BIOGRAPHY of MARIANO BAINO
www.marianobaino.com
"Someone with a vivid and savage imagination that Bram Stoker would envy." DAILY STAR
Hailed as “one of the great torchbearers for expressionistic cinema” by Montreal's
Fantasia Film Festival, Baino was recently honored with a very exclusive Green
Card only awarded to artists of “Extraordinary Ability”, thanks to his talent as a film
director. At a very young age, Mariano left his native Italy and relocated to London, UK,
where he wrote and directed CARUNCULA, a highly acclaimed short feature, which
first showcased Baino’s arresting visual style, receiving rave reviews on the festival
circuit. Next, Mariano headed for the Ukraine to begin shooting his first feature film,
DARK WATERS.
During the Ukrainian shoot, immortalized in many film books (including noted UK
film critic Mark Kermode's It's Only a Movie) and articles, Baino's perseverance and
resourcefulness were put to the test as he successfully overcame conditions and
attitudes which seemed to belong to a truly different planet. From the very first
day, everything seemed to conspire against the film ever getting finished.
Rushes could only be watched once a week, sets literally dissolved due to rainfall, the film stock was sold by corrupt
crew members on the black market, forcing the shooting to stop for days at a time, the crew was forced to relocate from
Odessa to a studio near Chernobyl, cameras and equipment turned up weeks later than
expected, and prosthetic effects sent from England were delivered by mistake to the puzzled manager of a
local orchestra who was eagerly waiting for a shipment of musical instruments instead.
Mariano and crew persevered and shooting was successfully completed. The film went on to win, among other prizes,
the Prix du Public at Montreal's FANTASIA FILM FESTIVAL and, at the FANTAFESTIVAL in Rome, DARK WATERS was
awarded the prestigious Vincent Price Award.
Whilst continuing development of his long cherished project, RITUAL, based on the best-selling novel by Graham Masterton, Mariano completed a short film, NEVER EVER AFTER, a dark, twisted fairy tale about a woman's dissatisfaction
with her body and the miracle operation which promises to help her live happily ever after.
Apart from writing his own material to direct, Mariano Baino has worked as a screenwriter for many years. He wrote
FLOWER OF SHAME, a drama set in Macedonia, for German Producer Vesna Jovanoska, who also hired him to adapt
Chris Niles' urban thriller HELL'S KITCHEN for the screen. He also wrote a film adaptation of the classic noir novel 3 TO
KILL by Jean Patrick Manchette for NoShame Films.
THY KINGDOM COME, another one of Mariano's screenplays, wrapped production in Argentina and was successfully
released with the alternative title WINGS OF FEAR. He also adapted Nikolai Gogol's famed short story, THE VIJ, with acting legend Donald Sutherland earmarked to star in the film.
To accompany the launch of CORALINA: LIFE IS ART/ART IS LIFE, a book dedicated to iconic screen actress, artist and
musician Coralina Cataldi-Tassoni, Baino and Cataldi-Tassoni co-directed a short film, CORALINA: BASED ON A TRUE
LIFE, currently generating great responses around the world.
HIDDEN 3D, a stereoscopic film based on an original story Baino co-wrote with Coralina Cataldi-Tassoni, was co-produced by Oscar winner Don Carmody and released in 2013.
In 2016 Baino and Cataldi-Tassoni completed a new short film, LADY M 5.1, a surreal adaptation of Scene 5, Act 1 of
Macbeth by William Shakespeare with dystopian Sci-Fi overtones. Baino adapted the Bard's work for the screen, directed, edited and handled the visual and practical effects, while Cataldi-Tassoni starred as Lady Macbeth as well as designing the costumes and composing the original score. The short recently won an AWARD of EXCELLENCE in the category of Actress: Leading at the BEST SHORTS COMPETITION.
Mariano Baino will next helm the feature film ASTRID’S SAINTS, which he co-wrote and is producing with Coralina Cataldi-Tassoni who will also star in the role of Astrid.
Mariano resides in New York City.
