Monday, July 31, 2006

LIDO CANTARUTTI - FIGLIO DELLA COSTA

Lido Cantarutti (Right) with his mother, Evelina and brother, Reno (Left). Photo take at the Cantarutti family home in Richmond in 2002. Evelina celebrated her 95th Birthday last December 2007.
From time to time I will be posting interesting Bios of Figlios e Figlias della Costa (Sons and Daughters of the Coast).

Lido Cantarutti was born in Santa Cruz, at the old Sisters' Hospital, which was located at Bay and West Cliff Drive. His parents Guido and Evelina Cantarutti with their first born infant son Carino (Reno) immigrated from Italy to California in the mid-1930s. For the first couple of years of his life, Lido lived in a wind-blown shack which was located about 7-miles north of Davenport. ("La Nostra Costa" p.140). From these meager beginnings (All they had according to Evelina, was the clothes on their back and that infernal coastal wind in their faces), emerged a most honored "Figlio della Costa."

"Born of an Italian family from the Friuli region, Lido Cantarutti grew up in the Bay Area. He attended U.C. Berkeley, earning a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Romance Languages and Literature, and "Highest Honors" and Phi Beta Kappa recognition.

After college, Lido served as a U.S. Army officer, followed by a corporate career in marketing administration and human resources. Throughout his career he has maintained and enthusiastic interest in Italian cultural activities. In 1980 he assumed leadership of a fledgling Italian film program at the College of Marin. His presentation of the program, as a "festival" and not just a movie, with live entertainment, informative and entertaining introductions, and personal "family style" greeting of guests, produced a winning formula for popular success.

Since 1985, most Festivals have been sold out. Special series featured great neorealist (1985) and comedy classics (1986 and 1987) of the Italian cinema. In 1988, Mr. Cantarutti offered two shows in the open-air setting at Dominican College's Forest Meadows Theatre. In 1989, the Festival moved to the Showcase Theatre at Marin Center in San Rafael, affording improved patron conveniences and 35 mm film projection.

Also in 1989, Lido was honored with Italian knighthood, and the title of "Cavaliere", or "Knight" of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic. He was named Marin County's Italian American Citizen of the Year by the Cristoforo Club of Marin in 1995. In 1996, he received two awards in Italy - tbe Merit Furlan and recognition from the Friulian branches of the Alpini national soldier association. For the academic year 1998-1999 at the College of Marin, Lido was honored for his teaching of Italian with the award as Outstanding Faculty Member (Part-Time). In addition he has served as the host of Northwest Airlines' inflight video program showing Italian films.

More recently, Lido was again honored by the Italian government with a promotion to "Cavaliere Ufficiale" or "Knight Officer", and by his family's native to family's native town in Italy with the conferral of honorary citizenship."

Well done Lido! All those honors and please add one more :"Figlio Della Costa - Speciale", conferred onto you this day by your 'amico della costa" Ivano Franco Comelli.

BTW: The Italian Film Festival is held annually (usually in October). New releases for this year's festival will be posted soon on Lido's website:
http://www.italianfilm.com/ .

15 comments:

Ivano Franco Comelli said...

E-mail from Lido Cantarutti. His mother, Evelina Cantarutti, is 93 years old and is residing at Nazereth House in San Raphael. She is an amazing women and still can remember all those days "su per la costa", like they were yesterday.


Caro Ivano,

I have just returned home following a memorable visit with my mother this
morning at Nazareth House! Having just come home from a quick trip to the
East Coast, I found my
book order (of your book) awaiting me in the mail. I thought to take it
with me today as I went to see Mamma. I especially thought she would enjoy
the pictures. And she really, really did! She loved them, and she loved
the idea of what you have done, Ivano! She kept praising you, and
expressing appreciation for the wonderful thing you have done to preserve
"ricordi sacri".

As we went through the various photos, she was at one and the same time
crying (for joy!), and commenting enthusiastically as to who each person
was, and how many good times we had with the Taurians, and, of course, the
Comelli's! She talked about how well those three families got along: she
and our father, Mario and Gigia and Valentina and Bronco! Reno and Lido,
Elso and Felicino, Gianni and Ivano!

So, on this beautifull Sunday, I couldn't help but want to share this
experience and reaction with you. I hope it brings you enjoyment as well!

Regards,

Lido

Anonymous said...

Hi Lido!
My name is Stefano Cantarutti...I live in Castions di Strada...Friuli!
Do you know?
Un saluto e un abbraccio!
Stefano

Anonymous said...

Caro Stefano,

Grazie del tuo saluto, mi ha fatto molto piacere. Mi fa sempre piacere incontrare un’altra persona con lo stesso cognome!

Mi chiedi se conosco Castions di Strada, e, purtroppo, devo dire che no, in fatti, è un paese che non conosco, ma sono sicuro che è molto bello e pieno di brava gente. Le nostre famiglie provengono dalle frazioni di Rodeano Basso (Comune di Rive D’Arcano) e di Cisterna (Comune di Coseano). Grazie ancora, a cari saluti, Lido

Ivano Franco Comelli said...

Buon Venuto Stefano: Welcome to the 'LNostra-Costa' Blagga. I sent your message on to my Buon Amico, Lido and, as you can see above, he has quickly responded to your message. As the 'Gran Blaggatore' of the'Blagga' I am always seeking new stories and bios to publish. If you send me a short bio with a photo(s)of your family, I will publish on the 'Blagga". If you wish, you can write it in Italian. Gino 'd'baffi" Campioni, the Blog's official translater (I'm sure)will be happy to translate it for us. You can send your information to my personal e-mail address: ivcomelli@arilion.com

Also, I am going to upgrade this article of Lido, by publishing a family photo I found in my files.


