ABOUT NOIAFT
Mission Statement
The National Organization of Italian Americans in Film & Television (NOIAFT) aims to connect and empower Italian Americans to achieve their goals in the film and television industries.
Why is This Important?
As famously noted in A Bronx Tale, “the saddest thing in life is wasted talent.” Whether you’re a director, writer, producer, or actor, together, we can work to ensure all Italian Americans have equal opportunities to share their talents and achieve their dreams.
What The Group Will Provide:
Although we are a brand new organization that launched in January 2019, our goal is to provide…
- A go-to community when looking to assemble teams for projects on any scale
- Internship/job opportunities
- Networking opportunities
- Mentoring
- Speaker series
- Workshops
- Fundraising initiatives for creative works and scholarships
On various social media platforms, NOIAFT spotlights work created by, and for, Italian Americans and those of Italian descent.
Some events we have covered include the New York Film Festival, Tribeca Film Festival, VMA’s, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, Rome Film Festival, Open Roads: New Italian Cinema, IFC’s Split Screens TV Festival, BAMcinemaFest, and numerous film premieres, including Rocketman.
Team
Taylor Taglianetti, Founder
Taylor Taglianetti is the Founder and President of the National Organization of Italian Americans in Film & Television (NOIAFT). She is also a producer, director, and celebrity interviewer. Taylor is currently directing and co-producing “What’s Next?”, a documentary on 100-year-old neurologist, Dr. Howard Tucker, who is Guinness World Records’ “Oldest Practicing Doctor.” The film will premiere in late 2023 and has been featured by Good Morning America, The Today Show, The New York Times, People Magazine, Insider, Huffington Post, and hundreds of other outlets throughout the world. The TikTok account she co-created to promote Dr. Tucker and the upcoming film has generated millions of views and launched him as an internet sensation.
Under her new production company Half House Productions, Taylor most recently produced the short documentary, Heirloom, which is currently on its festival run and world premiered at the Los Angeles-Italia Film Festival in March 2022. The film, which stars Isabella Rossellini, received a grant from the Russo Brothers (Avengers: End Game, Captain America: Civil War). The film has been an Official Selection in dozens of film festivals worldwide including Ischia Film Festival, Arizona International Film Festival, Italian Contemporary Film Festival, and the Oscar-qualifying St. Louis International Film Festival.
Taylor’s debut short documentary, Generation Hollow, was produced by the leading film non-profit Reel Works and won Juror’s Choice for Outstanding Filmmaking at the 2014 Women of African Descent Film Festival. In 2018, she helped cast Shiva Baby (SXSW Film Festival).
A graduate of NYU Tisch School of the Arts, Taylor has worked at Paradigm Talent Agency, NBCUniversal, Silver Pictures and Maven Pictures.
To learn more about her upcoming documentary, please visit https://www.whatsnextmovie.com/
Contact Taylor at taylor@noiaft.org.
GIÒ CRISAFULLI, CHIEF ENTERTAINMENT CRITIC
Giò Crisafulli is the Chief Entertainment Critic for NOIAFT and writer/director of Children of God which he is producing with Melissa Batista at Zio Ciccio Cinema, in which an actor who’s the son of a priest and nun is on the verge of stardom while having an affair with a painter from Italy. A sensational and intuitive look into the romance of two people, it will show how any relationship can be a fleeting microcosm of one’s life.
Alan Christopher, Director of Member Affairs
Austin Tucker, Director of Business Development
Austin Tucker currently works in Business Development & Operations at ViacomCBS. Additionally, he is the lead singer and keyboardist for the Brooklyn-based rock band, Sweet Sienna, currently signed to Cleopatra Records.
As a musician, Austin has supported, performed, and recorded with numerous national acts such as George Lynch, Sebastian Bach, Warrant, Jack Russell and others. He is scheduled to support Ace Frehley on his upcoming New Haven performance.
A graduate of NYU Stern School of Business, Austin is the Executive Producer of “Heirloom” (2022) starring Isabella Rossellini and volunteers his time as Director of Business Development at the National Organization of Italian Americans in Film & Television (NOIAFT). He has also worked on many short film projects and previously worked at Universal Music Group, NBCUniversal, Warner Music Group and AEG Presents.