Michael Angelo Covino
Michael Angelo Covino | |
|---|---|
 Covino at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival | |
| Born | 1984[1] |
| Occupation(s) | Director, screenwriter, producer, actor. |
| Years active | 2007–present |
Michael Angelo Covino (born 1984) is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, and actor. He has produced, written, directed, and starred in The Climb (2019) and Splitsville (2025).
Early life
[edit]Covino graduated from Occidental College.[2]
Career
[edit]Covino is a frequent collaborator with friend Kyle Marvin, with the two serving as producers on Kicks by Justin Tipping and Hunter Gatherer by Josh Locy, and working on commercials and music videos.[3][4][5] The two run the production company Watch This Ready.[6]
In 2018, Covino directed, starred, and co-wrote alongside Marvin, The Climb a short film, focusing on a friendship between two lifelong friends, which premiered at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival.[7] The short was later expanded into a feature-length film film of the same name, financed by Topic Studios.[8]
The Climb had its world premiere at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival in the Un Certain Regard section, where it was acquired by Sony Pictures Classics.[9] It subsequently screened at the Telluride Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival, and Sundance Film Festival.[10] It was released in November 2020, following delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[11]
In 2025, Covino's second film Splitsville in which he co-wrote with Marvin and stars opposite Dakota Johnson and Adria Arjona will have its world premiere at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival to be released by Neon.[12][13]
As an actor, Covino has starred in News of the World (2020) by Paul Greengrass,[14] Riff Raff (2024) by Dito Montiel,[15] and Notice to Quit (also 2024) by Simon Hacker.[16]
Filmography
[edit]Feature film
[edit]| Year | Title | Director | Producer | Writer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | The Climb | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 2025 | Splitsville | Yes | Yes | Yes |
References
[edit]- ^ "Michael Angelo Covino". Vienna International Film Festival. Retrieved April 27, 2025.
- ^ Anderson, Dick (December 9, 2019). "Punch Drunk Love". Occidental College. Retrieved April 27, 2025.
- ^ Kit, Zorianna (December 3, 2020). "On the Verge: Producers Michael Angelo Covino and Kyle Marvin". Casting Networks. Retrieved April 27, 2025.
- ^ Utchi, Joe (May 19, 2019). "Michael Angelo Covino & Kyle Marvin Assure Viewers Of 'The Climb' That They're Better Friends In Real Life – Cannes Q&A". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 27, 2025.
- ^ Jones, Nate (November 14, 2020). "The Climb Guys on the Real Friendship That Inspired a Toxic One". Vulture. Retrieved April 27, 2025.
- ^ Hipes, Patrick (September 4, 2019). "'The Climb' Duo Michael Covino And Kyle Marvin Sign Topic Studios First-Look Deal". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 27, 2025.
- ^ Roustan, Celine (August 14, 2018). "The Climb". Short of the Week. Retrieved April 27, 2025.
- ^ Hipes, Patrick (June 28, 2018). "Topic Boards 'The Climb' For Feature Film Based On Duo's Sundance Short". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 27, 2025.
- ^ Hipes, Patrick (May 24, 2019). "Sony Classics Acquires Un Certain Regard Buddy Comedy 'The Climb' – Cannes". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 27, 2025.
- ^ "Friends Forever, Filmmakers for Now". The New York Times. November 13, 2020. Retrieved April 27, 2025.
- ^ Thompson, Anne (November 11, 2020). "'The Climb' Finally Hits Theaters, 18 Months After Its Cannes 2019 Launch". IndieWire. Retrieved April 27, 2025.
- ^ Grobar, Matt (August 22, 2024). "'The Climb's Michael Angelo Covino To Direct & Star In Comedy 'Splitsville' For Neon, Topic Studios; Dakota Johnson, Adria Arjona & Kyle Marvin Also Set". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 27, 2025.
- ^ Keslassy, Elsa; Shafer, Ellise (April 10, 2025). "Cannes Film Festival Unveils 2025 Lineup". Variety. Retrieved April 27, 2025.
- ^ "'News of the World' Star Michael Angelo Covino Talks Working With Tom Hanks, Indie Success". Newsweek. November 24, 2020. Retrieved April 27, 2025.
- ^ Nicholson, Amy (February 28, 2025). "In 'Riff Raff,' a misfit family reunion goes violently off the rails". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 27, 2025.
- ^ Mussellam, Katharine (September 27, 2024). "NOTICE TO QUIT is an entertaining father-daughter summer (mis)adventure". MovieJawn. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
Jed (Michael Angelo Covino), the leader of the appliance operation, isn't too happy with the low-quality merchandise Andy (Michael Zegen) has been giving him – he wants more air conditioners, fewer busted dishwashers.
