Local Director Premieres Short Film at The Stissing Center
The Stissing Center is a multi-use event space in Pine Plains. Commonly dubbed “The Center,” the space is used to host all kinds of cultural events, including lectures, concerts, banquets, plays, and various other meetings and entertainment.
Most recently, The Center hosted the premiere of the short film: “The Relentless Patience of Priscilla Cranberry.” The film, directed by Patrick Trettenero and shot entirely in Pine Plains, was written by and based on a bit by comedian Cynthia Levin.
The comedy centers around a Victorian-era woman who is incapable of doing anything for herself except waiting, and waiting, and waiting for a man to propose to her. Levin starred as Priscilla Cranberry, the main character, and was supported by comedian Shecky Beagleman in the role of the maid.
“I wrote it, and I think it’s ridiculous,” Levin stated when discussing the origin and inspiration of the film. “But I like ridiculous,” she added with a grin.
Following the 26-minute short film, Trettenero and Levin participated in a moderated Q&A session in which they discussed the inspiration and creation of the film, as well as their long-standing personal relationship.
Sitting on the small stage in a large pair of thick-rimmed glasses and an orange “Juicy Couture” velour sweatshirt, the comedian made jokes while she told the story about how she met Trettenero years ago in Chicago while taking acting classes. The duo, who have known one another for a long time, viewed this collaboration as a long time coming.
“People talk a lot, but Patrick actually does it,” she said, referring to the production of the film.
For Trettenero, who has worked in film and television for many years, this project came together at just the right time.
“You talk about a perfect storm. My husband and I had just moved up here about five years ago, and we dove in headfirst to do what we could to be a part of this community,” Trettenero said. “We are so lucky to be friends with Eileen and Jorge, who own The Pines” — one of the locations in which the film was shot — “It couldn’t be more perfect. We were very lucky.”
Additionally, this is the first project released under Trettenero’s new production company, Staro Industries. When discussing the creation of his new company, Trettenero shared the origin of the name.
“Staro is the mountain village in Italy where my grandfather comes from,” he stated. “So when I was thinking about the name, I just went straight for the roots.”
When asked about Beagleman, who undoubtedly stole the show in her role as the maid, Levin and Trettenero got choked up. Beagleman, who passed away in December of 2022, only got to see clips of the film but never the finished product.
Levin shared a brief story about how she visited Beagleman in the studio apartment she had shared with her husband for forty years in New York City late last year, just before she passed.
“That’s what killed her,” Levin joked, trying to mask her obvious sorrow at the loss of her friend. “It had nothing to do with the cancer. It was being in that studio apartment with her husband for that long!”
Looking ahead, Trettenero and Levin plan to submit the short film to upcoming film festivals. Additionally, Trettenero also said that they plan to edit the story and release it via Instagram.
“We’re going to serialize it like a Dickens novel and release it a chapter at a time,” he said.
Trettenero repeatedly described the film as a “labor of love” and looks forward to producing more similar projects in the coming months. As the President of the Board of Directors of The Stissing Center, he also shared his gratitude for being able to utilize the space to spotlight his work.
“How wonderful to have such a great space here in Pine Plains.”
