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Marco Orsini

Filmmaker | Director | Writer | Mentor

Puerto Rican by birth and a world citizen by conviction, Marco has spent more than two decades working at the intersection of filmmaking, humanitarian advocacy, and emerging talent development.

Marco began his career in U.S. television, producing more than 60 hours of prime-time programming for networks including Fox Family, WB, Sony, Telemundo, and PAX TV before transitioning into documentary filmmaking. His award-winning films — including Gray Matters (2014), Beyond the Raging Sea (2019), and Latin Four Plus — have screened at major festivals worldwide, aired on television and VOD platforms, and been translated into multiple languages. His work has been recognised by leading industry publications including Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, and The Guardian. Latin Four Plus won the Audience Choice Award at the Orlando Film Festival and Best Documentary at the International Puerto Rican Heritage Film Festival in 2023.

Through his production company MoJo Entertainment, Marco has co-produced a slate of bold feature films reflecting his commitment to underrepresented voices and humanist storytelling — including Laundry (directed by Zamo Mkhwanazi, TIFF 2025), God’s Work (directed by Michael James, Durban International Film Festival 2025), and Pour the Water as I Leave (directed by Daniela Repas), an animated hybrid documentary exploring the Bosnian War and the universal experience of displacement.

In 2006, Marco co-founded the International Emerging Film Talent Association (IEFTA), a Monaco-based NGO dedicated to discovering and nurturing filmmakers from emerging regions worldwide. After serving as President for more than 15 years, he stepped down in August 2025 while remaining an active board member.

In 2024, Marco established the International Emerging Film Talent Fund (IEFTF), an Athens-based philanthropic initiative supporting film ecosystems across the Global South. He has spearheaded partnerships with leading film institutions, most recently forging the collaboration between IEFTF and the International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) that launched the Safe Harbour initiative supporting displaced filmmakers.

Since its launch, IEFTF has awarded over €100,000 in prizes to emerging filmmakers and supports annual cash awards at Cannes Docs, the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival, the Close Up Pitching Forum, and the Amman International Film Festival.

Marco has also produced media campaigns for UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and has been recognised by the Arab Cinema Centre’s prestigious “Golden 101” list of influential figures in Arab cinema. In March 2026, he served on the Mermaid Jury at the Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival and presented the IEFTF Award for Best Documentary in Development. He remains an active presence at major film festivals worldwide as a speaker, moderator, juror, and industry guest.

Marco Orsini is a writer, director and producer who sees audio-visual storytelling as an unrivaled means to educate, advocate and inspire.

“We will fight tooth and nail for the filmmakers that we’re working with…. We act as a for-profit entity, like an agent, like a manager, like a publicist, like an attorney, like a sales agent.” [Full article]

“Now more than ever, this program needs to be seen, discussed, shared and brought up in discussions beyond the people it directly impacts.” [Full article]

“Education is the key factor to a nation’s success – and giving unexpected opportunity to those who never had the chance rewards us all.”

“Filmmaking as a creative tool can yield opportunities and diversity, as well as educate and inspire. My goal is to encourage this process through direct collaboration or through personal initiatives close to my heart.”

“Through filmmaking education combined with meaningful participation initiatives [such as IEFTA] provide not only opportunity but a platform for future growth.”

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Press

Mermaid Jury & IEFTF Award – Thessaloniki Documentary Festival (March 2026)
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Mermaid Jury & IEFTF Award – Thessaloniki Documentary Festival (March 2026)

Marco Orsini served as a juror on the Mermaid Jury at the 28th Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival, helping select the best LGBTQI+ themed film from the festival's official selection.
CineMart launches Safe Harbour programme for stateless and at-risk filmmakers
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CineMart launches Safe Harbour programme for stateless and at-risk filmmakers

Developed in collaboration with the International Emerging Film Talent Fund (IEFTF) “Safe Harbour” is IFFR’s new initiative for emerging filmmakers affected by displacement with the objective to open doors to networks, funding, and development support.
Talent Durban Masterclass 2025
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Talent Durban Masterclass 2025

Marco Orsini and Toni Monty hosted a masterclass on Film Resilience held at this year's Durban Filmmart inspiring emerging talents with their expertise and experiences.
Talent Durban Masterclass 2024
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Talent Durban Masterclass 2024

Marco Orsini and Toni Monty hosted a masterclass on Film Resilience held at this year's Durban Filmmart inspiring emerging talents with their expertise and experiences.
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Filmmaking

Writing and directing poignant documentary films that highlight humanitarian issues.

Education

Improving educational opportunities in filmmaking for the less fortunate and overlooked.

Dialogue

Discussing film, speaking at events, panel juror, and spreading the word on global issues that define and affect the worldwide humanitarian space.

Industry

Gaining widespread acclaim by actively creating alliances and initiatives to raise awareness within industry circles.

Films

Beyond the Raging Sea (2019)

Beyond the Raging Sea is a film that both echoes and illuminates the most pressing humanitarian challenge in the world today.

Gray Matters (2014)

Gray Matters explores the long, fascinating life of architect and designer Eileen Gray.

Latin Four Plus (Completed)

In 1969, Colonel Orsini bent rules to assemble a band, deploy it to Korea and live the dream. In 2018, he’s at it again.

Dinner at the No-Go’s* (2012)

Make reservations for a tasty conversation about place, politics and people… it’s all on the menu.

Dangerous Crossings (2017)

A music video spreading awareness about the dangers of crossing to war-stricken Yemen through the Gulf of Aden and Red Sea from Africa.

The Reluctant Traveler (2009)

When a postcard… isn’t enough. What was not supposed to be his trip became his unforgettable adventure.

Un Dia en La Vida (2005)

Saddled with an ailing husband, a failing motel and a substance-abusing daughter, Rosalia Gomez wakes to a new challenge: a grandchild.

Earth Day (2012)

Monaco is an ancient European crossroads, a tiny principality rich in culture, history, culture and opportunity.

Co-Productions

Alongside his work as a writer and director, Marco has championed emerging filmmakers by backing bold, boundary-pushing projects through his production company, MoJo Entertainment. These co-productions reflect the same values that drive his own films — humanist storytelling, underrepresented voices, and cinema as a force for change.

God’s Work (2025)

Directed by Michael James

Set on the streets of Durban, God’s Work is a surreal journey into the lives of four homeless friends navigating addiction, poverty, and survival on the margins of society. The film premiered in competition for Best South African Feature at the Durban International Film Festival in July 2025 and has since screened at the Joburg Film Festival and the Luxor African Film Festival.

Laundry (2025)

Directed by Zamo Mkhwanazi

Set in apartheid South Africa in 1968, Laundry follows teenager Khuthala, torn between his dreams of becoming a jazz musician and protecting his family’s laundry business as the government cracks down on Black business ownership. World premiere in the Discovery section at the Toronto International Film Festival, 2025.

Pour the Water as I Leave

Directed by Daniela Repas

An animated hybrid documentary blending live action, collage animation, dance, and survivor testimony to explore the Bosnian War experience — and the universal weight of displacement and the search for home.

Contact

Contact

For all enquiries, please contact
Maria Diakaki
maria@marco-orsini.com