The Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County will screen “Youngstown: Still Standing” on Wednesday, Sept. 30 as part if its ongoing “America 250” programming.
The 2010 film will be shown from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Main Library, 305 Wick Ave., Youngstown. Free parking is available on site.
Written and directed by Youngstown native Johnny Chechitelli, the film documents the city’s unique history and culture through the lens of Youngstown locals.
“Growing up in the Mahoning Valley, I saw firsthand the hard work and resilience that defines this community,” said Chechitelli. “My father and grandfather worked in the steel mills, and when those mills closed, my generation had to find a new path. That experience ultimately inspired ‘Youngstown: Still Standing.’ Years later, I partnered with fellow Youngstown native Ray ‘Boom Boom’ Mancini to tell our hometown’s story through the forces that shaped it—steel, sports and organized crime.”
The documentary includes interviews with a number of Mahoning Valley natives, including actor Ed O’Neill; voice actor (and film narrator) Jim Cummings; Ron Stoop Jr., coach and patriarch of the Stoops family coaching dynasty; real estate developer and San Francisco 49ers owner Denise DeBartolo York; Business Journal Publisher Andrea Wood; and local politicians, athletes, business leaders and public figures. Former U.S. Rep. James A. Traficant appears in archival footage.
“Sixteen years after its release, I’m still moved by what the film has meant to people here, and bringing it back to the screen as part of the ‘Ohio Goes to the Movies’ program at the Youngstown Public Library is an incredible honor. It remains a love letter to the grit, resilience, and history of the Mahoning Valley” Chechitelli said.
A question-and-answer session with Chechitelli will occur after the film.
“Youngstown: Still Standing” (2010). Documentary, 1 hour, 29 minutes. Distributed by ItaliaScope Pictures, Mancini Pictures International and Youngstown Productions.
Main Library
Get Directions
Metro Monthly is a local news and events magazine based in Youngstown, Ohio. We circulate throughout the Youngstown/Warren Mahoning Valley region (and beyond) with print, online and flipbook editions. Be sure to visit our website for news, features, restaurants, local history and essential Valley events. We offer print and website advertising. Office: 330-717-8785.
© 2026 Metro Monthly. All rights reserved.
