance. Currently, our traveling exhibition, ‘Norman Rockwell: From Camera to Canvas,’ is at the New Britain Museum of American Art, but we’ve traveled Rockwell and illustration to 45 states and several countries, including Japan, France, Italy and Germany.”
Nowadays, illustrators take on subjects that are important to them. “The children’s book industry is committed to sharing the richness and diversity of people and cultures with young readers.” Plunkett cited the late illustrator Jerry Pinkney’s commitment to this goal. As a boy, Pinkney found no books portraying children like him, and “his life’s mission as an artist was to present inspiring, positive images of children of color.”
The Norman Rockwell Museum and Rockwell Center seeds were sown when “Rockwell placed the first 199 artworks in the care and collection of the Norman Rockwell Museum upon its founding in 1969, some of which he personally acquired for the fledgling collection,” said Plunkett. “The museum’s current Rockwell holdings include 865 original artworks, the artist’s Stockbridge studio and an archive of 400,000 photographs, letters, props and first uses of the artist’s work. We also hold about 25,000 illustrations by other artists, from the historical to the contemporary.”
“We call ourselves the home for American illustration. We have a real commitment to illustrators and what they’ve accomplished,” said Plunkett.
The Norman Rockwell Museum is located at 9 Glendale Road, Stockbridge. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit
nrm.org
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