Tao Ruspoli

Infobox Person
name = Tao Ruspoli

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image_size =
caption =
birth_name =
birth_date = birth date and age|mf=yes|1975|11|7
birth_place = Bangkok, Thailand
residence = Venice, Los Angeles, California
nationality = Italy and United States
occupation = filmmaker, photographer, and musician
spouse = Olivia Wilde (June 7, 2003-present)
parents = Alessandro Ruspoli, 9th Prince of Cerveteri and Debra Berger
website =

Tao Ruspoli (born November 7, 1975) is an Italian-American filmmaker, photographer, and musician.

Background

He is the eldest son of occasional actor and aristocrat Prince Alessandro Ruspoli, 9th Prince of Cerveteri by Austrian-American actress Debra Berger and older brother of Bartolomeo Ruspoli (born October 6, 1978 in Rome), second husband of Aileen Getty.

Tao was born in Bangkok, Thailand and raised in Rome and Los Angeles. He graduated from the University of California, Berkeley with a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy.

He married actress Olivia Wilde on June 7, 2003 in Washington, Rappahannock County, Virginia.

He currently lives and works in Venice, Los Angeles, California.

Career

His feature narrative debut, "Fix", was one of 10 feature films to screen in competition at the 2008 Slamdance Film Festival and soon afterward at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival where Ruspoli was awarded the Heineken Red Star Award for "most innovative and progressive filmmaker." "Fix" also won the Festival Award for Best Film at the 2008 Vail Film Festival and the 2008 Twin Rivers Media Festival.

His most well-known piece is the documentary "Just Say Know", a personal discussion of his family's drug addiction. His other films include ', a feature length documentary about the flamenco way of life as it is lived by Gypsies in the south of Spain. He has directed a number of other short documentaries, including "El Cable" (also about Flamenco), and ' (a portrait of the renowned logician, mathematician and concert pianist Raymond Smullyan).

Tao founded LAFCO in 2000. The Los Angeles Filmmakers Cooperative, is a bohemian collective of filmmakers and musicians who work out of a converted school bus. Through LAFCO, Tao has produced several films and helped dozens of filmmakers to make their first films and discover the wonders of digital media.

His producing credits include the feature film "Camjackers", which he also acted in and co-edited. Camjackers won the best editing award at the 44th Ann Arbor Film Festival.

Tao is an accomplished flamenco guitar player, and his first CD, "Flamenco", was released on Mapleshade Records in 2005.

Filmography

* "Behind the Wheel" (2008) Film director
* "Fix" (2008) .... Milo and also Writer, Cinematographer and Film director
* "Camjackers" (2006) .... Whack Filmmaker #1 and also Film editor and Executive Producer
* "" (2005) Director, Cinematographer and Film producer
* "El Cable" (2004) Director, Cinematographer, Editor and Film producer
* "" (2004) Director, Cinematographer and Film editor
* "Just Say Know" (2002) Director, Cinematographer and Film editor
* "Tango, no me dejes nunca" (1998) Camera Apprentice (as Teo Rispoli)
* "Bulworth" (1998) Art department Assistant
* "Jack" (1996) Production Assistant

Recordings

* "Flamenco", Mapleshade Records, 2005

External links

*
*
* [http://www.ruspoli.com/ Official website]
* [http://www.taoruspoliphotography.com Official Photography Site]
* [http://www.lafco.tv/ LAFCO: The Los Angeles Filmmakers Cooperative]
* [http://taoruspoli.blogspot.com Tao Ruspoli's photo blog]
* [http://www.fixthemovie.com FIX official site]
* [http://fixthemovie.blogspot.com More info at fixthemovie.blogspot.com]
* The Ruspoli Family History
* [http://pages.prodigy.net/ptheroff/gotha/ruspoli.html Ruspoli Genealogy]
* [http://www.geneall.net/U/per_page.php?id=461139 Tao Ruspoli on a genealogical site]