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Antonio Bido has always been
passionately interested in the cinema, being a
member of the CUC (Centro Universitario Cinematografico)
in Padua since he was very young. From his early
teens he was busy making various shorts such as
"The Adventures Of Tom Sawyer" (20 min.),
and "Day by Day" (40 min.), in 8mm and
with sound.
During his university period, he realized two "ante
litteram" video clips: "Moto
perpetuo"and "Capricci"
experimenting with a new technique combining kinetic
energy and cinematic art. These two shorts received
prizes at various film festivals. Also at university
he produced two full length films:
- "DIMENSIONI"
and "ALIENO
DA"
scripted, directed, photographed and edited by him.Two
films "d'auteur" in fact. They both received
a lot of recognition at national and international
film festivals among which first prize in Montecatini
(70 and 71), Salerno (70), Turin (70) and Kelibia
(71); they were also regularly inserted in experimental
film festivals of the period.
Began his professional life in 1972 as director
of photography for various documentaries by Giuseppe
Ferrara one of which, LA CITTA' DEL MALESSERE,
won the Nastro d'Argento.
Since then he has gained experience in every branch
of the entertainment field; from full length films
for the cinema to cultural and educational documentaries;
theatre and music, and making promo films and tv
commercials.
In 1973 (while doing his military service at the
cinematographic centre at the Ministry for the Defence)
he made a long-short (50'), where he was not only
director but also scriptwriter and photographer.
The short was called VENTIQUATTRO MESI (24 MONTHS)
and won first prize at an international documentary
film festival for technical development in the armed
forces (Mifed '74).
In 1975 he was first assistant director for Ferrara
on "Faccia di Spia" with Mariangela Melato
and Adalberto Maria Merli.
Between 1974 and 1980 he directed many other documentaries
and was once again also scriptwriter and photographer.These
include: "Vita nel Kuwait", "Failaka
Islands", "Chivasso -Aosta", "A
300.000 Km al secondo", "Una marcia in
più", "Non tutti i pesci vengono
a galla", "Angelo Beolco detto il Ruzante",
"La volta meravigliosa", "Idrovia
Padova-Venezia", "L'isola delle statue",
"Praglia, piccolo mondo moderno", "Sordità
infantile: un problema?", "Il dì
s'appressa", " Da Galileo ai satelliti",
"La luce oltre il buio", "Asolo e
le sue regine", "il sogno di Icaro",
"I cani a scuola", "Il Genio".
He continued to win recognition and prizes and in
1976 CHIVASSO-AOSTA won the Medaglia Anica
as best informative documentary at the first National
Film Festival for young people in Siracusa. |
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Also in 1976, as Director and
Co-Writer, he made the mystery thriller:
with Corrado Pani, Paola Tedesco, Franco Citti and
Bianca Toccafondi.
Produced by Elis-Webi, distributed by P.A.C.
This was followed by another thriller:
in 1978 with Lino Capolicchio, Stefania Casini,
Craig Hill, Massimo Serato. - Prod. e Distrib. P.A.C.
Once again Bido was co-writer as well as director.
"Il gatto dagli occhi di Giada"(one
of the most successful Italian thrillers at the
box office) and "Solamente Nero", have
been distributed all over the world, including America,
and have become cult movies among thriller lovers,
in fact they can be seen regularly as part of "retrospective"
film shows of the genre on an international level.What's
more they are often quoted in flattering terms in
books specializing on the subject and various websites
give a lot of space to them on the internet.Recently
they've been re-issued on DVD in the States.AnchorBay
did a very good remastering job on "Solamente
Nero"("The Bloodstained Shadow")
with an interesting interview Antonio Bido gave
to Gary Hertz.
Shortly after the success of "Solamente Nero"
he was called by Cineriz to direct another thriller
but for personal reasons chose not to accept.
Between 1980 and 1983 he directed thirty or so documentaries
for institutions, industry and general culture.
Once again he received praise and recognition and
also gained a few more prizes, notably all of his
cultural documentaries won the Ministry of Tourism
Quality Prize. While working on a highly spectacular
documentary for the Ministry of Defence he enriched
his experience by flying on almost every military
jet and accumulated 400 flying hours on every kind
of helicopter. He also directed impressive scenes
with hundreds of men.
