ABOUT MARYANN

MARYANN CASTRONOVO IS AN AWARD-WINNING WRITER AND DIRECTOR WHOSE WORK LIVES AT THE INTERSECTION OF LIVED EXPERIENCE AND HER NATURAL GIFT FOR STORYTELLING ACROSS MULTIPLE MEDIUMS.

MARYANN’S ROOTS IN STORYTELLING STARTED AS A BICOASTAL STORY EDITOR (NEW YORK CITY AND LOS ANGELES) WHICH LED TO HER ROLE AS DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT FOR THE ICONIC DIRECTOR PENNY MARSHALL AND HER PRODUCTION COMPANY, PARKWAY PRODUCTIONS. COLLABORATING WITH PENNY IN THE MEDIUM OF FILM, INTERPRETING STORIES THROUGH THE LENS OF HUMOR, HEART, AND EMPATHY WAS FOUNDATIONAL TO THE EVOLUTION OF MARYANN’S WRITING AND DIRECTING WORK. 

AFTER HER FILM EXECUTIVE YEARS WITH PENNY, MARYANN BECAME THE MOTHER OF TWO BOYS AND BEGAN HER WRITING CAREER WITH THE POPULAR WEEKLY COLUMN RAISING MOMMY. DURING THE COLUMN’S PROLIFIC EIGHT YEAR RUN IN VARIOUS OUTLETS IN CALIFORNIA INCLUDING THE CULVER CITY NEWS, THE BLUE PACIFIC NEWS, AND THE PASADENA STAR, SHE WAS AWARDED OVER 15 JOURNALISM AWARDS FOR HER EXPLORATION OF WHAT IT MEANT TO BECOME A GROWN UP WHILE NAVIGATING PARENTHOOD AND MARRIAGE AT EVERY STAGE OF LIFE. 

WITH HER TWO CHILDREN ENTERING ADULTHOOD (IN OTHER WORDS, AT LEAST 18 AND IN COLLEGE), MARYANN RETURNED TO THE FEATURE FILM MEDIUM WITH HER COMING OF AGE STORY THAT INSPIRED THE FEATURE FILM EMBATTLED. SHE IS ALSO THE CO-PRODUCER OF THE FILM WHICH WAS RELEASED BY IFC.

CURRENTLY, MARYANN IS WORKING IN THREE STORYTELLING VERTICALS WITH HER ORIGINAL FEATURE FIILM SCRIPTJUST FOR A DAY IN DEVELOPMENT WITH PRODUCER AUTUMN BAILEY, HER PLAY BEING WORKSHOPPED IN SAN DIEGO FOR ITS UPCOMING WORLD PREMIERE, AND HER FEATURE AND ESSAY WRITING IN DIGITAL AND PRINT PUBLICATIONS. 

MARYANN IS BASED IN SAN DIEGO AND LOS ANGELES WITH HER SICILIAN HUSBAND ANTHONY AND THEIR DOG DAUGHTER JOSIE.