Mercury Pictures Presents

Maria Lagana and her mother flee Mussolini’s Italy just before the United States enters World War II. They settle in Los Angeles, and Maria finds a job as a typist at the Mercury Film Studio. The B-movie studio, run by brothers Artie and Ned Feldman, teeters on the brink of bankruptcy, but introduces Maria to many larger-than-life characters who help to create movie magic. When the U.S. enters the war, immigrants from Italy, Germany, and Japan are suddenly classified as enemy aliens, with severely restricted movements and prospects. Throughout this time, Maria faces and overcomes many of the difficulties that come with being an immigrant and a woman in a man’s world. Marra (The Tsar of Love and Techno) creates an eloquent and moving story about family, immigration, xenophobia, opportunity, and forgiveness. Talented narrator Carlotta Brentan delivers the story with a delightful array of accents, handily communicating Marra’s engaging wordplay. Brentan’s comedic timing perfectly aligns with the text.