Maria Capp
Maria has served the arts community on Long Island, NY, and in Los Angeles for over 20 years. Her multi-disciplinary expertise includes work as an award-winning writer, director, producer, entrepreneur, and acting coach. She has served as an advocate, speaker, committee, and board member for such organizations as Women In Media, The Millie D'Agostino Scholarship Fund, Breaking into Hollywood, Youth Biz Alliance, NYSTEA, EdTA, BOCES - Arts in Education, and Kids for Kids Productions. Maria produced Cappricielli Production's first feature, Reach starring Garrett Clayton, Jordan Doww, and Joey Bragg released in 10 of the top 20 major markets throughout the US and received a North American distribution deal with Entertainment Studio's Freestyle Digital Media, and MSC handles International Sales. Reach went on to become an official selection at both the Dances With Films Festival and the LGBTQ Outshine Film Festival. The Westfield International Film Festival nominated Reach for best feature, best screenplay, and honored Maria as best female producer. As for the CATE Film Festival in Santa Monica, Garrett Clayton was awarded best lead actor in a drama for his role in Reach.
Maria’s next project, Find an Identity, follows Reach’s footsteps to reiterate “the power of kindness' '. This short documentary Maria wrote and directed went on to become an official select of the New York Long Island Film Festival all while exploring the age-old questions "Who am I" and "How do I fit in?". Exploring similar themes, Maria produced the post, sales, and distribution of the high school comedy feature film DIVOS! starring Jason Busey, Nicole Sullivan, and Marissa Jaret Winokur.
A lover of music and successful collaboration with her daughter Raffaela, the mother-daughter duo consistently creates award-winning music and music videos including HURRICANE featuring Emmy award-winning rapper Chris Redd (Saturday Night Live). After producing the successful world premiere of the one-act play, Pizza & Whine at the Hudson Guild Theatres in New York and Los Angeles, Maria along with screenwriters Elliott Estrada and Raffaela Capp brought the two main characters, Jennifer and Natalyn to the screen in the 2021 holiday film, Four Cousins and a Christmas starring Teri Polo, Nicholas Turturro, Raffaela Capp, and Robert Davi, Jared Sandler, and Natasha Capp making this feature Maria's directorial debut.
In addition to her many technical talents in the entertainment world, Maria is also a fantastic mentor, and 2022 marks the second year Maria is leading her internship program. She strives to be an example to others entering the entertainment industry specifically that age and gender DO NOT matter. As a woman over 40, and in partnership with the Cappricielli team, she continues to create content, writing, directing, and producing while aligning with other like-minded content creators taking projects from development through sales in film and television. As for the future, Maria is attached to direct and produce the award-winning screenplay written by Jeff Hupp, Band Freaks. She is also currently in production for the feature film she wrote and is directing and producing, The Legend of Princess Ronkonkoma, a psychological horror and coming of age story.