Pizza wasn't invented in New Haven. It was perfected there.

"An important film of staggering genius that needed to be made. New Haven pizza finally gets its due." – Deborah Brown, The Swellesley Report

"The film is not entirely about pizza; one can watch it and see Bechard laying out the history of his city, a cycle of immigration, assimilation, and gentrification that extends well beyond New Haven." – Jay Seaver, EFilmCritic.com

There are only three pizza places in the world that matter...

Most everyone has a passion for pizza, but only New Haven lays claim to the Holy Trinity of pizza joints with Sally’s, Pepe’s, and Modern. They are not only a cornerstone of New Haven’s Italian-American heritage but also the establishments that set the bar for this immediately recognizable comfort food. National polls agree: these are the pizzas by which all others are measured.

Filmmaker Gorman Bechard tells the story of the evolution of this modern day food staple, the only pizza that can really be called “apizza.” From the landing of Italian immigrants on our shores, to the rusted wheels of Frank Pepe’s bread cart, to the black charcoal on your very own fingertips, take a journey from old world Italy into present day New Haven. 

Pizza, A Love Story is not just a tale of three restaurants but of three families that have the power to polarize, captivate, and delight. As we say, pizza wasn't invented in New Haven, it was perfected there. Just wait ‘til you get a taste…

Feature-length Documentary

Running time: 85 minutes

Since his debut feature film DISCONNECTED (1984), Gorman Bechard has directed and written over 20 feature films including rock documentaries on The Replacements, Grant Hart, Archers of Loaf, Lydia Loveless, Sarah Shook & the Disarmers, and Wilco’s Jay Bennett. He has also directed the animal-rights films A DOG NAMED GUCCI (which won the prestigious and rarely awarded ASPCA Media Excellence Award in 2015), SENIORS A DOGUMENTARY, and most recently OLD FRIENDS A DOGUMENTARY. His film, PIZZA A LOVE STORY, tells the story of the Italian migration to New Haven, Connecticut that led to the 3 most famous pizza restaurants in the world.

Bechard began his film career making horror films like the cult horror-comedy classic PSYCHOS IN LOVE and the beloved DISCONNECTED. He also directed the award-winning drama YOU ARE ALONE. All of his films are available on DVD and on various streaming platforms.

Bechard has written 5 novels including the religious satire, THE SECOND GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD (Citadel Press, 1991), the baseball comedy BALLS (Penguin, 1995), and the thrillers GOOD NEIGHBORS, NINTH SQUARE, and UNWOUND. And for ten years he was the executive director/programmer of NHdocs: the New Haven Documentary Film Festival.

He is currently in production on 3 feature documentaries: Best Video, the movie, FACTORY, and Powder Ridge: sex, drugs, no rock & roll.

He lives in New Haven, CT with his wife Kristine and their two dogs, Dylan and Wilco (the dog).