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a new movie
Jazz in Venice
The sounds of Thelonius Monk drift through the sultry night air of
Venezia.....Venice. The city of intrigues and illusions. The city that makes love to the sea.
The majestic palaces and Byzantine buildings wrap themselves around the winding lagoon.
Did you hear about this new movie....Three Wild and Crazy Guys?
Probably not since I made it up.
My friend suggested that I send my Whales movie to the oceaninspiration 
Film Festival. The festival is seeking 100 second movies honoring Jacques Cousteau’s 100th anniversary of his birth.
Just got this email yesterday.
Thank you for your entry Whales into the festival. We are pleased to announce you are one of the selected finalists. ocean inspirations Films.
WHALES c2010 Mick Cusimano
Whales don't ride elevators
Whales don't go to Arnold Shwartzeneger movies
Whales don't chew tobacco
Whales don't buy lottery tickets at Store 24
Whales don't run red lights
Whales don't vote Republican
Whales don't speak Vietnamese
Whales don't surf the Internet for scrod
Whales don't buy Chuck Berry tickets
Whales don't read the existential writings of Sartre and Camus
Whales don't play tenor saxophone
Whales don't take Prozac
Whales don't buy abstract art
Whales don't vacation in Vermont
Whales don't sing Dylan songs at the Kerrville Folk Festival
Whales don't use automatic teller machines
Whales don't go to Star Trek conventions
Whales don't form a deep attachment to Leonard Nimoy
Whales don't kiss submarines
Whales just go splash!
celebratoryThat Great Saturday afternoon
by Mick Cusimano
Recently we shot several short movies during the last 6 weekends with a crew of 7-8 friends. When I tell people that I’m making movies some people ask “Do you make any money doing that?” No I don’t make any money. My movies have been in 33 film festivals in such places as Cannes, Toronto, and an archaeological film festival in Italy. My movie have brought in $75 in the last 3 years far less than it costs to send them to festivals. If you want to make money go into corporate law or brain surgery.
Why do I make movies instead of searching for titles and deeds for corporate real estate? Because its more fun! Growing up in a big city has its ups and downs. There’s bullies, snowstorms, tyrannical nuns, and no shortage of bonehead idiots. But there are two Saturdays I remember as a 7-8 year old kid that were as perfect as you can ever get in life.
One Saturday we went to the movies and watched two hours of cartoons on the giant screen: Bugs Bunny, The Road Runner, Pepe le Pew, etc. It was magical being submerged into these cartoon worlds for two whole hours.
On the other Saturday the neighborhood kids got together in this guy’s backyard. We ran around the yard and climbed trees all day perhaps regressing to our monkey ancestors.
When I make an animated movie I’m trying to recapture the feeling of that world of cartoons. When I’m shooting video with my friends I’m trying to recreate that feeling of running free and climbing trees like the primates that we are.
Late one night while watching the History Channel there was movie footage about the end of World War II in Dresden. It showed American soldiers carrying paintings and altarpieces out of bunkers where they were stored during the war. All around them where the ruins of Dresden bombed into blocks and blocks of ruble. That is when the thought hit me. Looking back at history and the 20th Century in particular the contrasting images of artwork and war was the perfect metaphor for history.
History has always been a record of people of great passion, drive, and accomplishment. But what do they accomplish? They are either destroyers or creators. Hitler, Stalin, bin Laden, Miloševi�#8225; were destroyers. Picasso, Dali, The Beatles, Stephen Spielberg were creators. As artists, poets, filmmakers, or Musicians it is for us to create works of art that counter balance the destroyers in the world. What do you want to do with your life… be a destroyer or a creator?
A friend of mine took me to watch a few of the World Cup
games including the Ghana USA game. To tell you the truth
watching 1-1 tie games with no scoring is pretty boring. But
when you watch the fans and listen to the announcers excited
about the game and watch Argentina's coach Maradona run around
like a 5 year old kid every time his team scores you realize that people
around the world are absolutely fascinated and involved by this event.
The kids in Ghana, Brazil, or Paraguay, or any third worldcountry can't afford the hundreds of dollars it cost to play football, baseball,
or hockey. But for a few bucks a group of the poorest kids anywhere can buy
a soccer ball and play the game of their national heroes.
Think of the people in South Africa who are going to see the
games. Some poor guy from the townships saves up
money and bring his kids to one of these World Cup games.
He could never travel to another part of the world to go to one.
For them it could be one of the highlights of their life that
they talk about years later. In this fractured world having
an event that bring everyone together if just for a few weeks
is some kind of accomplishment.
A friend of mine took me to the World Cup final. When Spain won the fans went wild. I'm sure this is a huge event for them.
Annual Mermaid Parade in Coney Island
This has been a hectic but productive weekend.
Yesterday I saw an MIT art exhibit about astronauts the went to Space 242 for a gallery for an artist talk.
The I had a drawing in the group show about sideshow freaks and carnival called Get Your Freak On.
Then I went up to new Hampshire for a caricature gig after a high school prom from midnight to 3:00AM. I recently drew some new caricatures seen below.
I was drawing Tom Brady who plays in Gillette Stadium in Foxboro. I think its funny that the star quarteback for the New England patriots plays in a stadium named after a razorbalde comapny...and hardly ever shaves.
Anyway the night at the caricature gig was going pretty well. Then around 2:00 AM this heavy metal guy and his girlfriend with wild hair sat down to be drawn. They had interesting faces and were dressed in black and it inspired the best caricature I've ever done in 20 years. Unfortunately I didn't have a camera and had to give it to them.
You hear about jazz musicians who will play in dingy clubs every night for no money. Why do they do it? They keep trying to hit the high note and sometimes even years they achieve it making all their efforts worthwhile.
Today I was interviewed on Newton Cable TV about my movies, animations, and film festivals. My latest movie is part video/part animation...a visual interpretation of a surreal poem called Don't Spill the Eggs.
Recently we premiered the Mermaids of Atlantis movie at the Somerville theater.
Friday was opening night @ Boston International Film Festival with the red carpet and opening night movies.
http://www.bifilmfestival.com/
My movie
The Dreams of Leonardo Da Vinci screened @ AMC/LOEWS Boston Common: 175 Tremont St. Boston
I just got back from 3 days of screenings of movies form Boston, Chicago, Nigeria, UK, Australia, and 30 other countries. One rather interesting movie was Immigration Tango. They are going to screen it again Sunday night.
Since Friday I've been in the theater immersed in the movies world for 6-7 hours at a time @ the Boston International Film Festival Some are dreary. Others are funny, dramatic, and exhilerating. There are a few movies that you get really entranced with.
Afterwards when the actors walk up on stage in real life there is something about that after just after seeing them on the screen. They are of course regular people just like you and me. But movies create magic...Just like music. What is magic? We know when the guy in the tux pulls the rabbit out of the that that its not real.
Magic...it's when something grabs you and transcends everyday life into something more than that. Some of these movies have that magic. On sunday night The Dreams of Leonardo Da Vinci won the award for best Animated Film.
The Surreal Cafe is a new movie about urban dwellers searching for the ultimate cafe.
The search for the Coffeehouse that will transform their lives.
The Surreal Cafe won the audience award at Boston Open Screen in February.
Jazz in Venice 
