The documentary MEN OF THE CLOTH will have its New Jersey premiere on May 4, 2014, at the third annual Montclair Film Festival. The film by Vicki Vasilopoulos is an inspiring portrait of three Italian master tailors. It had its World Premiere at DOC NYC, the largest documentary film festival in the U.S.

The men's lifestyle magazine A & H said: "A captivating tale of an art in both remission and resurgence, MEN OF THE CLOTH is a journey across the globe unifying craftsmanship and style." The film received production grants and seed funding from the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF).

The screening of MEN OF THE CLOTH is at 2 pm at Montclair's Bellevue Cinema and director Vicki Vasilopoulos, a longtime Glen Ridge resident, will be present for a Q & A after the screening. Vasilopoulos says, "I truly admire these artisans who live a life of meaning and purpose – and create clothing that's as beautiful inside as it is outside. I consider them unsung heroes – with skills that have been honed over the course of a lifetime. MEN OF THE CLOTH has a deep resonance for Italian Americans, but it appeals to a culturally diverse audience that relishes soulful pleasures delivered on a human scale."

The film centers around Nino Corvato, Joe Centofanti, and Checchino Fonticoli, master tailors who have spent a lifetime perfecting the skills necessary to construct flawless custom-made suits for their clients in New York City, Philadelphia and Penne, Italy. Now in the twilight of their career, they fear that their Old-World knowledge will vanish with them. Enter Joe Genuardi, a tailoring apprentice who reflects the resurgence of popular interest in artisanal craftsmanship as an alternative to corporate mass production, providing hope for the future of this craft.

MEN OF THE CLOTH is structured like a triptych: each character's story gives us an insight into the past, present and future of their craft. We see the intimate connection with their tools and the tactile nature of their trade as they work in studied concentration: sewing, pressing, cutting, marking, and pinning. The whir of the sewing machine, the clank of the steam iron, and the sharp slicing of the tailor's scissors create an aural symphony. These artisans cherish their interactions with their clients. And as they go about their daily tasks, they share observations that are, by turns, nostalgic, poignant and humorous. MEN OF THE CLOTH unravels the mystery of the tailor's artistry, and how he fashions a garment in such a way that it moves and breathes with the person who's wearing it.

Director/producer Vicki Vasilopoulos was a Senior Fashion Editor at DNR, the men's news magazine (now a part of Women's Wear Daily). Vasilopoulos was also a contributor to Fashion Wire Daily and has had features published in The New York Times, Esquire, Time Out New York and New Jersey Monthly. She has served as a film series programmer for New York Women in Film and Television. She is also a member of the Independent Filmmaker Project and the American Society of Journalists and Authors. Vasilopoulos graduated from NYU with a B.A. in Journalism and has studied at the Paris Fashion Institute in France and at The Fashion Institute of Technology.

Advance Tickets are available at the Montclair Film Festival office (494 Bloomfield Avenue, 973-783-0002) or online: http://bit.ly/1guylvK

For more information on the film, please visit the film's website: www.MenoftheClothFilm.com and its Facebook page: www.facebook.com/MenOfTheCloth.