Nico Cirasola

• Name — Nico Cirasola • Birthplace — Gravina in Puglia, Italy • Died — 3 April 2023 27 May 1951 • Place of death — Rome, Italy • Occupation — Film director, screenwriter, producer and actor

Born in Gravina in Puglia, a film buff since childhood, in 1982 Cirasola wrote the book Da Angelo Musco a Massimo Troisi - Il cinema comico meridionale ("From Angelo Musco to Massimo Troisi - The Southern Comedy Cinema"). After directing the never completed Super 8 film Tuta blu, he made his official feature film debut in 1989 with the road movie Odore di pioggia, starring Renzo Arbore. Cirasola's films were all self-produced independent productions, always set in Apulia, and often characterized by satirical and political commitments. His works include Bell’Epoker (2003), a satire about the 1991 Teatro Petruzzelli fire, Focaccia Blues (2009), a documentary about a successful focaccia shop in Altamura which forced the local McDonald's shop to close due to lack of customers, and Rudy Valentino - Divo dei divi (2017), a film starring Claudia Cardinale and Alessandro Haber about a little-known 1923 trip of Rudolph Valentino in his hometown. Cirasola was also active as a character actor.

• As Actor • Smell of Rain (Odore di pioggia) (1989) • Un altro giorno ancora, (L'estate di Bobby Charlton) directed by Tonino Zangardi (1995) • The Summer of Bobby Charlton, directed by Massimo Guglielmi (1995) • My name is Nico Cirasola, (Il mio nome è Nico Cirasola) directed by Giovanni Piperno (1998), documentary • Albania blues (2000) • Sangue vivo, directed by Edoardo Winspeare (2000) • Francesca and Nunziata, directed by Lina Wertmüller (2001), TV movie • Bell'epoker (2003) • Mr. Gi Bi (2010), (Signor Gi Bi) short film • If you are like this I say yes (Se sei così ti dico sì), directed by Eugenio Cappuccio (2011) • The Wholly Family, short film, directed by Terry Gilliam (2011) • The confectioner (Il pasticciere), directed by Luigi Sardiello (2012) • As director and screenwriter • Smell of Rain (Odore di pioggia) (1989) • Stonde, Stonde, Seneca's nettles, an episode of the film Corsica (1991) • Da do da (1994) • Albania blues (2000) • Bell'epoker (2003) • Focaccia blues (2009) • Mr. Gi Bi (2010), (Signor Gi Bi) short film • Rudy Valentino - Star of stars (2017)

Cirasola died on 3 April 2023, at the age of 71.