Filmmakers

Lou Presti (died March 5, 2015 at 77 years) was an award-winning filmmaker who spent nearly four decades producing and directing documentaries for New Jersey public television. Born Louis John Prestigiacomo in Stamford, Connecticut, he studied television and radio at the University of Miami and served in the U.S. Navy as an aerial cinematographer before beginning his career in television.

In 1970, Presti joined the newly established New Jersey Public Television, later New Jersey Network (NJN), as one of its first employees. Over the course of his career he produced and directed scores of documentaries exploring New Jersey’s history, environment, communities, and traditional culture. His films included My Pine Barrens Land, Survival of Species, Crossroads to Victory, and Ten Crucial Days. He received numerous Emmy Awards for his work.

Presti also collaborated with folklorist Rita Moonsammy on a number of films documenting New Jersey’s rich folk and traditional arts. When New Jersey Network was preparing to shut down in 2011, Presti was concerned that these programs might be lost or become inaccessible. He personally provided Folkstreams with digital files of a number of the films, helping to ensure their preservation and continued public availability.