Next person biography:
Born and raised in New York, Mr. Castaldo embarked on a professional journey in the casino business, spending 10 years in Atlantic City and Las Vegas as a croupier. He then relocated to Los Angeles to pursue his passion for storytelling. With his company Destiny Pictures, Mr. Castaldo is a multi-award-winning independent producer, well-versed in all aspects of production, from development to post-production, festivals, and sales/distribution.
Mr. Castaldo has produced a range of films, including the mystery thriller Dose Of Reality, starring Fairuza Balk, Rick Ravanello, and Ryan Merriman, which premiered at the prestigious Cinequest Film Festival and is now available on DVD, VOD, and internationally. He also produced the inspirational documentary My Run, narrated by Academy Award winner Billy Bob Thornton, which screened in over 535 movie theaters nationwide and received numerous awards, including the Audience Award, Outstanding Achievement In Documentary, and the Grand Jury Prize.
As co-executive producer of the thriller Psych 9, in association with IPC International, Mr. Castaldo worked alongside Sara Foster, Cary Elwes, and Michael Biehn, which premiered in the UK and was later released domestically by Lions Gate. He also produced The Perfect Tenant, a twisted story of passion and revenge, directed by Doug Campbell, starring Linda Purl and Maxwell Caulfield, which premiered on HBO and Lifetime, and The Perfect Nanny, a domestic thriller, directed by Rob Malenfant, starring Bruce Boxlitener and Tracy Nelson, which premiered on the USA network and sold for a 1.1 million licensing fee.
In addition to his producing credits, Mr. Castaldo has been a judge for the prestigious Nicholl Fellowship in screenwriting for five years and has worked as a development executive for three years with American New Wave Films. He has also spoken on panels for UCLA advanced screenwriting, Sherwood Oaks film school, and ScreenwritingU.
In 2023, Mr. Castaldo is set to work on two new projects: the powerful drama "For Allison", directed by two-time Oscar-nominated director Bruce Beresford, and the Black List Recommended screenplay "Rage Against The Night".
