Paolo Benetazzo

Paolo Benetazzo
Born July 16, 1976
Vicenza, Veneto, Italy
Alma mater University of Padua
Occupation Film director, film producer, screenwriter, editor, actor, visual artist
Years active 2007-present
Website
www.paolobenetazzo.com

Paolo Benetazzo (born July 16, 1976) is an Italian film director, actor, screenwriter, producer, editor and visual artist.[1][2][3][4][5] He made his feature film directorial debut with Study (2012),[1][3] which has been screened and awarded at international film festivals worldwide.[2][6] Distinguished by a profound cinematic individualism, the film was entirely shot by Benetazzo without any film crew.[1][2][4]

He is also the founder of independent film production company ARTtouchesART.[2][3][4]

Early life and education

Benetazzo was born in Vicenza, Veneto, Italy.[5] At the age of 19 he began acting and filming while attending the University of Padua.[2][3][5] Experiencing a temporary conflict with the academic environment, he interrupted his studies for some years, picking up different jobs, until he eventually graduated in 2003 with a master’s degree in psychology.[2][3][7]

Career

In 2007 after travelling around Europe and living in Dublin for a few years, Benetazzo started working on his feature film directorial debut. Discouraged by the Italian film industry, he moved to London in 2011.[2][7] The following year he founded ARTtouchesART Films, which according to Benetazzo, “it is a film production company focused on true independent cinema.”[2][4][7]

Between 2007 and 2012 he wrote, produced, photographed and directed the independent film Study. He also starred in the lead role and composed the soundtrack. The film features his art works in several shots.[2][5][7][8][9] Since its premiere in London in 2012,[1][3][10] the film has quickly developed a cult following among fans and audience.[2][3][4]

At the end of 2012 Benetazzo worked with artist Danny Sherwood in the production of “Bitter Ditty”.[2][7][11] The music video was selected for the 2014 Art All Night Film Festival in Trenton.[12] In 2013 he wrote, directed, photographed and edited the music video “Salamander” for rock band Mount Fabric[2][7][13][14] and “Like to Party” for electronic producer Cal Strange.[2][4][7] The video “Like to Party” was selected for the BBC Music Video Festival.[15] During the same year he also wrote, directed and edited Sense, a short film about dominance and submission.[2][7] The short film was selected for the Seattle Erotic Art Festival,[16] Chéries-Chéris Film Festival in Paris[17] and was awarded at the 2014 Bad Film Fest in New York.[18]

Benetazzo considers filmmaking, like every form of art, an intense expression of individualism:[2][4][7] “When you can’t see the line between fiction and reality, filmmaking becomes your lifestyle.”[1][3][7]

Filmography

Feature Films

Year Title Role Film Festivals and awards
2012 Study Actor (The student)
Director
Writer
Producer
Scenographer
Music composer
Cinematographer

Short Films

Year Title Role Film Festivals and awards
2013 Sense Director
Writer
Producer
Editor
Scenographer
Cinematographer

Music Videos

Year Title Artist Role Film Festivals
2013 "Bitter Ditty" Danny Sherwood Director
Writer
Producer
Editor
Scenographer
Cinematographer 		Art All Night Film Festival 2014[12]
2013 "Like to Party" Cal Strange Director
Writer
Producer
Editor
Cinematographer 		BBC Music Video Festival 2013[15]

Discography

Albums

Year Title Role
2012  Study Original Soundtrack Producer
Music composer

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 "Filmmaking with a Crew of One: Paolo Benetazzo’s Study". Hopeforfilm.com. Retrieved 7 February 2014.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 "Case Study: STUDY, a true independent film". Indienyc.com. Retrieved 9 December 2013.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 "How to make a true independent film: one artist, one vision". Filmcourage.com. Retrieved 29 December 2012.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 "Movies: exclusive interview with Paolo Benetazzo". Moveoramablog.com. Retrieved 27 March 2013.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 "Study: Paolo Benetazzo Interview". Battleroyalewithcheese.com. Retrieved 1 October 2011.
  6. ↑ "Push the Boundaries of Your Creativity". Actioncutprint.com. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 7.7 7.8 7.9 "Behind the lense with Paolo Benetazzo". Beonthescene.com. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
  8. ↑ "The making of Study by Paolo Benetazzo". Internationalmovietrailerfestival.com. Retrieved 5 December 2013.
  9. ↑ "Study (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)". iTunes. Retrieved 1 October 2013.
  10. ↑ "London films". Portobello Film Festival. Retrieved 1 September 2012.
  11. ↑ "AltSounds Exclusive: Danny Sherwood-Bitter Ditty". Hangout.altsounds.com. Retrieved 4 October 2012.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 "Art All Night Film festival 2014". Artworkstrenton.org. Retrieved 21 June 2014.
  13. ↑ "Watch: Mount Fabric-Salamander". Beatsperminute.com. Retrieved 4 June 2013.
  14. ↑ "New Music from Rosecoloured". Rosecoloured.com. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 "Like to Party BBC Music Video Festival 2013". BBCmusicvideofestival.tumblr.com. Retrieved 1 November 2013.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 "Erotic Art Festival 2014". Seattleerotic.org. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 "Chéries-Chéris Film Festival 2014". Cheries-cheris.com. Retrieved 2 December 2014.
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 "Official selection Bad Film Fest 2014". Badtheaterfest.com. Retrieved 23 March 2014.
  19. ↑ "Portobello Film Festival 2012: winners, shortlist and links to selected movies". Portobello film festival. Retrieved 16 September 2012.
  20. ↑ "Indie Winners: November 2012". Indie Fest. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
  21. ↑ "California Film Awards 2012 Winners". California Film Awards. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 "Winners March 2013". Accolade Competition. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
  23. ↑ "LAMA 2013 Winners". Thelamovieawards.com. Retrieved 15 May 2013.
  24. ↑ "Official selection SoCal Film Festival 2013". Retrieved 29 August 2013.
  25. ↑ "Official selection Columbia Gorge International Film Festival 2014". Angaelica.com. Retrieved 26 July 2014.
  26. ↑ "CYIFF 2014 programme". Cyprus International Film Festival. Retrieved 3 September 2014.

External links