The evening includes the screening of the 2004 55 minutes documentary
You don't know who Toto' is! (Lei non sa chi e' Toto'!)

Decades ago in Italy, intellectual women started what was known as the Salotti Letterari, or literary salons, where artists, philosophers, and writers met to share opinions and exchange and celebrate ideas. Fast forward, the city of Paris gave birth to Café society and soon all over Europe, the Caffe' Letterari became the meeting point for everyone who wanted to make his/her voice heard.
 
Today in Italy, the Caffe' Letterari have evolved into spaces where not only you can enjoy a latte or cappuccino while reading a novel but also are places where you can attend performances, engage in discussions on all subjects, listen to presentations, etc.- all in the name of "Culture."
 
Collina Italiana is proud to present its own Caffe' Letterario, run by the women at CI, particularly actor, journalist, and Italian language instructor Laura Caparrotti. In celebration of Italian culture, especially writers and their novels, and essays, as well as to improve CI students' Italian language skills and expand on their knowledge of Italy, Laura leads participants on a unique journey to discover what remains unknown to most and is new in Italy-all of this and more in a weekly cozy salon atmosphere.
 
At least once a month, professional actors will also be invited to Caffe' Letterario for a dramatic reading of a short story or essay by an Italian author and at the end of each performance or reading guests engage students in discussions in Italiano. Participants are provided copies of all material. In keeping with the salon spirit, coffee and pastries are served at every session.
 
Caffe' Letterario is a window into seeing the real Italy, through the experiences of native Italians. The class, designed for intermediate and advanced students, is conducted in Italian.

The February 28 Caffe' will be dedicated to Leonardo Sciascia, one of the most fascinating writers Italy ever had. Born in Sicily, he focused a lot on the connection between Mafia, Power and everyday life. His books, many of which are translated in English, are masterpieces and his writing is a wonderful tapestry of words and images.

The Cine-Club: 79 Years of Italian Film (1930-2009) allows participants to discover cinematic gems and contemplate diverse themes in Italian life. The screenings include discussions on history of film and present-day Italian cinema, the protagonists, and themes that the films explore over time: from love and politics to family and immigration-revealing the Italian way of life for more than half a century.

The series is team-taught by actor, teaching artist, and Italian language instructor Laura Caparrotti (films up until the 80s) and filmmaker and Italian language instructor Riccardo (Riki) Costa (films from the 80s till today).