Best Documentary... Rhode Island Film Festival
"You can't get better than this" ...Providence Journal
"Enlightening and moving.  A valuable and memorable film about the lives of 
Italian prisoners of war in United States"... Stanley Kauffman, The New 
Republic

During World War II more than 51,000 Italian soldiers were brought to the 
United States as Prisoners of War.  The charming and poignant documentary 
special, "Prisoners in Paradise," traces the previously untold story of these young man, 
their romances and friendships with American women and their significant-but 
unrecognized-contribution to the Allied war effort.

Featuring rare period footage of POW camps, the film follows six Italian POWs 
(and the women they met in America) on their extraordinary journey-full of 
challenges, love, perseverance and good luck.  Captured primarily in North 
Africa-where they have been surviving on hard biscuits and water-the Italian 
POWs were uniformly amazed at the abundance of the US and generosity of their 
captors.  Barracks were clean, treatment was humane, and, most importantly, 
food was always plentiful.  Ironically, for many, capture had turned out to 
be a stroke of good fortune.

Shortly after the bulk of the Italian POW's arrived, as Italy officially 
switched sides in the war, and over ninty percent of the POWs agreed to 
collaborate with the Allied war effort.  Suddenly, men who where did so badly 
defeated in the conflict, who spoke little or no English, and whose exposure 
to United States had come only through movies and books, now found themselves 
living out the contradictory roles of prisoner and allied to the United 
States-at the same time.

Though still restricted and kept under guard, collaborating POWs worked in 26 
states under the direction of American soldiers and were permitted both to 
receive visitors and to visit the homes of U.S. citizens on weekends.  Local 
Italian-American communities extended hearty welcomes to the POWs and 
meaningful, lasting relationships flourished.  Romances between Italian POWs 
and American women were common,  and many ended in long long-lasting 
marriages.

In its  moving final act, "Prisoners of Paradise" follows four such couples, 
all whom married after the war, and investigates the unique challenges of the 
years since.  As the former POWs have become citizens and raised families, 
all the while loving America and missing Italy.

Through these touching and sometimes humor stories, "Prisoners of Paradise" 
illuminates the profound cultural affinity between Italians and Americans, 
and offers a provocative meditation on the meaning of national identity in 
times of peace and war.

On a PBS station near you, this March!
KVIE (Channel 6) Sacramento-Stockton, California,
Saturday, March 2nd 12 noon

WGBH (channel 2) Boston, MA,
Tuesday March 5th 7 p.m.

WGBH (channel 44) Boston MA,
Wednesday, March 6th, 7:30 p.m. and 
Saturday March 9 4:30 p.m.

WHYY Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Wednesday, March 20th 11 p.m.
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To Find when the program is airing in your area:

Go to the web site   www.pbs.org/stationfinder/index.html
Then, put in your Zip/town, and that should take you to your PBS station.
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Impressive….  Great war stories in love stories VARIETY
"Beguiling…" Double take documentary film Festival
"Poignant…" Florida film Festival
"Chart Charming and humorous…" New Haven film Festival, 3rd Jury Award

Please tell your friends about these special broadcasts!  If it's is not 
playing on your local PBS station, please call them and let them know you'd 
like to see it broadcast.

For more information about the program please call Camille Calamadrei
Email: <<Italian POW@AOL.com>> 
Snail Mail: 504 West 110 Street (9B) New York, NY 10025