Gregory Cioffi Brings Poetry in Motion Back to the Oceanside Library
Poetry in Motion II, a film celebrating twelve Long Island poets, returns to the Oceanside Library’s Tony Iovino Theatre this April as part of its National Poetry Month festivities. Last year, Oceanside natives and lifelong friends Gregory Cioffi and Tom Flynn premiered the first installment of the series at the library. Now in its second year, the project is once again co-produced and directed by Cioffi. This year’s film was shot in the gritty, urban-inspired setting of Oil City in Oceanside. Cioffi, who recently learned he will be affirmed as Nassau County’s newest Poet Laureate in June,shared his excitement about the evolution of the project: “We kept what we loved about the first film and raised the artistic bar with this one. We have great poets, great poems, and a fresh, creative tone.” Co-producer Paula Curci, Nassau County Poet Laureate Emerita, echoed that enthusiasm. “Creating opportunities to connect to poetry is our goal,” Curci said. “And we have an amazing group of Long Island poets who rolled with us for one day, all the way through filming.”Among those poets is Oceanside resident Nina Malkin, who is the author of five Young Adult novels and the memoir An Unlikely Cat Lady: Feral Adventures in the Backyard Jungle. Malkin’s work spans print and digital media, with bylines in The New York Times, Entertainment Weekly, and Real Simple. She is also the creator of the Webtoons cartoon “Strat the Cat.” Reflecting on her move to Oceanside, she said, “When I moved to Long Island, I didn’t know what I’d do with myself, creatively or socially. Fortunately, the poetry scene here is lively, diverse, and uniquely supportive. I found my tribe! Being invited to participate in Poetry in Motion II is the icing on the cake.” The film will be featured during the Oceanside library’s monthly open mic series, hosted by Peter V. Dugan, Poet Laureate Emeritus (2017–19). Dugan, who has led the It’s Poetry Baby! open mic for more than a decade, noted, “Cioffi was even able to include Chip Williford, the current Suffolk County Poet Laureate, in the film; it truly is a mix of contemporary expressionism.” In addition to Malkin and Cioffi, the cast showcases poets from across Long Island, including Jessica Payes (Stronger Than My Pain), Andre Williams (Uncle Dre), MT Pariti the editor of The Scene magazine, Bruce Pandolfo (AllOne), Papia Miah (Verses and Vines), Alan Walowitz, Steven Leventhal, Tana Forte, Michael Pagano, and Suffolk County Poet Laureate Chip Williford.
Join us for the debut screening of Poetry in Motion II on April 18th, 2026, at 2 pm at the new Tony Iovino Theater at the Oceanside Library,located at 30 Davison Avenue, Oceanside, NY.An open mic will follow. All encouraging voices are welcome. The screening and open mic are free to the community.