SELECTED REVIEWS OF MARIANO BAINO'S DARK WATERS
"Dreamy, original and haunting, it's a masterpiece of arthouse horror." Scott Macaulay, FILMMAKER MAGAZINE
"Someone with a vivid and savage imagination that Bram Stoker would envy." DAILY STAR
“A gifted young filmmaker... Baino is one of the great torchbearers for expressionistic cinema.”
FANTASIA FILM FESTIVAL
"Perhaps the most exciting genre debut of the decade, Dark Waters is a stylish, frightening occult film... a rare treat."
ALL-MOVIE GUIDE
"A deeply disturbing movie. Terrifying!" Emma Freud, BBC RADIO ONE
“Baino's work contains echoes of the work of Italian horror-masters... He also displays a skill for delivering
genuinely creepy visuals."
TV GUIDE ONLINE
“Critics have likened Baino's work not only to the masters of horror but to Bergman for the use of somber atmosphere and
the depth of religious meditation.”
LA REPUBBLICA
“Stylish and accomplished... a young, talented director whose fare may well take horror to new levels.”
METAL HAMMER
"An ambitious tale of horror with lofty aspirations and little sense of conformity... a talent worth nurturing."
SIGHT AND SOUND
"A solidly crafted and richly atmospheric film... Baino has clearly got healthy filmmaking chops”
FANGORIA
“Director Mariano Baino conjures up a supernatural world of half-glimpsed madness, painting a
waking nightmare”
AMERICAN CINEMATHEQUE PROGRAM
“A smart, creepy, and wonderfully made movie.” DVD TALK (Four out of Five Stars)
“DARK WATERS is one slick, beautifully filmed horror film and it’s definitely well worth the purchase price!”
JOE HORROR.COM
“DARK WATERS is an atmospheric, and well-photographed nightmare that is creative and creepy.”
DVD DRIVE-IN.COM
“Do yourself a favor and discover this horror gem” FILM FANADDICT MAGAZINE
“An impressive horror debut that makes one want to leave the light on” DIGITALLY OBSESSED.COM
“Baino’s first feature film is truly a feast for the eyes”
HORROVIEW.COM
“The fact that this film is now available on DVD should necessitate a new national holiday.”
DVDINMYPANTS.COM
SELECTED REVIEWS OF MARIANO BAINO'S SHORT FILMS
“[CARUNCULA] a very lush looking film with plenty of eerie mood to complement the strange happenings that occur as the
story plays out.”
DVD TALK
“NEVER EVER AFTER is one insane sci-fi shocker. From the casting to the set design, these 13 minutes of madness are
incredibly memorable.”
DVD VERDICT
“NEVER EVER AFTER is a visually striking minimovie.” FANGORIA
"NEVER EVER AFTER showcases Baino's more recent style; Quirky and stylized to the extreme”
MONDO DIGITAL
MARIANO BAINO'S FILMOGRAPHY
DIRECTOR:
WRITER:
LADY M 5.1 (Short)
2016
LADY M 5.1 (Short)
2016
THE TRINITY OF DARKNESS
2014
THE TRINITY OF DARKNESS
2014
BASED ON A TRUE LIFE (Short)
2011
HIDDEN 3D
2011
NEVER EVER AFTER (Short)
2004
BASED ON A TRUE LIFE (Short)
2011
DARK WATERS
1993
THY KINGDOM COME
2008
CARUNCULA (Short)
1991
DREAM CAR (Short)
1990
NEVER EVER AFTER (Short)
2004
DARK WATERS
1993
CARUNCULA (Short)
1991
DREAM CAR (Short)
1990
EDITOR:
LADY M 5.1 (Short)
2016
THE TRINITY OF DARKNESS
2014
BASED ON A TRUE LIFE (Short)
2011
NEVER EVER AFTER (Short)
2004
DARK WATERS
1993
DREAM CAR (Short)
1990
PRODUCER:
LADY M 5.1 (Short)
2016
BASED ON A TRUE LIFE (Short)
2011
NEVER EVER AFTER (Short)
2004
DREAM CAR (Short)
1990