Jeanne Spicuzza
Jeanne Marie Spicuzza is a poet, actress, model, filmmaker, philosopher, activist, producer, writer of children's stories, novels, essays, plays and screenplays, watercolor painter and illustrator, composer, lecturer and Master Herbalist. She appears on television, radio and film, as well as at festivals and venues such as Ladyfest, Lollapalooza, Bristol International Poetry Festival, Nuyorican Poets' Café, Green Mill, Pabst Theatre and others. Her films have screened at Portobello Film Festival London, Raleigh Studios, Wisconsin Film Festival and Women in the Directors' Chair. Jeanne Marie is listed in several Who's Who publications, including Who's Who of Emerging Leaders, and has received awards and nominations from Shepherd Express, Fade-In Magazine, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the Vatican Division of Arts and Culture and others. She was nominated 'Woman of the Year' in 1998 through the National Organization for Women and was selected for inclusion on Wall of Tolerance at The Civil Rights Memorial in Montgomery, Alabama. Segments from her screenplay "Breath of God" are on permanent exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum. She lectures around the world. Jeanne Marie is published in Poets Against War, Quill and Parchment, Shepherd Express, Riverwest Review, Poetry Motel and others. She earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in philosophy and psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Her collection of poetry, beautiful terrible & true, in its second printing, and poetry travelogue, My Italia, are available through Libri Publishers. Her self-titled CD, nominated for the Golden Headset Award, is available through Inoculation Records. It was beaten out, by a mere three votes, by James Earl Jones Reads the New Testament! Jeanne Marie shares a deep affinity with medieval visionary, composer and abbess Hildegard von Bingen. She is dedicated to the production of the motion picture project "Breath of God," based on the life of this amazing historical woman! Her feature film screenplays "The Scarapist" and "Making Angels" with "Daughters of the Dust" director Julie Dash are scheduled for production in 2009 and 2010. She completed her debut novel bearing the latter title. Jeanne Marie resides in Los Angeles with her husband, Guy Hoffman. She dreams of settling down in Sicily and travels whenever she can.