(L-R) Isaak Liptzin, producer, and Valerio Ciriaci, director.
Yesterday, Thursday, April 11, an enriching film event featured two screenings of "Stonebreakers" (2022), followed by a Q&A session with insights from director Valerio Ciriaci and producer Isaak Liptzin, moderated by History Professor Dr. Marcella Bencivenni. Held in room B-501 at Hostos Community College, the film delved into the heated debates over monuments and statues in the United States that resurged during the George Floyd protests and the 2020 presidential election.
"Stonebreakers'' addresses issues related to race and explores themes of colonialism and the sovereignty of Indigenous peoples across the United States. Additionally, the film examines the complex relationship some Italian-Americans have with Christopher Columbus, a figure many view as genocidal. The documentary also highlights the efforts by Black communities to find meaningful ways to memorialize their ancestors against the backdrop of violence perpetuated by racist monuments and the Atlantic slave trade and shows the realities of the Southern borderlands.
Dr. Bencivenni remarked, "This film can be shocking because it shows these complex histories together. But I congratulate the filmmakers for a job well done, which brought together many elements that seemed difficult to pair together.”
Director Valerio Ciriaci added, "Our goal was to start a dialogue on the often uncomfortable truths of monuments and their legacies. Once we started filming, we saw that it was more than monuments, and that many other histories come together in acts of memorialization. That’s why we included Indigenous people’s struggles across the nation and other forms of protesting and memory that connect all of these issues together.”
Dr. Bencivenni during opening remarks.
For his part, producer Liptzin shared the project's logistical challenges.
"Recording in multiple locations from Virginia to Mount Rushmore, to NYC to Connecticut, presented unique challenges that solved themselves organically. We were just with our ears on the ground, being informed every day of where some protest was going to take place, and we rented a car and prayed to make it on time. That process is what you see here," he shared.
Liptzin explains the filming process.
Refreshments were provided, and the event, sponsored by the Social Sciences Speakers Series established in 2012 and supported by a grant from the Educating for Diversity: Ms. MacKenzie Scott’s Gift: President’s Initiatives, fostered a thoughtful discussion on these critical aspects of American history and memory.
One of the many monuments featured in the film.
Learn more about the film here.