Biographie
Max Chicco was born in October 1968. After graduating from the University of Turin with a degree in Cinema History and Criticism, he was selected in 1992 by Daniele Segre's Cammelli Factory to participate in the Social Documentation Video Master program funded by the European Union. In 1994, he completed his first 16mm film, "Lunedi mattina," which earned the Quality Prize from the Ministry of Culture.
In 2017, Max Chicco directed his medium-length feature film, A Big Love, starring renowned Italian actor Paolo Graziosi, who portrayed both an infant and a six-year-old child. That year, the film won awards at the 7th Queens World Film Festival, Boston International Film Festival, Eurovision Film Festival, Eurocinema Film Festival, and Austria Film Festival. It was also selected for screening at the New York Independent Film Festival, Beverly Hills Film Festival, Rincon Film Festival in Puerto Rico, and Ismail Film Festival in Cairo. At the Beverly Hills Film Festival, the film was shown at the Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles.
In 2016, Max Chicco and Meibi were selected by Piedmont Co-Pro Networking with two feature film projects currently in development. In 2015, the web series Blind Fate premiered worldwide at Piemonte Movie in Turin. This eight-episode series was directed by Simona Rapello, Mathieu Gasquet, and Max Chicco. In 2014, Chicco became the director of media production for the Mirabilia Circus Festival, and in 2015 Blind Fate was showcased at the Piemonte Movie GLOcal Film Festival.
In 2013, as a producer, Max was selected by Biennale College to produce the feature film Yuri Esposito, directed by Alessio Fava, which was screened at the 70th Venice Film Festival held from August 28 to September 7. In 2011, he created an audiovisual piece for artist Michelangelo Pistoletto’s performance in Bordeaux, produced by the Biella-based organization Cittàdellarte.
Between 2009 and 2011, he directed "Seven," an audiovisual project on eco-sustainable wine production in Piedmont, funded by the Ministry of Production Activities, the EU, and Antica Cantina di Canelli. This project allowed him to present his work at the Shanghai Expo in 2010 and at the United Nations in New York on September 22, 2010.
Chicco continued collaborating with the satellite channel Rai Sat Cinema and in 2008 was chosen by Current TV, a channel founded by Al Gore, to direct a series of Pods (short portraits) aired on Sky 130. This led to his regular directorship for the channel, producing investigative videos such as "Psicofarmaci ai bambini" (in collaboration with Alberto Coletta) and "Agenzie investigative in Italia."
In 2008, he made his feature film directing debut with "Saddam," distributed on home video by Millennium Storm and screened in theaters with Essai Film Certification. The film, which anticipated the rise of reality shows, featured actor Frank Adonis (Raging Bull, GoodFellas).
In 2006, during the Turin Olympics, he produced "ItalyArt: le Olimpiadi della Cultura" with Rai Sat Premium. On September 11, 2001, he was in Manhattan; from this experience of tragedy, he created "Twin Towers: an American Tragedy," which was screened at the Toronto Reel World Film Festival in 2001 and distributed by Los Angeles-based O2C.
While in New York, he worked on Broadway, filming TV specials for Rai Sat including "Broadway on Stage" and "Dance Step Off Broadway" (15 episodes featuring musicals), as well as two documentaries on indie cinema in New York: "Lloyd Kaufman: un tycoon a Tromaville" and "Cinema Indipendente a New York." He moved to New York in 2001 and attended the Filmmaking Master program at the New York Film Academy. His final project, the short film "Chocolate and Flowers," won the Cinecittà International Digital Award the following year.
In 2000, in collaboration with Rai Trade, he wrote and directed a virtual reality experimental program titled "Cartoons on the Bay," filmed at the Turin Multimedia Park, blending 2D and 3D animated cartoons with live action. Between 1996 and 1998, he produced and directed a series of 35mm shorts and created corporate videos for brands such as Martini & Rossi, Ramazzotti, Pernod Richard, Lovable, Paravia, and Italfer Spa.
In 1999, he joined Rai Sat’s production team as a director, working mainly on Rai Sat Show (dance-music), Rai Sat Cinema, and Rai Sat Premium. In 1995, Chicco founded his own production company in Turin, Meibi, through which he has produced most of his significant works, including shorts, documentaries, and a feature film. In 1994, he directed the documentary "Il Sig. Rossi prese il fucile," produced by Palomar for Mixer, a TV program by Giovanni Minoli, which won first prize at the Torino Film Festival Spazio Italia.
