The Italian Cultural Center of Los Angeles is hosting a Fund Raiser on July 14, to assist in completion of the film in development:

I BUILD THE TOWER: THE PASSION OF SAM RODIA

A Documenary work-in-progress on the Watts Towers and the life of their creator.
Written, directed and produced by Edward Landler and Brad Byer
Brad Byer is Rodia’s great-nephew.

SPECIAL PERFORMANCE BY
Amede Hamilton of the WATTS Prophets (The Vocal Ensemble that initiated Hip- Hop Culture), who will preform live a poetic piece based on RODIA'S own words to introduce the film.

The Italian Cultural Institute, the Friends of the Watts Towers Arts Center, the International Documentary Association and the Italian Cultural Institute, the Cultural Office of the Italian Consulate General, will host a video screening of a major portion of the rough-cut version of the feature-length documentary work-in-progress, “I Build the Tower”: The Passion of Sam Rodia.

Produced by independent filmmaker Edward Landler and Rodia’s great-nephew Brad Byer, the film depicts the life of the immigrant Italian artisan who single-handedly created the Watts Towers. When completed, “I Build the Tower” will be the definitive work on this internationally acclaimed mosaic-covered sculptural monument and its local and worldwide significance. The portion to be screened will chronicle Rodia’s childhood in the region of Campania in Italy and the years during which he built his towers in Watts.

The filmmakers will introduce the screening and will be joined by special guests William Cartwright, a founder of the Committee for Simon Rodia’s Towers in Watts, and artist John Outterbridge, former director of the Watts Towers Arts Center, to answer questions from the audience. Rodia’s tools will also be on display.

To date, financial support for the film has come from the National Endowment for the Arts, Olivetti, the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, the Italian Heritage Culture Foundation, the Italian Cultural Institute, the Italian Trade Commission, the Italian American Medical Association, the City of Los Angeles Civic Council Fund, the Lloyd E. Rigler-Lawrence E. Deutsch Foundation, the Golden Rule Foundation, the Frederick R. Weisman Art Foundation, the Capital Group Companies Charitable Foundation, Anheuser-Busch, Sunlaw Cogeneration Partners I, the Watts Willowbrook Rotary Club and numerous private contributors.