“Almost Paris” (Robot & The Alb-Willowcreek Entertainment-Garnet Girl) follows the story of Max, a former banker (Wally Marzano-Lesnevich) who comes home to his parents due to loss of employment and struggles to get back on his feet. The film is directed by Domenica Cameron-Scorsese, the daughter of famed director Martin Scorsese. The producers are Michael Sorvino (Mikey-Mike Majors-Matlack), and Wally Marzano-Lesnevich who wrote the screenplay. Abigail Hawk plays Ellie, Max's love interest and Teressa Tunney plays Heather, Mike’s ex-wife, and Francesca Scorsese plays Lindsay the daughter.

The film's Casting Director is Judy Henderson, a friend of Michael's from college.

The film is now making its final rounds at 11th Annual Beaufort Film Festival in South Carolina and at the 15th Annual Garden State Film Festival in Atlantic City, NJ on April 1. Scenes in the movie were shot in Oyster Bay, Long Island where the Executive Producers and husband-wife team Cynthia and Tom Rosicki reside. They own a winery called 'Sparkling Point.' They financed the film and scouted the locations for it.

"Almost Paris" is a romantic story of love and redemption

Michael Sorvino (Actor Paul Sorvino’s son) Wally Marzano-Lesnevich and the director Domenica Cameron-Scorsese gave us some insight into the project.

“It was really important to me to express the human moment of connection,” said the director Domenica Cameron-Scorsese in a phone interview. "I wanted to look at our strength and I wanted to make sure that the visuals reflected even the sense of lived in and loved on; as opposed to some of the darker aspect which I think other films have tackled.” “The film shows how people come through the circumstances.”

As the director of “Almost Paris,” Domenica enjoyed seeing the elements of the film come together.

"What was exciting for me was to see both the ability for the creative team to work within the constraints and what the shot would become," Domenica said. The combination between the production design element and the cinematographer coming together and having to adapt to what was going on.” I loved working in the editing room and finding some of the puzzle pieces.

I had a great working relationship with Simon Myers, my editor and we would just go back and forth together over refining the story."

'Almost Paris' connects with audiences

Almost Paris” was one of the feature films selected to premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival in April 2016. Actor-producer Michael Sorvino, recalls that it was tremendously exciting to see their film in the spotlight.

“That was tremendous to be an official selection of The Tribeca Film Festival in our hometown," Sorvino said by phone. “I’ve been through this whole film festival circle before, but nothing quite like Tribeca in a film that I produced and acted in."

Wally and Michael have known each other since middle and high school in Tenafly, New Jersey.

They were also freshman college roommates at Mason Gross School for the Arts at Rutgers University.

“This is the first film we’ve worked together on. Michael and I went to high school together and our friendship also dates back to middle school. “We did theater together in high school that’s where our friendship blossomed and our love in the arts," Wally revealed in a phone interview. “Michael did more films, I started running a theater company right out of college."

Wally specifically created the character 'Mike' in the film as a tribute to their friendship.

"I was writing a role for Michael and I wanted him to play my old friend in the film. ‘Mikey-Mike’ was a variation on Michael’s name.” Wally stated. Michael and Domenica wanted to collaborate on a film and the timing was right for "Almost Paris." "She thought it was a good fit. From there, it wasn’t too much longer that she became our director." Sorvino said.

The cast and crew of "Almost Paris" worked really hard on the film and hope that it will find its audience and people will connect with it.