arts and humanitiesil bel paeseprograms and eventssociety
By Raphael Umphres-Piscitelli
As a part of Convivio’s Mission to connect San Diego to Italian Culture at home and abroad, we’d like to introduce you to a new series on Netflix that we find to be fun, enjoyable, and informative for Italians and Italophiles alike!
Netflix’s new series The Leopard, inspired by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa’s iconic novel, revisits the sweeping changes of the Italian unification through the eyes of the Sicilian aristocracy. Set in the 1860s, the show captures the decline of noble families like the Salinas as the Risorgimento brings a new political order. With lush cinematography, period-accurate costumes, and a modern sensibility, The Leopard reanimates a defining moment in Italian history—the transformation of fragmented states into a unified Italy—while exploring the personal costs of revolution, both for those clinging to tradition and those pushing for change.
The show doesn’t simply recount history; it interrogates it. Through its characters, especially Prince Don Fabrizio and his ambitious nephew Tancredi, the series explores the paradox of change in Italian society. Tancredi’s famous line—“If we want things to stay as they are, things will have to change”—echoes throughout the season, inviting viewers to reflect on the compromises and contradictions that shaped modern Italy. The series also pays careful attention to class, regional identity, and the lingering tension between North and South, all of which remain deeply relevant to Italian and Italian-American identity today.
For Italian Americans, The Leopard serves as more than period drama—it’s a mirror into the cultural roots many of us inherited. The Unification was not only a political moment but also a cultural crucible, forging a national identity out of regional languages, customs, and rivalries. The series reminds us that our ancestors came from a country still discovering itself, often carrying both pride and uncertainty into the New World. Watching The Leopard today, we’re not just witnessing history—we’re reconnecting with the stories, values, and fractures that shaped our heritage.
Keep an eye on our instagram (@conviviosociety) and website (conviviosociety.org) for upcoming summer events, including outdoor film screenings at AMICIBAR, our community center and cafe in the heart of Little Italy!
