In March, the San Diego Italian Film Festival lost its founder Victor Laruccia to an aggressive form of stomach cancer. He was 80 years old. The festival will celebrate his life with a screening of the Italian film "Mine vaganti/Loose Cannons" at the Museum of Photographic Arts.

Victor Laruccia was a big teddy bear of a man, and like a teddy bear he exuded warmth and comfort. You just felt better in his presence. He also had a brilliant mind, a hungry curiosity and a passion for life. Laruccia came to me more than a decade ago to float the idea of a San Diego Italian Film Festival and wanted to know if I might have any advice.