User:OliviaCR/sandbox/Mario Cardona

Mario Cardona is a Costa Rica born producer, director and founder of Zen Entertainment. He was raised in Costa Rica and the United States. He went to college in Costa Rica, France and Italy. In France where he studied Psychology and Cinematography at the University of Paris, he began to combine and explore the subtleties of the human psyche, the splendor of nature and how to express these emotions visually and musically. He was inspired by John Alcott and Nestor Almendros during this time and worked with Guiseppe Ruzolini, Michael Ballhaus and Haskell Wexler. His professional career began with the documentary "A Child of the Wind" directed by Jim Burroughs about former Costa Rican president Jose Figueres and shown on PBS in New York City. He then created the award - winning documentary "Polvo de estrellas" (stardust) covering the work of renowned Costa Rican sculptor Jorge Jimenez Deredia which included the collaboration of the internationally acclaimed, art critic and philosopher Pierre Restany, the founder of "New Realism". In September 2000 a five meters high and thirty tons heavy sculpture representing the ancient Boruca tribe of Costa Rica was unveiled at the Vatican. Present were a small group of family and friends, Deredia and Pope John Paul II. Mario Cardona used a ten meter high crane to shot the scene which won the Award for Best Photography in the Cine Costarricense and ICARO Festival, Guatemala. It also won the award for Best Arts Documentary at the Bogota Film Festival, Colombia.

By interviewing the Dalai Lama as the spiritual representative of Tibetan culture, and Masaru Emoto, author of “Messages From Water”, a scientist confirming the reactions of water to more subtle stimuli, including thoughts and ideas,these two pillars of the evolution of planetary consciousness, made an impact on Cardona’s work and the direction of Zen Entertainment.

Consistent with his commitment to social and environmental health, Mario Cardona also interviewed Spanish founder of the “New Water Culture”, Pedro Arrojo-Agudo, covering the focus of planetary significance and that the problem is not just of scarcity of water, but of its quality.

For over thirty years Mario Cardona has been a leading figure in the advertising, arts and entertainment industry. His short and full feature films, documentaries, videos and commercials have impacted the diverse landscape of culture, artistic creation and communication. Cardona’s work is spread throughout Latin America, Europe and the United States. Nordisk Films Denmark, France TF1, Fox Cable Entertainment and Icon Productions are a few examples of his vast experience. He is a constant presence at The New York Film Festival, Havana Film Festival (El Festival de Cine Nuevo de la Habana), Cuba, The London Film Festival, The L.A. Latino International Film Festival, The Moscow International Film Festival, Festival de Huesca España, Art Film Festival Montreal, Trieste Film Festival, and The Bogota Film Festival.