Texas Tavola

From the filmmakers: this 34 minute documentary examines the Tavola di San Giuseppe, an important religious event at which a single Sicilian-American family hosts almost 1,000 guests in honor of St. Joseph. Both anthropologically and visually, the event is remarkable to witness, with hundreds of hand-made breads and cakes, elaborate religious rituals, and beautiful prayers spoken in Sicilian dialect with a Texas accent. Our film traces one particular tavola back to three small villages in Western Sicily—Poggioreale, Salaparuta, and Corelone. With rare historic photos and traditional Sicilian music complementing the video footage, it explores the tavola’s deep importance to Sicilian-American communities in East Texas. These communities have often been overlooked as part of the Italian-American experience, but their vibrancy and a sense of Italianità remain strong even after three generations in the Lone Star state.