Jason Cusato is an award-winning independent filmmaker who was born in 1975 and raised in Brooklyn, New York. He is the Executive Producer of Park Slope Films and the Festival Director of the Art of Brooklyn Film Festival. He has over 40 film projects to his credit; ranging from feature films to shortfilms, documentaries, sketch comedy, commercial work, live shows and music videos working as director, editor, producer and/or co-writer on each project. His trademark style combines Brooklyn flavor with skilled filmmaking.
Over the past 12 years, Cusato has helped Park Slope Films raise over $80,000 forall projects including York Street, Apostles of Park Slope, Sunday Dinner, as well ashis latest short A Box Came to Brooklyn. He has produced numerous successfulfundraisers for these film projects and secured independent investors for each filmproject. Project management for the fundraisers included: securing event spaces and entertainment, obtaining food and liquor for over 200 people and facilitating donation of materials and raffle prizes (Broadways tickets, jukeboxes and Yankees/Mets tickets).
Cusato is also Festival Director of the Art of Brooklyn Film Festival (AoBFF), aninternational film festival that showcases films and filmmakers with meaningful connections to Brooklyn. The AoBFF is the first festival to feature emerging filmmakers who are Brooklyn-born, Brooklyn-based and/or Brooklyn-centric. Cusato brings his skills in producing and community fundraising as well as his love of independent film to AoBFF,where he is excited to be an ambassador for Brooklyn filmmakers. Cusato co-founded AoBFF in 2011 is in charge of selecting all members of the film screening panel which curates and picks the official selections for the festival. Cusato also programs and schedules all the films as well as secures theaters for screenings. Additionally, he reserves venues for both the opening and closing party and all after-parties.
Cusato’s directorial debut, The Out of Work Mime (2000), premiered in Los Angeles at the Angel City Film Festival. His subsequent film, the 2001 award-winning When Broomsticks Were King, which was written, produced and directed by Cusato, created a buzz on the festival circuit in 2006 and 2007. When Broomsticks Were King was accepted into over a dozen film festivals and won several honors including: Best Documentary at the Georgetown Film Festival, Best Short Documentary at the E.Vil City Film Festival, the Buzz Award at the Independent Features Film Festival (aka Manhattan Film Festival), the Rochester International Film Festivals’ Shoe String Award and Best Short Documentary at the Wildwood by the Sea Film Festival. Most recently Broomsticks was awarded Winner Honorable Mention Documentary Short Queens World Film Festival 2011.
Cusato’s following project was his first feature film, York Street, where he was co-writer, director, editor and producer. York Street was an official selection at the Big Mini DV Film Festival and the Lower East Side Film Festival in 2006. The next year, York Street was an official selection at the Delray Beach Film Festival, the Big Bang Film Festival, the Long Island Big Fish Film Festival, the Wildwood by the Sea Film Festival and the Brooklyn Indie House Film Festival.
In 2006 Cusato co-wrote, directed, edited, shot and produced the YouTube music video Dominick The Donkey, which has over three million views to date. In 2009, he co-wrote, edited and produced Sunday Dinner which was an official selection at the 2010 Manhattan Film Festival, the Delray Beach Film Festival, the Royal Flush Film Festival and the Staten Island Film Festival (Best Short Screenplay nomination). The Confession, also completed in 2009, was directed, edited and produced by Cusato and an official selection at the 2010 Manhattan Film Festival. It was a Shoe String Award Winner at Rochester International Film Festivals.
Cusato co-wrote, directed, edited and produced his next feature, Apostles of Park Slope, which was released in 2010. It was the headlining film at the 2010 Manhattan Film Festival and won Best Comedy Feature Award. Apostles of Park Slope also won Outstanding Feature at the 2010 Atlantic City International Film Festival and was an official selection at the Silk City Flick Fest (Best Feature nomination), the Long Island International Film Expo, the Astoria/LIC International Film Festival 2010, the Staten Island Film Festival (Best Editing nomination) and the NewFilmmakers Summer Series.
He directed and edited Flavor Punch!, a Doritos Crash the Super Bowl Contest video in 2011. He worked on the short comedies Choices and Shit Native New Yorkers Say as well as a music video Outta Control song by Neon Dynamite in 2012.
Cusato continues to exhibit his passion for not only filmmaking but also his love of Brooklyn with his new short comedy A Box Came to Brooklyn. He directed, co-wrote, produced and edited this new short comedy scheduled for release in 2014.
