Resilience, creativity and belonging only begin to scratch the surface when describing Santo D. Marabella's life. Being born in Aosta, Italy, and moving to Reading, PA, after his adoption when he was just under a year old unraveled a tapestry of experiences woven with challenges and relentless passion toward his future as a filmmaker, playwright, author and educator.
Q: How did your adoption shape your journey in life?
I look back now and realize the need to belong, to be a part of something really challenged me, and I didn’t know whether it was being a gay man, romantic relationships, the fact that I didn't play sports or other things. Looking back, I realized it was the adoption, and that's what was the impetus for the film now.
Q: As a creative, what made you decide to want to tell your own story?
After becoming the primary caregiver for my parents, I ended up losing my mom in 2020, my dad in 2021, and then last year, my dog of 12 years. Given all the grief that I've been through, it just seemed like this was a way to heal. I could have done it sooner, but I wouldn't want to seem disloyal to my parents. I know they got it intellectually, but the emotional piece might've been hard. While I had the best adoption and had everything I wanted and needed, I have the space now. It's my table, and I have to figure out where my place at this table is.
Q: What inspired you to choose a documentary as the medium for your story?
It was really my close association, friendship and collaboration with Tracy Schott, creative director of the Reading FilmFEST; Tony Gerber, who is an Emmy Awardand PGA-winning documentarian; and his wife, Lynn Nottage, a two-time Pulitzer Prize-, Tonynominated playwright. I worked with them for about five years on the This is Reading documentary. I learned so much about documentary filmmaking, which is not narrative or scripted. You plan it, but you don't really force it. It has organic development. It's a journey.
Q: How has Berks County allowed you to pursue and combine your passions?
This is an incredible arts sandbox that we get to play in, and I don't know if there's any other place like it. We have so much to appreciate because here you can play, create, experiment and make mistakes. You can have a real bomb of a venture, and people will come out and support you. Nobody can tell me that you can't create art in this community, whether it's theater, film or visual arts.
Q: When you’re not telling stories through film or theatre, what do you enjoy doing?
At the core, I'm a teacher, and I try to weave teaching into everything that I do. Teaching at the college level has been a real gift because it's kept me connected to generations beyond my own. I learn a lot from students, and at the same time I enjoy finding creative ways to get people hooked, interested and excited, which helps with engaging students. The hard part for me while filming this documentary as a teacher is that I'm not teaching. I'm in it. I'm experiencing it. I have to let the amazingly talented professionals I’m surrounded by teach me and guide me to tell the story.
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Stay Tuned.
Il Mio Posto a Tavolo (My Seat at the Table) will wrap in September and debut in 2025. Visit marabellallc.com for the teaser and to see contribution options.
The Stories Continue.
Marabella wrote The Lessons of Caring as a source of inspiration and support for the contemporary caregiver, drawing on his experience with his parents.
