Gregorio Paonessa was born in Catanzaro in 1957. In late 70s he moved to Rome, where he has been living for the past 30 years. Due to graduate in Economy and Trade all along, he has been working in the world of photography for twenty years. Moreover, in the past, he has taken part in vintage motorcycle races, working as a journalist in the field and also being “Rosabella” stable’s general manager. In 1997 he became partner of Donzelli Publishing House, working also for the company as a Marketing Director from 1997 to 2003. Although he is not working in the Publishing House anymore, he is a member of the company’s board of directors. In 2004 he founded, together with Marta Donzelli, Vivo film, a production and distribution company of documentaries and of art house films. Since 2004 he is running the company as Managing Director, producing, among others, films by Guido Chiesa, Jean-Louis Comolli, Michelangelo Frammartino, Jennifer Fox, Chiara Malta, Pippo Mezzapesa, Susanna Nicchiarelli, Nelo Risi, Corso Salani, Daniele Vicari. In 2007 Vivo film has been awarded the “David di Donatello” as best documentary for Il mio paese by Daniele Vicari. And in Locarno Film Festival, one of its productions, Imatra by Corso Salani, was awarded a Pardo d’Oro, Special Prize of the “Cineasti del presente” Jury. Le Quattro volte by Michelangelo Frammartino, was premiered in Cannes 2010, within the Director’s Fortnight Section, and has been awarded the Europa Cinema Label Award, since then it has been screened in more than 100 international festivals, receiving countless awards and beeing sold to more tan 40 countreis. Together with Marta Donzelli for Le Quattro volte he was awarded the “Ciack d’Oro” as Best Producer and was nominated as Best Producer for the David di Donatello Awards. In 2010 Vivo film has also taken part in the production of Jennifer Fox’ latest film, My Reincarnation, presented at Dok Leipzig, Festival dei Popoli and IDFA. In 2011 Vivo film has completed the production of “Rifugiati a Cinecittà”, a documentary film by Marco Bertozzi coproduced with Cinecittà Luce. Beside Beirut I love you by Zena El Khalil and Gigi Roccati, selected this year for the Torino Film Lab award, Vivo film is currently developing two long feature projects: Via Castellana Bandiera the first film by the cult theatre director Emma Dante, and the next film by Michelangelo Frammartino.
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