( ENSPIRE Entertainment ) Michelle Danner’s The Italians Cooks Up Culture, Chaos, and Connection
ENSPIRE Contributor: Paola Avazian
There’s something about the dinner table. Maybe it’s the way conversations tumble out over plates of food, or how laughter always finds its way between bites. Maybe it’s because even the messiest family moments somehow feel sacred when shared over a home-cooked meal. In The Italians, filmmaker Michelle Danner captures that magic—and the chaos—in a story that’s loud, heartfelt, and deeply familiar.
At first glance, The Italians might seem like your classic family comedy: a mix of clashing personalities, generational disagreements, and a whole lot of spaghetti. But look closer, and you’ll find something more—a celebration of love, loss, tradition, and the unshakable ties that bind us, even when we’re shouting across the table.
“There’s something sacred about the dinner table—a place where secrets spill as easily as wine, where laughter echoes louder than any argument,” Danner says.
The film’s script, written by Lisa Phillips Visca, draws directly from her own family. And that authenticity shows. “The script was based so much on [Visca’s] own family,” Danner explains. “And as we worked on the film, we saw how much of our experiences were one and the same.”
For Danner, this film isn’t just a project—it’s personal. She didn’t just direct or produce it; she lived it. “Angelina,” her character, is woven from memories of her own mother, grandmother, and sister. “Every aspect of my family went into the film,” she says. “Moments of warmth, of conflict… little pieces of my childhood are in so many of the scenes.”
And if you’ve ever had a meal with a big, passionate family, you’ll recognize the way food becomes more than just something on a plate. It becomes comfort. Connection. A silent way to say, I love you. “I always say in my family, when we sat at the dinner table, you never quite knew when the spaghetti would start flying,” Danner laughs. “Food is the centerpiece of the story because, like music and art, it brings people together, especially when words fall short.”
Even though The Italians tells the story of one specific Italian-American family, its message resonates far beyond culture. “We weren’t trying to tell a story about every Italian-American family,” Danner says. “It’s about this family. And yet I’ve had people from Mexican, Greek, and Ukrainian backgrounds tell me they saw their own families in it. That’s the beauty of storytelling—it reminds us how much we all share.”
One of the most tender moments in the film comes in a quiet scene between Danner’s character and her on-screen mother, played by Lainie Kazan. “It was a moment about forgiveness and acceptance,” she remembers. “After we finished, my son—who worked on the film—came up to me with tears in his eyes and just put his hand on his heart. That meant more to me than anything.”
Still, Danner never lets the film get too heavy. It’s full of humor—real, awkward, sometimes absurd humor that feels like life itself. “A lot of so-called ‘realistic’ films are just dramas without joy,” she says. “But our lives? They’re emotional rollercoasters. There’s heartache, yes—but also laughter, absurdity, and grace. The Italians is all of that.”
At its heart, the film is a love letter to family. The kind of messy, beautiful family that drives you a little crazy but never lets you go. “I always wanted to make a movie that would make parents hug their kids, kids hug their parents, and then they’d all go out for some delicious Italian food after the credits roll,” Danner smiles.
And in staying true to ENSPIRE’s mission—uplifting diverse stories and voices—The Italians adds something special to the portrayal of immigrant-rooted families on screen. “These characters might seem familiar at first,” Danner says. “But as the story unfolds, you realize they’re not clichés. They’re people. And for anyone watching who comes from a background like mine, I hope they feel seen. And proud.”
Whether you grew up in an Italian household or just feel like you did, The Italians will remind you of what matters most: the people around your table, the stories passed down with every meal, and the love that stays—loud, loyal, and unforgettable.
You’ll leave the theater with a full heart, maybe even misty eyes—and definitely craving spaghetti.
Want a taste of the Vitali family’s world before the full feast? Watch the official trailer for The Italians below and step into a story of food, family, and the moments that shape us.
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