Diana Cignoni is a German-Italian-American Film Director, Screen Writer and

Actor.

Member of FILM FATALES Los Angeles and GABA FILM INITIATIVE.

Diana modeled (Clients include: Trussardi, Giorgio Armani, Escada, Christian

Dior) and acted in Europe and America for many years before she started

directing.

Diana has an extensive acting background and well recognized directorial talents.

Having been taught by mentor Charlie Laughton (friend and mentor to Al Pacino)

Penelope Allen, Mark Rydell and Martin Landau at The Actor's Studio. Elisabeth

Dillon at the HB Studio NYC, Geraldine Baron and Lance Lane, Diana developed a

unique voice. Diana won multiple awards as an actor and KOAN member of the

Odyssey Theatre Ensemble under the direction of Ron Sossi. Her latest performance at the Odyssey Theatre was May, 2019 portraying GRACE in FAITHHEALER by Brian Friel directed by Ron Sossi.

Diana was recently elected to the board of the Odyssey Theatre for the purpose of

further enhancing the ensemble with her many artistic talents. Born and raised in

Germany, Diana now resides and works in Los Angeles. She is the founder of

Ground Hero Film. https://www.groundherofilm.org

Diana's world-wide agent:

http://www.divina.at

Cignoni’s FILMS:

Snow Child:

*Winner Best Female Filmmaker* 2019 Brentwood & Pacific Palisades International Film Festival

*Winner Film on Women* 2019 L’Age d’Or International Arthouse Film Festival

*Official Selection* 2019 Firenze FilmCorti Festival

*Official Selection* 2019 Elba Film Festival

*Official Selection* 2019 Lighthouse International Film Festival

*Semi Finalist* 2019 Etheria Film Night

*Pepperdine University Presentation* 2018, Malibu and Calabasas

*Official Selection* 2019 Oxford Film Festival

*Official Selection* 2018 Queen Palm Film Fest

*Official Selection* 2018 Short to the Point Film Festival

Lulu:

*Official Selection* 2019 Cardiff Mini Film Festival

*Official Selection* 2019 Queer Bee Film Festival London

*Official Selection* 2018 Queen City Film Festival QCFF

*Gold Winner* 2018 Queen Palm Film Fest (Best Trailer)

*NOMINEE Best Performance Drama * 2019 Best of NFMLA AWARDS

*Official Selection* 2018 New Filmmakers NFMLA

*Winner Jury Award* 2017 Tea Dance Gay and Lesbian Film Festival Greenville

North Carolina

*Official Selection* 2017 Queer Popcorn LGTB Locarno, Switzerland

*Official Selection* 2017 Audience Awards LGTBQ Shorts Film Festival, Montana

Blood Wolf:

*Semi Finalist* 2019 ARFF Berlin

*Semi Finalist* 2019 ARFF Paris

*Official Selection* 2018 Sylvia Theatre Film Fest, York, SC

*Official Selection* 2018 Roxy Underground Film Festival, Manhattan

*Official Selection* 2018 Lighthouse International Film Festival

*Winner Jury Award* 2018 ARFF Berlin

*Official Selection * 2018 ARFF Paris

*Official Selection* 2018 Oxford Film Festival

*Panavision New Filmmaker Grant* 2017

Desert Mantis:

*Semi Finalist* 2019 Etheria Film Night

*Official Selection* 2018 Motion For Pictures Screening Series, Cary, NC

*Official Selection* 2017 California Children Film Festival

Palm Trees:

*Official Selection* 2018 Queen Palm Film Fest

*Official Selection* 2018 Motion For Pictures Screening Series, Cary, NC

*Official Selection* 2016 Hollywood Boulevard Film Festival

*Official Selection* 2016 TIF Video Challenge

*Official Selection* 2016 Ozark Shorts

*Winner Best Narrative Short* 2015 SaMo Indie

*Official Selection* 2015 UCFF Dublin

Perfect:

*Winner Best Feature Length Film* 2016 SaMo Indie

*Winner Audience Choice Award* 2016 SaMo Indie

Juice:

*Official Selection* 2016 UK WEBFEST

Madame:

*Official Selection* 2016 SaMo Indie

Bruises:

*Official Selection* 2016 SaMo Indie

*Official Selection* 2016 TIF Video Challenge

*Official Selection* 2015 Nikon European Film Festival

One Weekend:

*Official Selection* 2016 China Woman's Film Festival

*Official Selection* 2015 SMC Film Club

*Official Selection* 2015 Sir Charlie Darwin Movie Battle

*Winner Audience Choice Award* 2014 SaMo Indie

*Official Selection* 2014 Big Island Film Festival

*Official Selection* 2014 Julien Dubuque International Film Festival

-watch One Weekend on: iTunes, Amazon, Google Play

Brennhausen (screenplay):

*Finalist* 2019 Big Apple Women's Film Festival Screenplay Competition

*Winner Rising Star Award* 2018 Germany International Film Festival

CLIENTS: The Goethe-Institut Los Angeles, German Currents Film Festival Los

Angeles, Vital Hemp, Febi Bilstein, Amica, FHM Collections, Cosmopolitan, Robb

Report, Playboy & Port Magazine .

Director's Reel: https://vimeo.com/86996632

https://vimeo.com/221222759

IMDb: https://pro-labs.imdb.com/name/nm0162238/?ref_=sch_int

ACCOLADES:

Diana received an Endorsement letter from Al Pacino in 2014 highlighting her

work as a director.

RECENT INTERVIEWS:

'Seeing is Believing: Women Direct' by Cady McClain

A documentary series on women who direct

Diana Cignoni on ‘The Method Actor Speaks’ by John Solari

Director’s Statement:

I tend to take a documentary approach to the storytelling that is both

participatory and voyeuristic. The cinematic language allows space for

performances as we strive for authenticity. I favor a minimalistic, documentary

approach, lightning from outside, using natural light when possible, shooting

scenes in oners for spontaneity and effect as well as multiple cameras to let the

performances unfold. It's all about stripping the artifice of filmmaking away and

reaching for something true and authentic. When we shoot I discover more in the

moment and I embrace the unknown, it feeds me. I do love rehearsals as a guided

approach on a feature. Improvisation is a great tool as well in rehearsal and

sometimes during a take. The script is an idea, not a finished reality. I take

liberties with it. I take advantage of stuff that is coming to me that is not written

on the page. I can’t make a movie that is alive if it’s pre-planned. The way I

approach writing my films is the way I make films: the moment a film chooses me

it will arrive & unfold in its own time… it should always be naked & willing. I have

always felt a strong pull towards iconic moments of beauty and the surreal

quality of random existence and that sensibility informs my cinematic work.

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Diana Cignoni

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