Ralph Rotella: The Sole of Syracuse2023

Logline: Ralph Rotella plies the ancient craft of shoe repair while offering kindness and a sense of community to his customers and the residents of Syracuse, New York.

Since emigrating to the U.S. from Italy in the 1970s, Rotella has owned Discount Shoe Repair in downtown Syracuse. Each day he opens the store, fixes shoes, works with his hands using antiquated equipment, and converses with customers. In his daily interactions with people, Rotella reveals himself to be a witty, beatific, George Bailey-type figure who draws people to himself, building a sense of community with his shoe repair shop as a hive of activity. The film examines the value of work and what constitutes happiness, while also honoring an unsung hero in the Central New York community.