This year was definitely a year to remember for my Astoria, Queens, family.
It marked the 10-year wedding anniversary for my wife, Giovanna, and me. I began my 15th year as an English teacher at John Adams High School in Ozone Park. And our son, Matthew, not only started second grade in September, but also was cast in an independent film shot in our borough.
Matthew turned 7 in June and, like the past six years, he has been the best and brightest part of the year. Watching him learn and grow, break out of his “shy shell,” and hearing his excited voice shout “Papa’s home!” as I’m walking up the stairs, are gifts that I truly treasure.
During the summer, a new chapter and a unique adventure began when Matthew received a contract from a talent and modeling agency. As his parents, we have always felt that Matthew is a beautiful little boy with a heart of gold and a warm smile. Many friends have told us that he is very photogenic — and we have always agreed. My wife and I envisioned the possibility that Matthew might one day be able to land a gig posing in a print ad. But this October was surreal, magical, and unforgettable for our family.
At Fort Totten in Bayside, Queens, a film crew, led by writer and director Michael Weinstein, was shooting an independent film set during the Holocaust, titled, “If the Trees Could Talk.” And on one beautiful, warm Friday afternoon in early October, Matthew was in one of the scenes, portraying a young Jewish boy who was being taken away from his onscreen mother (Anna Myrha) by a Nazi officer.
Fort Totten used to be a U.S. military base, and it was an amazing site that worked remarkably well for the film. There were concrete structures containing small rooms with rusty bars in front of small windows, various tunnels and staircases, and plenty of greenery. We could not fathom how authentic and eerie things were in a place that was right in the borough we call home (Matthew and I even spent part of the morning playing hide and seek, and it was not easy for either of us to find the other).
Dressed in brown corduroy shorts, boots, a white, buttoned shirt with a beige sweater vest over it, and a grey wool cap, Matthew earned his first movie credit. Emotionally, it wasn’t an easy task for him. After all, the scene took place in a dark room. There were actors portraying Nazi soldiers, equipped with rifles and yelling loudly in German. One of the soldiers, portrayed by actor Stephan Goldbach, was pulling Matthew away from his “mother,” whose role demanded that she scream for him to not be taken away from her.
Following the scene, one of the actors, Ben Heyman, said something very soothing to me: “If this scene would have been easy for Matthew, then, as a parent, you would have thought, ‘Why is he not upset during such a difficult and intense scene?’ ”
I thanked Stephan via e-mail for his support and compassion towards Matthew on the set. The same day, he replied, “This scene was one that got very real, thanks to Matthew. He was a great little trooper.”
I don’t know what will happen or possibly unfold in 2014, but my family is enjoying the ride so far. And no matter what, Matthew has made us incredibly proud, and he has given us something to remember for the rest of our lives — a spectacular day in Queens.
Robert Trotta is a New York City public high-school teacher and a freelance writer. He lives with his wife Giovanna, their son Matthew, and a family cat named Ralphie.
