Riccardo Romano (b. 1989) is an Italian filmmaker and screenwriter passionate about crafting compelling, character-driven stories. Working across Europe, he honed his skills with a Master's in Scriptwriting from IULM University in Milan, followed by further training at the Holden School in Turin and the National School of Independent Cinema in Florence. Since 2018, Romano has been writing and directing no-budget short films, several of which achieved success on the festival circuit and were later acquired by international platforms such as WeShort, Sofytv, and Argo. As a screenwriter, he is best known for his collaboration with Bulgarian director Viktor Ivanov on the 2022 festival favorite "Vuja De". Shot in Paris and starring Filippo Scotti, the film earned selections in prestigious festivals, including Mammoth Lakes Film Festival (USA), Nòt Film Festival (Italy), PriFest (Kosovo), Oaxaca FilmFest (Mexico), and Evolution Mallorca International Film Festival (Spain). Romano is also a co-writer of Ivanov's debut feature film, set to premiere in 2025. As a director, Romano has progressed from micro-budget productions to funded projects, including his upcoming horror-drama short "(le) Vampire", supported by Nuovo IMAIE and slated for a 2025 release. In 2024, Romano also appeared in the cast of the Lithuanian filmmaker Saule Bliuvaite's debut feature, "Toxic", which won the Golden Leopard at the 77th Locarno Film Festival.
