Antonio Iannotta Honored with ICC’s Arts & Letters Rinascimento Award
San Diego, CA — At the ICC Rinascimento Gala celebrating 45 years of the Italian Cultural Center of San Diego (ICC), our Artistic Director Antonio Iannotta received the Arts & Letters Rinascimento Award in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the cultural life of the Italian American community in San Diego.
This recognition is a meaningful tribute to Antonio’s longstanding commitment to cinema, culture, and community. Through his vision, passion, and curatorial work, Antonio has played an extraordinary role in shaping artistic dialogue and enriching the cultural landscape of San Diego.
“When I came to San Diego, almost 14 years ago, the ICC was my first home.” said Antonio Iannotta. “They welcomed me and it was my pleasure to teach language and culture classes for their passionate students. This award means a lot to me, a sort of full circle. Being an ambassador of Italian culture is a privilege and I feel so fortunate to do that through my work as Artistic Director of the San Diego Italian Film Festival and as a professor of Italian at the University of San Diego. I want to thank again Maria Romana de Leon, Beatrice Basso, Paul Pitingaro, Barbara Carra and all my friends and colleagues at the ICC. Grazie di cuore!”
“Antonio’s recognition is incredibly meaningful to all of us at SDIFF,” said Valentina Cartareggia, Executive Director of the San Diego Italian Film Festival. “His vision, passion, and commitment to Italian cinema and culture have helped shape our Festival in lasting ways, and we are so proud to see his contributions honored by the ICC.”
At the San Diego Italian Film Festival, we could not agree more with this honor, and we could not be prouder to have Antonio as the curator of our artistic programs and Festival. His dedication continues to inspire our work and strengthen our mission to celebrate Italian cinema and culture in meaningful and lasting ways.
Congratulations, Antonio, on this beautiful and well-deserved achievement!