About Me
I’m an Italian‑American documentary director based in Rome. My films focus on social justice, geopolitics, the environment, and art.I’ve been fortunate to have my documentaries broadcast internationally on dozens of TV networks, screened at festivals worldwide, and viewed over two million times on YouTube.My past work includes Standing Army (2010), featuring Noam Chomsky—an examination of America’s global military presence; Soyalism (2018), a Pulitzer Center–supported exposé that premiered at IDFA and investigates the global food chain; and Novorossiya (2022), which debuted at CPH:DOX and explores Donbas before Russia’s full‑scale invasion.I’m currently developing two films: Nanyang—an international co‑production with Elliot Films and Final Cut for Real, a six‑time Oscar‑nominated production company—and The Devil’s Advocate, co‑directed with Donal MacIntyre. In post‑production: Seoul‑Hwa—a diary about north Korean defectors and the power of cinema. I also occasionally contribute visual stories to The New York Times and work as a cinematographer for other directors.
Filmography
In production — Nanyang: director
In production — Seoul‑Hwa: director
In production — The Devil's Advocate: co‑director
2022 — Kill Me If You Can: cinematography
2022 — Novorossiya: director, screenplay
2021 — Opera Prima: cinematography
2021 — Rigoletto 2020: director
2020 — Un Sogno a Stromboli: director
2019 — Frankenstein Unplugged: director
2018 — Soyalism: director, screenplay, cinematography
2018 — The Body Electric: director
2016 — Shakespeare on the Rocks: director, screenplay
2014 — Le Favole Iniziano a Cabras: cinematography
2013 — Container 158: director, cinematography
2011 — Zewdu the Street Child: director, screenplay
2010 — Standing Army: director, screenplay, cinematography
2008 — Giving Voice: cinematography
2006 — Dralion Circus: director, cinematography
My current projects:
NANYANG
When particle-beam engineer Nanyang Li inherits the 70-year private diary of her father, Mao’s former personal secretary, she is thrust into a legal war against both the Chinese government and her own family. Blending vérité and animation, the film traces her remarkable life—mirroring four decades of Chinese history—to reveal a woman now fighting to protect the truth from the very regime that forged her.
Produced by Signe Byrge Sørensen for Final Cut For Real (Six times oscar nominated with "The Act of Killing", "The look of silence" and "Flee") and by Susanna Trojano for Elliot Films.
SEOUL-HWA
A filmmaker's search for a legendary "North Korean Schindler" collapses, revealing a more powerful truth: the ultimate weapon of dissent against the regime wasn't a person—it was smuggled cinema.
Produced by Elliot films
THE DEVIL'S ADVOCATE
He was in the legal team of Saddam Hussein and tried to buy MGM, all without a law degree.
This is the story of Giovanni Di Stefano – master manipulator, media puppet master, and the world's most infamous "lawyer"—as he emerges from prison after a decade, ready to reclaim his notoriety and orchestrate one last audacious act.
Produced by Elliot Films and Dare Films Ireland
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