Mario Cerrito

Mario Cerrito (born March 1, 1984) is an American filmmaker, writer and producer known in the horror/thriller genre. His films Human Hibachi and Human Hibachi 2: Feast in The Forest both won Best Feature film at the New Jersey Horror Con and Film Festival in Atlantic City.[1][2]

Mario Cerrito
Cerrito in 2022 in Atlantic City.
Born (1984-03-01) March 1, 1984
South Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US
Occupation(s)Film director, producer
Years active2013-present

Early life

Mario was born in South Philadelphia and raised in Audubon, New Jersey. He is Italian American.[3] He lived in Woodstown, New Jersey, and graduated from Woodstown High School in 2002.[4] He played Division II baseball at Rowan College at Burlington County from 2003 to 2004.[5][6]

Film production

Cerrito wrote, produced and directed his first feature film, Deadly Gamble, in 2015.[7][8] It was made on a $10,000 budget and was signed to Gregory Hatanaka's distribution company Cinema Epoch. The film was released through national cable television outlets in 2015.[9]

Cerrito also wrote, produced and directed the horror film Human Hibachi (2019). Shot solely on an iPhone, the movie was initially deemed too extreme for a release to Amazon Prime and was released to its own website instead.[10][11] At the New Jersey Horror Con and Film Festival in 2021 it was nominated for Best FX and Best Feature film, winning the latter. The film was also an official selection of Philadelphia Independent Film Festival and signed to Troma Entertainment for release.[12][11]

Cerrito directed The Listing with a $25,000 budget. It won best feature film at the 2019 HNN Film Festival.[13] The film features horror actress Jessica Cameron. The movie was represented at Marché du Film, the business counterpart to the Cannes Film Festival. Bloody Disgusting wrote about the movie in 2017. [14] [15][16][17]

Human Hibachi 2: Feast in The Forest, made by Cerrito in the summer of 2021, stars Julie Chapin, Frank Volpe, Tammy Jean among others.[18] The movie premiered in July 2022 in Philadelphia.[19] It went on to win best feature film at New Jersey Horror Con and Film Festival in Atlantic City.[20] Troma Entertainment picked the movie up for worldwide release.[21][22]

Cerrito wrote and produced The House in the Pines featuring Mick Strawn as Director and Joe Nicolo from Butcher Bros. as composer.[23]

Cerrito provided the main film location for the horror film A Place in Hell. The film won best home grown horror feature film at the 2016 Garden State Film Festival.[24][25][26] The movie was released by Anchor Bay Entertainment to multiple Video On Demand platforms.[27]

He has also produced Variety (2015), Arisen I SAW (2016), The Philly Offensive (2016), Chase Street (2016), and Right Before Your Eyes (2017), among others.[28]

In 2023, Cerrito produced and directed a short film called "Human Hibachi: The Beginning." The movie won best New Jersey/New York horror film at New Jersey Horror Con and Film Festival. Troma Entertainment acquired it for release to Troma Now in October of the same year.[29] [30][31][32] [33]

TV appearances

Cerrito and his family were featured on the Travel Channel's reality show Ghost Nation. Paranormal investigator Jason Hawes and his crew visited Cerrito's house and the program aired in October 2019. The episode was titled, "The Novelist's Nightmare."[34] He also had a minor role in the series Chase Street, which was featured on Amazon Prime.[35][36]

Filmography
Year Film Functioned as
Director Writer Producer Actor Notes
2014 The Meatball NoYesYesYes
2015 Deadly Gamble YesYesYesYes
2015 Arisen NoNoYesNo
2017 The Listing YesYesYesYes
2019 Ghost Nation NoNoNo Yes As self in Episode 3 "The Novelist's Nightmare"
2020 Human Hibachi YesYesYesNo
2020 Chase Street NoNoYesYes
2022 Human Hibachi 2: Feast in The Forest YesYesYesNo
2023 Human Hibachi: The Beginning YesYesYesNo

Personal life

Cerrito was invited to speak to the communication students about filmmaking at his alma mater Woodstown High School in 2014.[37]

In 2016, Cerrito visited a sick seven-year-old boy with mitochondrial disease at Nemours Alfred I. DuPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Delaware. Cerrito gave the boy a signed poster of his movie and offered him a role in his upcoming film.[38]

Cerrito teamed up with school resource officer Anthony Cicali of Riverside High School in 2018 to film a PSA video titled #DrinkDriveDie for their students. The video showed the dangers of drinking and driving in dramatic fashion to help kids make better decisions. The film debuted at the school's prom assembly.[39][40]

In 2019 while at the Borgata Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, Cerrito witnessed a 25-year-old professional volleyball player Eric Zaun plunge to his death from the 29th floor.[41][42]

He and his wife Charmaine have been residents of Mantua Township, New Jersey since c. 2015.[43][44]

