Francesco Carrozzini

Francesco Carrozzini (born September 9, 1982) is an Italian-born director, photographer and philanthropist currently based between Los Angeles and New York City.
Early life.
Carrozzini was born in Monza, Italy. The son of Franca Sozzani, former editor-in-chief of Italian "Vogue", he grew up in Milan. He began taking pictures and making short films with friends in his early teens. In the summer of 1999, he relocated to Los Angeles to study film at the University of California, Los Angeles. He later returned to Italy to study philosophy at the University of Milan before moving to New York City in 2004 to assist photographers such as Bruce Weber and Peter Lindbergh.
Career.
Film.
Carrozzini's first film job came at age 19, when he directed a 30-second promo for Italian MTV. In 2005, commissioned by advertising agency McCann Erickson, he created a commercial for the 51st Venice Biennale. He traveled to Poland the following year to shoot a documentary about the life and creative process of the Polish Theatre Wierszalin. Later that year, he collaborated with "The New York Times" on the creation of a project that became known as “The New York Times Screen Tests,” a collection of intimate video interviews with entertainment figures that included Natalie Portman, Charlize Theron, and Marion Cotillard. The series received a nomination in the "New Approaches - Daytime Entertainment" category at the 37th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards.
In 2008, Carrozzini directed the short film "1937", a psychological thriller shot in Suite #822 of the infamous Chelsea Hotel, which screened in competition at the Venice Film Festival. In the years since, he has directed commercials for clients such as Apple Music, Fiat 500 and Tommy Hilfiger. In 2009, his Ray Ban promo "Color Goes Pop" received a Young Director Award nomination at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.
In 2013, he began directing music videos and has collaborated with musicians Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Marilyn manson and Lenny Kravitz, amongst others.
In 2016, Carrozzini debuted his first feature-length film, a documentary focusing on the life and legacy of his mother entitled . The film, which took Carrozzini roughly six years to complete, highlights the groundbreaking accomplishments of Sozzani's career in fashion publishing while also exploring the more personal relationship between a mother and her son. Franca: Chaos and Creation premiered on September 2, 2016 in the "Cinema Nel Giardino" category at the 73rd Venice International Film Festival and received praise from several prominent members of the fashion industry, with Suzy Menkes describing it as "a powerful personal journey". The film hosted its North American premiere as part of the Hamptons International Film Festival on October 8, 2016 and was featured at AFI Fest in Los Angeles. The film also screened at festivals in Mumbai, Denver, Vancouver, and Palm Springs. In March 2017, the film was honored with a Nastro d'Argento presented by the Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists.
The film was released digitally worldwide across Netflix, Amazon and iTunes on October 1, 2017.
As of January 2021 Carrozzini is in preproduction with his second feature film, an adaptation of "Midnight Sun" by best selling author Jo Nesbø.
Photography.
Carrozzini is also known for his portrait photography; he has photographed a diverse range of contemporary pop culture icons including actors Angelina Jolie, Robert De Niro, Cate Blanchett, and Scarlett Johansson; models Naomi Campbell, Heidi Klum, Linda Evangelista, Milla Jovovich, Stephanie Seymour and Tyra Banks; musicians Beyoncé, Lana Del Rey, Sting, Keith Richards, Kanye West, Jay-Z, and Nicki Minaj, as well as artists Jeff Koons, Richard Prince, Andres Serrano, and Marina Abramović.
He has also worked several political figures; among them, former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Tony Blair, former Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, former United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, and former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg.
Carrozzini's images have appeared on the covers and in the pages of: "Vanity Fair", "The New Yorker", "New York Magazine", "W", "Rolling Stone", "L'Uomo Vogue", "Vogue Italia" and "Pop", among others. His advertising client list includes Apple Inc., Estee Lauder, Biotherm, Sony Music, Mini Cooper, Roberto Cavalli, Ermenegildo Zegna, Salvatore Ferragamo, DKNY, Tommy Hilfiger, Levi's, Baume & Mercier and Chopard.
Other ventures.
The Franca Sozzani Fund for Preventive Genomics at Harvard.
In 2019 Francesco, joined by Harvard geneticist Robert C. Green and investor D.A. Wallach, launched the "Franca Sozzani Fund for Preventive Genomics" at Harvard Medical to bring preventive genomics to patients everywhere.
Franca Sozzani, Francesco's mother, made a remarkable impact on global culture during her 28 years as the legendary editor-in-chief of Vogue Italia. And outside of fashion, she was a relentless champion of justice and human progress: a global ambassador against hunger for the United Nations World Food Programme, a supporter of AIDS research, and a chair of the European Institute of Oncology. Franca recognized that fashion and creativity held a unique power to deliver social messages, and in groundbreaking issues of Vogue Italia used beautiful images to explore difficult topics from oil spills to domestic violence.
Tragically, Franca succumbed to a rare cancer in 2016 that might have been prevented with earlier medical surveillance. Such is the case for thousands of patients around the world today who lack access to the proven risk-assessment and diagnostic toolkit that preventive genomics offer.
Extraordinary discoveries in genomics from the past two decades have not yet made it to average patients, remaining largely trapped in a research context in elite academic institutions. Routine medicine today extends to patients a mere sliver of the potential benefits of genetic sequencing, failing to recognize the demonstrated value of full-spectrum sequencing of over 5,000 genes that can predict disease, reproductive, and pharmacological risk in every patient. Misconceptions within the medical community, misrepresentations in the commercial sector, and confusion within governments have all delayed the implementation of these proven technologies and clinical care protocols.
Creative Direction.
2016 Carrozzini has worked as freelance creative director for brands such as Adidas and Peroni.
2015 Carrozzini has provided creative direction to the Connect4Climate program, a global initiative launched by the World Bank and the Italian Ministry of Environment that seeks to take on the challenge of climate change by promoting solutions and empowering people to act.
Personal life.
In September 2013, Carrozzini was included on Vanity Fair's International Best Dressed List.
Carrozzini married Bee Shaffer in 2018, the daughter of Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour and child psychiatrist David Shaffer.