Cusato sits on The Art of Brooklyn’s Board of Directors. He attended The School of Visual Arts from 2000-2002 and studied under Richard D. Pepperman; author of The Eye Is Quicker, and editor and recipient of Distinguished Teacher Award from the School of Visual Arts.
Over the past 12 years, Cusato has helped Park Slope Films raise over $80,000 forall projects including York Street, Apostles of Park Slope, Sunday Dinner, as well ashis latest short A Box Came to Brooklyn. He has produced numerous successfulfundraisers for these film projects and secured independent investors for each filmproject. Project management for the fundraisers included: securing event spaces and entertainment, obtaining food and liquor for over 200 people and facilitating donation of materials and raffle prizes (Broadways tickets, jukeboxes and Yankees/Mets tickets).
Cusato is also Festival Director of the Art of Brooklyn Film Festival (AoBFF), aninternational film festival that showcases films and filmmakers with meaningful connections to Brooklyn. The AoBFF is the first festival to feature emerging filmmakers who are Brooklyn-born, Brooklyn-based and/or Brooklyn-centric. Cusato brings his skills in producing and community fundraising as well as his love of independent film to AoBFF,where he is excited to be an ambassador for Brooklyn filmmakers. Cusato co-founded AoBFF in 2011 is in charge of selecting all members of the film screening panel which curates and picks the official selections for the festival. Cusato also programs and schedules all the films as well as secures theaters for screenings. Additionally, he reserves venues for both the opening and closing party and all after-parties.
Cusato’s directorial debut, The Out of Work Mime (2000), premiered in Los Angeles at the Angel City Film Festival. His subsequent film, the 2001 award-winning When Broomsticks Were King, which was written, produced and directed by Cusato, created a buzz on the festival circuit in 2006 and 2007. When Broomsticks Were King was accepted into over a dozen film festivals and won several honors including: Best Documentary at the Georgetown Film Festival, Best Short Documentary at the E.Vil City Film Festival, the Buzz Award at the Independent Features Film Festival (aka Manhattan Film Festival), the Rochester International Film Festivals’ Shoe String Award and Best Short Documentary at the Wildwood by the Sea Film Festival. Most recently Broomsticks was awarded Winner Honorable Mention Documentary Short Queens World Film Festival 2011.
Cusato’s following project was his first feature film, York Street, where he was co-writer, director, editor and producer. York Street was an official selection at the Big Mini DV Film Festival and the Lower East Side Film Festival in 2006. The next year, York Street was an official selection at the Delray Beach Film Festival, the Big Bang Film Festival, the Long Island Big Fish Film Festival, the Wildwood by the Sea Film Festival and the Brooklyn Indie House Film Festival.
In 2006 Cusato co-wrote, directed, edited, shot and produced the YouTube music video Dominick The Donkey, which has over three million views to date. In 2009, he co-wrote, edited and produced Sunday Dinner which was an official selection at the 2010 Manhattan Film Festival, the Delray Beach Film Festival, the Royal Flush Film Festival and the Staten Island Film Festival (Best Short Screenplay nomination). The Confession, also completed in 2009, was directed, edited and produced by Cusato and an official selection at the 2010 Manhattan Film Festival. It was a Shoe String Award Winner at Rochester International Film Festivals.
Cusato co-wrote, directed, edited and produced his next feature, Apostles of Park Slope, which was released in 2010. It was the headlining film at the 2010 Manhattan Film Festival and won Best Comedy Feature Award. Apostles of Park Slope also won Outstanding Feature at the 2010 Atlantic City International Film Festival and was an official selection at the Silk City Flick Fest (Best Feature nomination), the Long Island International Film Expo, the Astoria/LIC International Film Festival 2010, the Staten Island Film Festival (Best Editing nomination) and the NewFilmmakers Summer Series.
He directed and edited Flavor Punch!, a Doritos Crash the Super Bowl Contest video in 2011. He worked on the short comedies Choices and Shit Native New Yorkers Say as well as a music video Outta Control song by Neon Dynamite in 2012.
Cusato continues to exhibit his passion for not only filmmaking but also his love of Brooklyn with his new short comedy A Box Came to Brooklyn. He directed, co-wrote, produced and edited this new short comedy scheduled for release in 2014.
Cusato sits on The Art of Brooklyn’s Board of Directors. He attended The School of Visual Arts from 2000-2002 and studied under Richard D. Pepperman; author of The Eye Is Quicker, and editor and recipient of Distinguished Teacher Award from the School of Visual Arts.