References
  1. "South Philly director cooks up another horror film". 9 September 2021.
  2. https://bloody-flicks.co.uk/2023/02/22/human-hibachi-2-coming-to-kings-of-horror/
  3. Cook, Jim Jr (June 21, 2013). "James Gandolfini legacy, loss felt throughout South Jersey". nj.com.
  4. Roncace, Kelly. "Woodstown native Mario Cerrito visits high school to discuss filmmaking", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, Amy 10, 2014, updated January 17, 2019. Accessed January 26, 2022. "When Kranz read that 2002 Woodstown High School graduate Mario Cerrito had recently completed filming his first feature, Deadly Gamble, he reached out to the writer/director/producer and asked him to visit the academy students."
  5. "Rowan College at Burlington County - NJCAA Stats". NJCAA.
  6. "2003-04 - NJCAA Stats". NJCAA.
  7. "N.J. filmmaker to release thriller 'Deadly Gamble' through national cable outlets". nj.com. 7 March 2015. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
  8. "'Deadly Gamble:' N.J. filmmaker's feature film now available On Demand". nj.com. 24 March 2015. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
  9. Roncace, Kelly (March 7, 2015). "N.J. filmmaker to release thriller 'Deadly Gamble' through national cable outlets". nj.com.
  10. "Banned Film "Human Hibachi" Releasing on Its Own Website". Horror Society. October 16, 2020.
  11. Drame, Assane (August 11, 2018). "N.J. filmmaker shooting his latest horror flick on an iPhone in South Jersey". nj.com.
  12. Zimmaro, Mark (September 9, 2021). "South Philly director cooks up another horror film".
  13. "Mario Cerrito III's "The Listing" Wins Best Feature at 2019 HNN Film Festival". May 27, 2019.
  14. https://bloody-disgusting.com/editorials/3458875/double-feature-love-indie-cinema/
  15. "Movie Magic: Mantua filmmaker gets horror movie vet to direct his script". 25 September 2020.
  16. "Interview: Mario Cerrito III (The Listing)". 3 June 2018.
  17. Ryan, Lisa. "Horror scene". Burlington County Times.
  18. "Mantua resident starts making sequel to his gory cannibalism film". 29 June 2021.
  19. "The World Premiere of "Human Hibachi 2, Feast in the Forest" is Mouth Watering". 28 July 2022.
  20. "Mario Cerrito's "Human Hibachi 2: Feast in the Forest" Takes Best Feature Film at New Jersey Horror Con & Film Fest". 20 September 2022.
  21. "Human Hibachi 2: Feast in the Forest signs with Troma Entertainment". 20 November 2022.
  22. "TROMA Acquires 'HUMAN HIBACHI 2: Feast in the Forest' for TROMA NOW Streaming Service". 4 November 2020.
  23. "Mick Strawn and Jeremy Brown to co-direct the House in the Pines". 25 September 2020.
  24. https://www.gsff.org/wp-content/uploads/14th_Annual_Winners_2016.pdf
  25. "Exclusive pics/comments: New screen psycho finds "A PLACE IN HELL"". May 20, 2015.
  26. Albrizio, Lianna. "'A Place in Hell' earns a place in state's film festival". North Jersey Media Group.
  27. "A Look At The Horror Thriller A Place In Hell". HorrorFuel.com: Reviews, Ratings and Where to Watch the Best Horror Movies & TV Shows. January 20, 2016.
  28. "The Philly Offensive Season 1 Full Episodes | Watch Online Guide". MSN.
  29. https://www.horrorsociety.com/2023/10/04/mario-cerritos-human-hibachi-the-beginning-arrives-on-troma-now/
  30. https://www.horrorsociety.com/2023/06/15/human-hibachi-the-beginning-filming-wraps-on-mario-cerritos-cannibal-prequel/
  31. https://horrornews.net/178002/human-hibachi-the-beginning-filming-wraps-on-mario-cerritos-cannibal-prequel/
  32. https://filmow.com/human-hibachi-the-beginning-t360092/?fbclid=IwAR24Iz3QEeSS3pyjbEzNJvOkGWeX3u5xzq_U38VIyapMWt3Xd_eZjc7W81U
  33. https://horror-fix.com/human-hibachi-the-beginning-wins-best-nj-ny-horror-film-at-new-jersey-horror-film-festival/
  34. "Haunted house in Mantua will be featured on Travel Channel's new 'Ghost Nation'".
  35. "DVD Locker".
  36. Friedman, Josh. "'Chase Street' on Amazon Prime is passion project for former Camden basketball star". Courier-Post.
  37. Roncace, Kelly (May 10, 2014). "Woodstown native Mario Cerrito visits high school to discuss filmmaking". nj.com.
  38. Roncace, Kelly (January 24, 2016). "7-year-old with chronic illness to appear in N.J. filmmaker's upcoming movie". nj.com.
  39. "Riverside High School Drives Safe".
  40. "Courier-Post". www.courierpostonline.com.
  41. Alsup, Blake (12 June 2019). "25-year-old man plunges to his death from 29th floor of Atlantic City hotel". nydailynews.com.
  42. Yemi, Frank (June 13, 2019). "Eric Zaun death: Pro Beach Volleyball player dead from apparent suicide at age 25".
  43. Lawrence, Ryan. "Movie Magic: Mantua filmmaker gets horror movie vet to direct his script", Mantua News, September 25, 2020. Accessed January 26, 2022. "Born and bred in South Jersey, Cerrito grew up in Audubon and went to high school in Woodstown before settling in Mantua five years ago with his wife, He has a 4-year-old son, Mario Cerrito IV, and an 11-year-old stepdaughter, Summer Schaefer."
  44. Berkery, Sheri. "'Ghost Nation' team determines source of paranormal activity at South Jersey home". Courier-Post.
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