LOS ANGELES, CA― Independent Filmmakers Orlando Cicilia III and Oscar DeRosa took home another win this weekend at the 2016 All Sports LA Film Festival in Los Angeles, CA for their film “Lionheart”. This win follows an Audience Award win at the Gasparilla Film Festival in Tampa, FL last week. The Aeternum Films production won the Grand Jury Award [selected by 8 jurors] for Best Short Film, beating out 72 other shorts that were chosen for screening out of 2,100 submissions. "The growing support for this film is constant motivation for us to continue to pursue our intention of making this a feature film. This has been an amazing journey and we are so glad to be able to share this with our family, supporters and the entire cast and crew”.
DeRosa stars as lead character ‘Max Rossi,’ a struggling professional boxer who has been an underdog his entire life. The film displays his fight when confronted with an uncertain future. “Lionheart” is a story about falling flat on your face, but having the courage and strength to get back up and keep fighting. The film displays those struggles, not only on a physical level, but also emotionally and psychologically. Cicilia and DeRosa Wrote and Produced the film, with Cicilia also composing.
For more information, please visit the official movie website at www.lionheart-movie.com.
MORE ABOUT ORLANDO
Born and raised in Miami, Florida, Orlando Cicilia III, has followed his dreams. After graduating from Florida International University with a degree in Film Production, Orlando opened OC3 Productions, Inc., a media/production company based out of South Florida. Since then he has produced and directed countless commercials, promotional videos and online content for political campaigns and corporate clients. With more than eight years of production experience, Orlando embarked on a project of his own with longtime friend Oscar DeRosa. Through their production company, Aeternum Films, Cicila co-wrote, co-produced and composed for their short film “Lionheart." He is currently working on the feature film for “Lionheart,” as well as writing and developing other feature films, television pilots and documentaries with his producing partner Oscar.
MORE ABOUT OSCAR
Oscar DeRosa grew up in Miami, Florida, and has always had a passion for acting and the performing arts. A stellar athlete, Oscar participated in various sports such as basketball, football, baseball and boxing. A showman at heart, his call to the stage began at age 6 when he played the lead role in his elementary school play. Fluent in English and Spanish, Oscar began auditioning at age 14 and tried to convince his mother to let him sign with an agency. Believing he was too young, his mother encouraged him to wait until he was 18. During his junior year in high school at Christopher Columbus High, Oscar participated in a play in his acting class where his teacher noticed his potential and encouraged him to consider acting as a profession. Upon graduation in 2011, Oscar enrolled in Florida International University with aspirations of becoming an attorney, but during his first semester, he enrolled in an acting class and realized acting was his true calling. Oscar began developing his craft in various programs and classes throughout South Florida and has since appeared in various commercials and campaign ads for companies such as Pepsi, Taco Bell, Chevrolet, KFC and Babies R' Us. In 2013, he was introduced to film director Jim Wynorski who gave him his first film role working alongside actress Dominique Swain. In 2014, he met Academy Award-nominated writer and director Scott Frank, who gave him his first major role working opposite Paul Giamatti, Oona Chaplin, and John Carroll Lynch in the FX detective drama TV show "Hoke." He then embarked on a project of his own with longtime friend Orlando Cicilia and through their production company, Aeternum Films, DeRosa co-wrote, co-produced and starred in their short film “Lionheart.” He is currently working on the feature film for “Lionheart,” as well as writing and developing other feature films, television pilots and documentaries with his producing partner Orlando.
###