Family traditions can be passed on even as those who have introduced us to those traditions may have passed on. One of the more popular traditions for many is Sunday dinner. Well, what if one member of the family decides to tell the rest of the family a “big” secret during the meal that is meant to keep the family together in honor of their late parents? That is exactly what happens in Sunday Dinner, written by Don Fanelli and directed by Kevin Mead.
In the short comedy, the Castellanos sit around a table to remember their late parents during a traditional Italian family meal: pasta and meatballs. While most of the family is enjoying the feast, Don (Don Fanelli) is not. In fact, he is not eating at all, as Don has a secret—he is now a vegan. The family members, including Dino (Michael Antonucci), Bobbie (Mary Holland), and Josh (Andrew Law), question his dietary change and see it as a betrayal to their parents’ memory. The arguments and jokes get passed around like a bowl of garlic bread at dinner.
“…family members…question [Don’s] dietary change and see it as a betrayal to their parents’ memory.”
Sunday Dinner is very funny and accurate to what an Italian dinner is. I have been around a few of them, and I see many similarities in the Castellanos on the screen and the Italian families I have spent time at a dinner table with. Every character has a real role in the film, and each actor gets their spotlight at one point or another. It seems as if the comedy was effortless, and it all felt natural.
What impressed me even more than the comedy and acting was the production of Sunday Dinner. It is very clean and professional as it looked like something I would watch on a well-known movie channel. It is great to see a short film perform well on all sides of the camera.
"…great to see a short film perform well on all sides of the camera."
I, too, have been ‘subjected’ to many Sunday Italian dinners and the authenticity of this was spot on along with the acting.