“Sometimes the quietest voice shatters the silence”

Short film Laurina captures the courage, resilience – and pain – of beloved Ecobelli

Who Was Abused And Exploited As A Teen In The Early 1900s

MULTI-TIERED FEATURE BY ANN HAUPRICH | PHOTOS PROVIDED

Shortly before Laurina Inzinna Ecobelli passed away in 1981, she entrusted the preservation of a priceless family heirloom to the care of grandchildren Lora Lee and Tom, then ages 23 and 17.

The keepsake bequeathed to the Ballston Spa sibling pair by their cherished 75-year-old grandmother was more precious than gold for it told in her own words -- and handwriting -- the story of an epic chapter in her young life that ultimately culminated in a valiant quest for justice and triumph of the human spirit.

Born to Italian immigrant parents, “Nona” Laurina asked Lora Lee and Tom to one day find a way to share what she had secretly penned in her diary to help educate and empower others.

They vowed they would. To say they have kept their promise would be an understatement.

The journal in which Laurina detailed the physical and sexual abuse she had endured at the hands of her stepfather who impregnated her at age 13 a century ago is now an awardwinning short film that captures her courage, fortitude, and resilience as well as her pain. “We didn’t want to focus on the brutality of her situation, but rather the inner strength that saw her through those dark days,” reflects Lora Lee. “She wanted my brother and me to share her story in a manner that would bring hope and healing to future generations. It was important to her that the story of what led her to be at the center of a controversial upstate New York trial in 1923 be told in a way that would encourage victims of abuse and exploitation to speak up – to put an end to the kind of suffering that had in so many ways robbed her of her youth.”

Longtime Saratoga County residents and tourists may remember Laurina for her matronly hospitality at the former family-owned and operated Ecobelli’s Tam O’Shanter Restaurant on Route 50 in Ballston Spa. Although Laurina kept the saga of her traumatic adolescent ordeal a closely guarded secret throughout her lengthy tenure at the popular dining establishment, Lora Lee and Tom say she quietly helped other women who were victims of domestic violence.

After decades of toiling (prior to the MeToo movement) to get the script they had co-authored produced as a motion picture, Emmy-winning director Sylvia Caminer ultimately signed on to the film-making project along with Executive Producers and Producers Michalina Scorzelli and Chris Gaunt. The latter pair also had acting roles in the production. Filmed entirely in the Capital Region in the autumn of 2022, with some scenes shot in the actual locations where the events had unfolded, Laurina features rising star Adriana Camposano in the title role along with Jenna Kurmemaj as the heroine’s sister Minnie and Stephen Schnetzer portraying their stepfather Pietro. In addition to their roles as screenwriters, Lora Lee and Tom (both of whom forged professional acting careers after their graduations from Ballston Spa High School in 1975 and 1982, respectively) were among the talented actors, extras, and crew members whose contributions enhanced the film-making experience.

It is noteworthy that legendary composer David Amram, who crafted the exquisite score, was the only person involved in the film’s creation other than Lora Lee and Tom, who had known the real Laurina. According to the siblings, Amram was inspired to write the score “to script” meaning he composed the music while watching scenes from the film. Among the world-renowned composer’s other stellar scores are those he wrote for the now classic movies Splendor in the Grass (Natalie Wood and Warren Beatty) and The Manchurian Candidate (Angela Lansbury and Frank Sinatra.) Talk about a hard act to follow!