Alessandro Avataneo

About

Hello there, I’m an author, filmmaker, theatre director, narrative designer, and entrepreneur. In 2020, my sister Giulia, an international journalist, and I founded Hypercritic, an observatory and research center for future humanities. We’re building a dynamic Atlas of the Arts: an evolving archive, digital museum, learning platform, and cultural magazine that provides a recognized space for global collaboration among students, researchers, artists, and curators. As CEO, I support a new generation of humanists and critics. With over 1,500 published essays and long-form articles, we gained a reputation as an independent, authoritative, and relatable voice.Hypercritic has received several accolades, including the Mediastars Award in 2024 for Best Community and recognition from the European Cultural Foundation as a “creative solution for reinventing European society after the pandemic.” Notable initiatives include “88 Poets to Change the World,” a groundbreaking digital exhibition on women’s poetry, and global poetic marathons like “Against the War, the Sound of Poetry” and “Poetry, the Place to Be.”I’ve founded creative ventures such as Cluster & Stampede (2002), XYDesign (2014), and Rampart (2020). My career spans over thirty countries, where I’ve designed, produced, and directed projects that bridge live events with the digital sphere, creating globally resonant narrative worlds.I hold degrees in International Relations and a Master’s in Storytelling, Performing Arts, Animation, and Digital Entertainment. My work includes musical documentaries, feature films like A Tale of the Hills, The Great Oz, and musicals such as Poema Circular, 6likeUs, and Todo Cambia, a film made for the United Nations. My publications include The Art of Telling Stories, Kitchen Run, and The Great Atlas of Italian Wines.I have taught over 25,000 students globally in filmmaking, storytelling, worldbuilding, and art semiotics at universities and academies, including Scuola Holden, the European Institute of Design, the University of Gastronomic Sciences, TorinoFilmLab, and the Red Sea Lodge.I've worked for institutions such as UNESCO, the Tate Gallery, Guggenheim, and the Berlinale. I’m also the Head of Narrative for Sneakerheaz Society, a multiplatform franchise combining fashion and video games through NFTs. The government of Limburg appointed me to design Maastricht as the European Capital of Culture and direct audiovisual installations at the 2011 Architecture Biennale. I’ve also developed a city storytelling format for Creative Europe within the DARTS initiative.