With no previous experience, he wrote, produced and directed Vito Bonafacci in, of all places, Utica, N.Y., where he lives. He used some local actors, along with five professional actors. Just as unlikely, last November, the film was screened in a secular venue, the Big Apple Film Festival in Manhattan. Even more amazing, his film was spotted and picked up by an independent distributor, Cavu Pictures. It premieres in New York City on May 6 at AMC Lowes Village 7.