ITTV International gets Los Angeles recognition at inaugural Ferragosto celebration

ITTV International received a City of Los Angeles Certificate of Recognition during the first Ferragosto celebration in San Pedro, where nearly 300 people gathered for a free outdoor screening of Disney and Pixar’s Luca. Organizers say the event will return in 2027 as a broader summer screening series focused on Italian film and culture.

Why it matters: - The recognition puts a civic spotlight on ITTV International’s role in connecting entertainment with cultural exchange. - The Ferragosto event turned a film screening into a community gathering built around Italian heritage, family and public space. - Organizers are positioning the celebration as the start of a recurring Los Angeles tradition.

What happened: - The City of Los Angeles presented ITTV International with an official Certificate of Recognition during the inaugural Ferragosto Celebration at Piazza Miramare in San Pedro. - Valentina Martelli, founder and CEO of ITTV International, received the certificate from Councilmember Tim McOsker. - ITTV International co-created the event with the Little Italy of Los Angeles Association, in partnership with Disney+ and Los Angeles City Council District 15. - Nearly 300 attendees, including families with children, came to the free outdoor event. - The evening featured a screening of Disney and Pixar’s Luca.

The details: - The certificate recognized ITTV International for promoting international collaboration through film, television and innovation. - The City of Los Angeles also recognized the group’s collaborative presentation of Luca during the celebration. - Organizers said the event was designed to introduce Ferragosto, one of Italy’s best-known summer traditions, to Southern California. - The celebration transformed San Pedro’s waterfront into an Italian-style piazza for an evening of cinema, food, culture and community. - Guests had pizza, gelato and an outdoor summer screening experience under the California sunset. - ITTV International has spent nearly a decade serving as a meeting point between Hollywood and the international entertainment industry through its annual forum. - The organization says the Ferragosto celebration extends that mission beyond industry circles and into the public. - ITTV International was founded by Valentina Martelli and Cristina Scognamillo.

Between the lines: - The event shows how entertainment programming can be used as a local diplomacy tool, not just a commercial showcase. - The partnership with Little Italy of Los Angeles and Disney+ gave the celebration both cultural credibility and mainstream reach. - By tying the event to Luca, the organizers linked a family-friendly studio title to a broader message about Italian identity and community belonging. - The inaugural turnout suggests there is room in Los Angeles for more public cultural programming centered on immigrant heritage and international storytelling.

What's next: - Organizers announced that Ferragosto Summer Screenings will return in 2027. - The next phase is expected to expand into a broader series of outdoor screenings featuring Italian films and audiovisual productions. - The long-term goal is to deepen cultural ties between Italy and Los Angeles through recurring public events.

The bottom line: - ITTV International used its first Ferragosto celebration to turn a recognition ceremony into a public statement about film, culture and community building in Los Angeles. - More information is available through ITTV International's Instagram and Little Italy of Los Angeles Association's Facebook page.