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This article was originally published in the December 2002 issue of Out & About, northern Delaware's premier entertainment magazine, and is reprinted here with their kind permission. Wilmington isn't Sundance yet. But don't tell the DelGiorno brothers. Last month's premiere performance of Routes at the Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts marked the cinematic return of the indomitable DelGiorno brothers, Gordon and Greg, hometown boys who seem bent on making a name for themselves as independent filmmakers. This despite the mixed reviews for their first effort, a feature-length film titled franks & wieners that generated equal parts hate mail and fan mail. (Didn't John Waters excite similar passions in the '70s?) Routes is a 30-minute evangelical romp shot in black and white. To a premier audience that seemed largely comprised of cast members, family and friends, it was introduced as "a simple film about some complicated people". Think Touched by an Angel shot in Wilmington. It is at least a 175-degree departure from franks & wieners, which Gordon DelGiorno describes as "an in-your-face comedy". He regards Routes as "more of a mild drama with some humorous parts and some of our edgy style". The routes of the title are the daily journeys of two garbage men and their female "tail rider", a sardonic foil to one man's spiritual fervor and the other's punk crudeness. The film opens with some lyrical shots of the Cherry Island landfill and then follows the trio on their day-long journey through familiar neighborhoods, with caustic encounters along the way. Although this indie effort may not qualify for the Sundance Film Festival, it is on a par with many of the short films screened for Wilmington's recent film festival. Take it from one of the screeners. Operating as Film Brothers Productions since 1999, the DelGiorno brothers are drawing new audiences and establishing a new fan base for independent films. Give them credit for perseverance and for attracting financial backers as well as a cast and crew of hard-working volunteers who gave up all their weekends last summer to shoot Routes.  Greg and Gordon DelGiorno at last month's premier of Routes. Photo by Don Blake This article was originally published in the December 2002 issue of Out & About, northern Delaware's premier entertainment magazine, and is reprinted here with their kind permission. |