A particular nomination was for his documentary
PROTAGONISTI DEL CIELO, winner of first prize
in its category at an international festival at
Lucerne. Here there were more than 30 countries
represented and over 80 films selected on the subject
of armed forces all over the world. These included
the major nations: U.S.A., USSR, CHINA etc. so it
was a very prestigious award.
He added another feather to his cap in this period
by directing two theatre shows.
"POETA
SALTIMBANCO" a recital with Franco Califano
which after its première in Turin had a very
successful national tour.
PING
PONG from a text by Mrozek. It starred Gianfranco
Bullo and Patrizia della Chiesa and toured for nearly
a year.
In 1983 he directed and co-wrote the ironic and
grotesque film:
with Gianfranco Bullo, Isabelle Illiers, Patrizia
della Chiesa. - Prod. Enterprise Film Distrib. P.A.C.
Between 1984 and 1986 he concentrated on a number
of documentaries the most notable of which were:"Effetto
Azzurro" about the famous acrobatic team
of military airplanes the "Frecce tricolori".
This won the special jury prize at the international
film festival of Lucerne in 1986. "San Marco",
which won the GRAND PRIX at the same festival
and was something of a first as no other Italian
film has had that honour, also because America,
England and France are usually far and away the
leaders in this sector.
Another documentary worth mentioning is MARINAI
DEL CIELO which won first prize at the 25th
International Festival of Cine-TV documentaries.
(Milano Mifed 1986).
In 1986/'87 he directed a sentimental adventure
film:
Interpreted by Cristophe Bouquin, Rosita Celentano,
Jonathan Horn.
Produzione Azzurra film, Italiana film, Rete Italia.
Distribuzione Medusa.
Shown many times on Mediaset television with
high ratings.
In 1989 he was responsible for the second unit and
shooting the aerial sequences for the television
series "AQUILE"
directed by Ninì Salerno (Rai 2).
In 1990/91 came the science-fiction adventure film:
with an international cast: Dirk Benedict, Patsy
Kensit, David Warner, Ted McGinley. Once again he
was director and co-writer.
It was distributed worldwide including America
and is still seen regularly on important tv stations
in Japan, France, Germany, Austria and the US.
After refusing a couple of films which didn't meet
with his approval, Bido for various reasons (mostly
practical - it was getting more and more difficult
to produce films of this nature or 'genre') abandoned
the cinema for a period and concentrated his talents
on advertising directing commercials for
leading companies e.g. Q8
and public institutions. These were produced by
Filmaster, BBE Politecne, New Partner, etc.. He
also realized many documentaries, in particular
VESPRI SICILIANI (anti-Mafia military manoeuvres
in Sicily) which won outright the prestigious
Primo Premio Assoluto in 1995 - equivalent to the
OSCAR FOR FILMS OF A MILITARY NATURE - at
the international film festival in Bucharest where
participants came from nearly every country in the
world.
In 1993/94 he decided to try his hand at television
fiction with a miniseries called "CINQUE
MESI ALL'INFERNO" for Adriano Ariè
at Solaris. This was an ambitious and dangerous
project as it was set in Somalia during the war.Bido
was ready to direct it and had co-written the script
when the new 'powers that be' at the Rai decided
it was too risky to shoot in a war zone and the
project was shelved.
Bido went back to advertising and to making documentaries
without losing sight of his aim to make a tv miniseries.
In 1999 he co-writ and directed "VOGLIA
DI MARE", a docu-fiction in 12 parts
for Telemontecarlo with Salvatore Marino and Paola
Rota in the lead roles.
Again in 1999 he was co-writer of a miniseries for
the Rai which is still to be produced: "FALSA
PARTENZA".
Bido is also a passionate lover of the sea with
his own sailing boat. He has collaborated for many
years with the magazine Nautica and has realized
innumerable innovative navy documentaries on a grand
scale (too many to mention). Of these "UNA
SQUADRA CHE FUNZIONA" and "INCURSORI"
won first prize at the International Festival
of Esercito e Popoli in 2002 and 2003, one of the
most highly qualified sectors on a world level.
Now,in 2004, together with Marisa Andalò,
he has finished co-writing the screenplay of the
thriller "IL TARLO DEL MALE" (TheWorm
of Evil) which he will also direct.
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| BIBLIOGRAFIA |
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