by Sandra Tornberg

On Sunday, November 8 the first international screening of the movie teaser for the docufilm "Andrea Doria: Are the Passengers Saved?" took place at a reception at Cantoro's Market and Trattoria of Plymouth. The docufilm, written and produced by Pierette Domenica Simpson and directed by Luca Guardabascio, received rave reviews from the enthusiastic audience of more than one hundred fifty guests. Local stars of the movie Maria and Eva Evola and Judge Joe Toia were among the guests.

Pierette and her grandparents survived the catastrophic collision of the Andrea Doria and the Stockholm in 1956. The docufilm dramatizes her immigration, nightmare on the Atlantic, and her arrival in America. It is based on her critically acclaimed book Alive on the Andrea Doria! The Greatest Sea Rescue in History. The film uses interviews with maritime experts, survivors, divers and archival footage to reveal the untold truth about the ship's collision and its unjustly accused Captain Piero Calamai.

Production of the film began in January of 2015. Director Luca Guardabascio of Rome has filmed numerous hours of dramatic reenactments and engaging interviews in both Detroit and Italy, including Pierette's village of Pranzalito in the province of Torino. The film is currently being edited and translated into English, and additional footage is being gathered to elevate the film to an even higher creative endeavor.

Current fund-raising initiatives are for the post-production expenses: attending major film festivals, hiring notable actors, filming more dramatizations, creating special effects, and a website. Opportunities for participation in this exciting project start at $25 and are described on the forms included on this page.