Stefano Veneruso

Stefano Veneruso was mentored and inspired from childhood by his late uncle Massimo Troisi, renowned director, author, actor and producer better known internationally for producing, co-directing and starring in the Academy Award-winning film The Postman, (Il Postino). Working at Esterno Mediterraneo Film, Stefano learned every aspect of production. As an Assistant Director on Il Postino, Stefano simultaneously directed its Behind the Scenes, earning him a Best Story and Narration award at the International Backstage Festival of Bologna. Stefano moved to Los Angeles and studied filmmaking at both UCLA and at the AFI while working for the film production company Cecchi Gori Pictures. While living in Los Angeles Stefano directed his first short film: I'm Sophie and You? The film was granted several awards. In 1997 Stefano produced a compact disc Nei Tuoi Occhi, in memorial of Massimo Troisi. The CD, a collection of love poems by the world-renown poet Pablo Neruda, were read by notorious Italian artists, eventually racked up huge commercial rewards and critical tributes, selling 250.000 copies. In 1998 Stefano wrote, directed and produced a short film called Effetto Lunare, (What about the Moon?) and in 1999 he directed his third short film Strani Accordi, produced by Universal. The film was a great commercial success and for the first time in Italy a short film got released in 100 theaters. In 2000, Stefano was an assistant for Martin Scorsese's film Gangs of New York. After working as assistant to Mel Gibson on the set of The Passion of The Christ, Stefano directed and produced the film All the Invisible Children, released in 120 countries, directed among others by Spike Lee, John Woo, Emir Kusturica and Ridley Scott. Furthermore, he directed musical videos for artists such as Tina Turner and Elisa. In 2010 Stefano directed a theatrical play called Caravaggio, the exile of a man in search of God. In 2011 Stefano directed the documentary entitled We, People of September on the life of Franco Califano, a renowned Italian singers and song writers, selected at the Rome Film Festival 2011. In 2014 he is co-author and directs the play What do I think of Switzerland (Cosa ne penso della Svizzera), played by Giancarlo Giannini. In 2016 he directs and produces the documentary Insanity (I danni dell'inverno). In 2018 he writes and directs the show Annunciazione! Annunciazione! Revuoto 2018 - (piazza del Plebiscito, Naples), in honor of Massimo Troisi and the 40 years of La Smorfia.