Sempre Avanti. Ivano

Anonymous said...

Hello Lido,
My name is Ayridia Cantarutti and I live in Sao Paulo...Brazil. I´m making a genealogy of my family and I´m finding Cantarutti´s around the world. Please I would love if you contact me, so you can help me with my genealogy and you are part of my genealogy of course. Will be a pleasure to meet you.
Ayridia Cantarutti

Anonymous said...

Dear Ayridia,

Thank you very much for your message, and congratulations on your project to develop your family’s genealogy. This should be a very rewarding effort for you, and I wish you the very best of luck.

Let me offer you a little bit of information on our family, and then if you would like more, please feel free to write to me and I will do my best to answer you.

My mother and father were immigrants from Friuli (that northeastern-most region of Italy); my father (Guido Cantarutti) was a native of Cisterna del Friuli (Comune of Coseano) and came to the United States in the 1920’s; my mother (Evelina [Venturini] Cantarutti was a native of a nearby village, Rodeano Basso (Comune of Rive D’Arcano) and emigrated from Italy in 1935. They settled in California, here in the San Francisco Bay Area.

If it would help, you can also take a look at the web site for the Italian Film Festsival that I direct and there you can see in my biography further information about our background. The web site address is: www.italianfilm.com.

Hope this helps, Ayridia, and let me know if I can be of further help. Also, please send me some information on your family.

Regards,

Lido Cantarutti
San Rafael, California

Ivano Franco Comelli said...

Dear Ayridia: If you send me a short bio of your family with photo if possible I will post it on the front page of the Blagga. This will alert other Cantarutti's around the World of your family and also they may very well contribute a wealth of family . Please send to my regulare e-mail address:
ivcomelli@arilion.com

Anonymous said...

Dear Lido,
Thanks for answer me : ). My family is from Udine region, but is a little complicated because my grand grand grandfather born in Thecoeslováquia his name is Pietro Cantarutti, my grand grandmother born in Polonia and her name is Adelaide Cantarutti, my grandmother born in Belgium and her name is Hildegard Cantarutti, my father born in Brazil and his name is Arnaldo Cantarutti, but I said that it´s a little complicated because I know that my family is from Udine region, but I don´t know why my grand grand grandfather was born in Thecoeslovaquia and her daughter in Polonia and my grandmother in Belgium. My grandmother just born in Belgium, her education was in France since your birth. Part of my family live in Saint-Tropèz in France. My grand grandmother and my grandmother came to Brazil in 1949 because the second war. The other people of my family stayed in France and never came to Brazil.
I contacted some Cantarutti´s that I found in Italy (Udine) and I found too some Cantarutti´s here in Brazil that I didn´t know. I found some Cantarutti´s in USA too. I need the birth of your parents to put on my genealogy tree. If you want the same of me, you can ask : )
My best regards,
Ayridia Cantarutti

Anonymous said...

Ivano Mio Caro Amico Furlan

I have been extremely busy ...... lately a lot of things going on sorry for not keeping in contact.. ......yesterday April 3, 2008 was Friuli's National Holiday... so Ivano go out and have yourself and Nice piece of Polenta and Salsiccia and wash it down with some Grappa !!!
Long ago on April 3, 1077, Friuli became an independent region when the German Emperor Indri IV gave full autonomy to Sigjar, the Patriarch of Aquilea. Through the years, this day became known as Friuli's National Day.

Give my best to all the Furlans Sur per la Costa !!


Ciao e Mandi

Doriano

Anonymous said...

Dear Ayridia:

The family tree goes like this as far as I know. On my mothers
side: her maiden name was Evelina VENTURINI. My grand father and
grandmother where born in the town of RODEANO BASSO , Prov. of UDINE.
It is a village about 15 miles from UDINE. On my Dad's side: His first name was Guido. The
CANTARUTT'S came from the small village of CISTERNA del FRIULI , just down the road from my mother's village . I found out that the name CANTARUTTI
is quite comon in that area . Here in AMERICA there are 3 CANTARUTTI families that I am aware of, in all of California. All three are from the town of CISTERNA. Only the second generation is still around. This is the best I
can do for you. Thank you for your inquiry. Reno Cantarutti

Anonymous said...

Dear Reno,

Some people of my family live in Virgina State. Do you have contact with that Cantarutti´s families that live there?
I would like to send pics of me to you and Lido to know how I am and would be great if you do the same.
Do you have some email that I can to send my pics?
Thanks for all.

Ayridia

Ivano Franco Comelli said...

Dear Ayridia: It is best for you to contact me via my regular e-mail: ivcomelli@arilion.com .

Then I can pass on your e-mail address to Reno and/or Lido. This way we will keep all your e-mail addresses from going around the world on the LNostra-Costa Blagga.

Mandi Ivano

Anonymous said...

Dear Ivano,
Sorry for long time no write. I was very busy cause the work. I will send you some pics of me to your email address and hope to receive answers about you, Lido and Reno.
Was a pleasure to make contact with you guys. I really loved :)
Ayridia

Anonymous said...

Dear Arydia: Nice to hear from you again. I will forward you comments to Lido and Reno. Also if you will go to the front page of the BLagga at: www.nostra-costa.blogspot.com you can view Lido's 2008 Italian Film Festival brochure. Also a photo when he was a youngster. Ivano

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