In an interview with the Italian food and culture website Appetito, filmmaker Rosemarie “Ro” Sparacio discusses The Forgotten Feast, a new short documentary recovering a little-known chapter of Italian American history – how New York’s Little Italy responded in the aftermath of September 11, 2001.
The neighborhood had been preparing for the 75th Feast of San Gennaro, with restaurants stocking their kitchens for 11 days of festivities. After the terrorist attacks, the celebration was canceled. Instead of letting those supplies go unused, restaurant owners and residents transformed them into meals for firefighters, police officers, recovery crews and others working near Ground Zero. The effort continued well beyond the first days of the emergency.
Sparacio, a Sicilian American filmmaker, directed the documentary, which was filmed in Little Italy in July 2026 and produced by Matthew Baione and Tina Baione. Through firsthand testimony from restaurant families, residents and community figures, the film documents a spontaneous response rooted in one of Italian American culture’s most enduring traditions – caring for others through food.
The timing carries special significance. In 2026, New York marks both the 25th anniversary of 9/11 and the 100th anniversary of the Feast of San Gennaro, first held in 1926. The documentary features representatives of historic neighborhood businesses including Caffè Palermo, Da Nico, La Mela, Casa Bella, Umberto’s Clam House, Caffè Roma and Albanese Meats & Poultry.
The Forgotten Feast will be screened at the Italian American Museum on September 12. Through Sparacio’s film, an overlooked act of generosity finally becomes part of the broader story of how New York came together after 9/11.
