Antonino D'Ambrosio


Antonino Pasquale D'Ambrosio, is an Italian-American author, filmmaker, producer, and visual artist.

Writing

D'Ambrosio is the author of Let Fury Have the Hour: Joe Strummer, Punk and the Movement that Shook the World and A Heartbeat and a Guitar: Johnny Cash and the Making of Bitter Tears. A Heartbeat and a Guitar was chosen by The Philadelphia Inquirer as a "2009 Book of Note,", The Progressive "Favorite Book", The Boston Globe, among others.
In 2010, D'Ambrosio collaborated with artist Shepard Fairey and on the book Mayday.
In 2013, D'Ambrosio wrote the cover story "How the Creative Response of Artists and Activists Can Transform the World" for The Nation.

Film and video

D'Ambrosio has produced more than 15 documentaries, films, videos, and visual art pieces. His recent film includes starring Lewis Black. In September 2008, it received a notice of cultural distinction in Vanity Fair.
D'Ambrosio is the producer, writer and director of the feature film . The film was an . The film was received positively by and , Indiewire, PBS's POV, The Huffington Post, Complex magazine, and COOL magazine.
D'Ambrosio received support from Rob McKay of the McKay Foundation and the Democracy Alliance for production of a documentary film based on Let Fury Have the Hour chronicling the movement of world citizenship. The film has many musical contributions from artists including Chuck D, Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra, , Sean Hayes, Tommy Guerrero, Boots Riley, Tom Morello, Wayne Kramer, Billy Bragg and others. The film also features many of today's most creative thinkers and artists including playwright Eve Ensler, author Edwidge Danticat, scientist Jonah Lehrer, novelist Hari Kunzru, international human rights advocate Jack Healey, choreographer Elizabeth Streb, poets Staceyann Chin and Suheir Hammad, environmentalist Van Jones, and more. The film's score was composed by Wayne Kramer. The film includes original artwork from Shepard Fairey and animation by Seth Tobocman.
In 2014, D'Ambrosio was the executive producer of Look Again to the Wind: Johnny Cash's Bitter Tears Revisited, a tribute album.
In 2015, D'Ambrosio participated in the musical transmedia Soundhunters produced by a_BAHN and broadcast on the Franco-German channel Arte. D'Ambrosio directed the film Speak the way you breathe in which he directed the musician Luke Vibert.

La Lutta NMC

In 1997 D'Ambrosio founded La Lutta New Media Collective, a non-profit social media and documentary production group. La Lutta NMC has worked with more than 800 groups around the world on various media projects, and maintains a membership of over 20,000. The late Neil Postman served as an adviser and honorary first board member during the early stages of the group's development. The Nation selected La Lutta NMC as one of the top independent media groups in the country.
With La Lutta NMC, D'Ambrosio has produced a series of creative-activist events and performances including Speak the Words the Way You Breathe featuring the hip-hop group The Last Poets.

Visual art and exhibitions

In 2010, artist Shepard Fairey invited D'Ambrosio to contribute the official essay for his solo-exhibit Mayday at the Deitch Projects in New York City. The essay, "May Day Calling", is printed on the back of Fairey's signature "flag" print.
In 2009, D'Ambrosio was Artist-In-Residence at the Center for Contemporary Arts in Santa Fe, NM where he launched the multimedia land-art installation La Terra Promessa: In Sun & Shadow.
In 2008, D'Ambrosio was featured on Clash: Revolution Rock, an hour-long radio show also featuring musician Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine.
In 2006, he became New York University's Gallatin Lecturer, an honor bestowed upon a contemporary artist creating innovative and social engaging work.
In 2006 D'Ambrosio was invited to document the Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign in Caracas, Venezuela at the World Social Forum. His short film documenting the experience, In the Land of Bolivar, has been screened around the world. In 2005, D'Ambrosio was Artist-In-Residence in the Media Arts Department at Long Island University, Brooklyn Campus. He speaks extensively at universities and colleges throughout the country.

Books