A Q&A with the filmmakers follows the film, moderated by Nancy Steiner.

Panelists: George Kunhardt, Teddy Kunhardt, Kenneth Cole, and Maria Cuomo Cole.

Set against the backdrop of Ronald Reagan’s America, Mario traces Mario Cuomo’s journey from the son of Italian immigrants to the New York governor who championed government as a force for compassion.

Weaving together archival footage, family reflections, and excerpts from his personal diaries, the film offers an intimate portrait of a leader shaped by humility, intellect, and the struggles of his parents’ generation. His early legal battles defending working-class families against powerful interests became the foundation for his belief that politics should serve those without privilege—a conviction that would guide his decades of leadership.

Following the conversation, guests are invited to a reception in the Playhouse Café with complimentary food and select beverages, while supplies last.