Director, Producer
"I think there are maybe two ways to shoot a scene. And the other one is wrong"
Early Career
Dario Cioni was born on January 3rd, the same day of Sergio Leone, in Rome Italy. A science-fiction fan as a child. He initially pursued Photography as a student at Italian Film School Roberto Rossellini. Working as a photo reporter for a local magazine, Dario would pull off the road to work on commercial films.
At age 22, Cioni moved to Los Angeles working both as a UPM and 1st AD on independent productions and commercials, three years later moved to London to work on special format productions.
As Assistant Director Cioni worked with George Lucas on “Star Wars, Episode I: Phantom Menace” in over 400 commercials with directors such as: Wes Anderson, Tony Scott, Tim Burton, Errol Morris, Michel Comte, Antoine Fuqua, Tarsem, James McTigue, Karl Erik Rinch, Luca Guadagnino, Paolo Sorrentino, Dario Piana, Tom Ackerman, Ed Bianchi and many others.
Major works as Director
Dario’s most famous work is the unreleased film “Paper’s Tigers” produced by Nokia and On My Own, featuring: Rocco Papaleo, Alessandro Haber, Andy Garcia, Valeria Golino, Ennio Fantastichini, Stefano Dionisi, Valentina Cervi, Adriano Giannini, Gianna Nannini and many others. The Mockumentary (In Post Production) “A Viking On The Croisette”. Vinicio Capossela’s “Ombra” Live for Sky Arte. Currently working on Cop-Killer with John Lydon and Harvey Keitel.
Commercials: Dario started with a serie of spots for Fastweb with Valentino Rossi testimonial, the latest Amaro Lucano sharing the director’s chair with four times Academy award winner Milena Canonero, Telecom, Eni (Futurscape), Pirelli (John Malkovich, Naomi Campbell), Suzuki and many others.
Music-videos: the in-famous “Tre Parole” for Valeria Rossi, recently a collaboration with Photographer Chico De Luigi brought many Music videos for Folk sensation Vinicio Capossela
Dario has also done second unit on major feature films such as “Point Break” (2016) and “Dust” (2000 Venice film festival opening film)
Major works as Producer: the feature film “Hannah” (Venice Film Festival, main competition - Coppa Volpi to Charlotte Rampling), the Thriller “The Follower”, Prada short Iconoclast by Milena Canonero, currently working on “The Ledge” By Howard J. Ford (“The Dead”), Producer on commercials with Paolo Sorrentino (Fiat), Wong Kar-Wai, Terry Gilliam and many others.
Various:
Dario also worked on events with Filmmaster and collaborated with Opera director Robert Carsen shooting the video sequences for “Salome”.
Last but no least Dario has a passion for comic-books, in fact in the 90’s he worked as editor for Magic Press functioning as their liaison with the US market for the acquisition of publishing rights. Generating the pubblication in Italy of comics such as: The Crow, Hellblazer, Tank girl, The Sandman and many others.
(Photo By Chayse Irvin)
