Goodbye Antonio

This emotion-rich short film tells the story of Antonio, a faithful factory worker, as he retires from his long-standing job. He is amazed to be given a trip to New York for two as part of his retirement gift but is somewhat nervous at the thought of leaving his small town for the bright lights of the big city. His wife manages to convince him however and so they set off...

But all is not what it seems. The dazzling scenery of this fast-paced city force him to confront his worst fears - getting old and being left on the scrap-heap. Antonio has to go to hell and back before he realises what love and happiness are really worth...

"Goodbye Antonio" is a jazzy and poetic journey of an old Italian couple that is revisiting its relationship while in a weekend in NY This charming love story is taking place in NY, the city where everything becomes possible. This urban road movie is an entertaining stroll in the Big Apple thanks to the music and the wonderful pictures. Views taken from the Empire state building are astonishing.

This movie left me with a pleasant and positive feeling: I fell under the spell of this old couple honeymoon.

Antonio and his wife prove that when it comes to love, there is always a hope to change, no matter what your habits are, no matter what your age is, no matter what your culture is – yes, even an Italian male can manage to do it after years of wedding!!!.. it just takes a little bit of openness to the unexpected to definitively change your daily routine.

Goodbye Antonio is very Italian in both style and subject, this is an intriguing, beautifully shot short. Kudos to the superb lead character played by Richard Kohn as a crusty foreigner who drives his wife crazy and orchestrates their trip to New York from his vantage point. The story is both funny and sad at the same time and thought-provoking in every way. It starts out in Italy at the husband's goodbye, good luck and good riddance party at his job from which he is retiring. We find out he's leaving the country via the lady at the passport counter, who, as I recall, is a total surprise and a real find for this little scene. Also, if you love Manhattan, you'll love this film. As a past New Yorker, I loved the photography. The feel of the film is one of nostalgia and pride in seeing people who can't speak one word of English and yet are right at home in the middle of Manhattan. I recommend this movie highly. If possible, find the DVD that is made for the player in the States and not for the European one. This also reminds me of one of those films that is completely unknown and later when the Director becomes world famous, you tell all your friends how you discovered him first because you saw his first film and knew right away that he was an artiste. Bravo Mr. Zampino.

I did like this short a lot: it is neither Italian (as suggested by the name Antonio), nor American (as "goodbye") - it is global in its points of view and style, and an entertaining piece of work for all audiences. Having had the chance to check some of Michael's previous work, I believe "Goodbye Antonio" is a step towards full directing and writing maturity, a step that takes him closer to the first feature film (which I am impatiently waiting for). Few formal "slides" take nothing from the overall feeling which the short lives us with, and casting and editing are definitely other "plus". In conclusion: hope this IMDb page grows to host many of Zampino's work, as I ma curios to check where his talent and sensitivity will lead him.