A fabulous rediscovery, Renata was the first student film of the wife/husband team, director Nancy Savoca (Dogfight), and producer Rich Guay (Ghost Dog). It was also the first film appearance for their friend and NYU classmate Marianne  Leone.  (Savo ca’s second student film, Bad Timing, featured Leone’s husband-to-be, Chris Cooper). Born in the Bronx of Argentinean and Sicilian heritage, Savoca’s exploration into Italian American culture is a  wonderful  companion  piece to her later features True Love and Household Saints. “This brief but very moving episode perfectly captures the conflict of a woman caught between her desire to escape from a bad situation and her duty to her family… Realistic dialogue and superb acting – which doesn’t seem like acting at all – keep one’s attention riveted on the  screen. The fine camera work underscores the dreariness of Renata’s existence and helps to make this a most effective slice of human life” (Jack Neher).

Dennis Doros