An Interview with Nino Cimino, Writer and Star of American Western

by Mike Haberfelner

February 2023

Nino Cimino on (re)Search my Trash

Your new movie American Western - in a few words, what is it about?

It’s essentially a revenge story. The lead character that I play, Nico Raines, is double-crossed by his friend and sent to prison. He escapes 5 years later and returns for revenge.

So how did the project fall together in the first place?

I always watched old school westerns like Rio Bravo, They Call Me Trinity, the Man With No Name trilogy, The Magnificent Seven, and One Eyed Jacks with my father growing up. For the last two years, I have been working with director/executive producer/distributor Gregory Hatanaka in making films. Greg had always wanted to film a western. I told him I could write one, and we took it from there.

With American Western being - as the title might suggest - a western, is that a genre especially dear to you, and some of your genre favourites?

Yes, very much to me. My Italian father Vincenzo passed away back in 2014, and I have great memories watching old westerns with him when I was growing up, both American and spaghetti westerns. I wish he could have seen this one, I’m sure he would have got a kick out of it.

Besides westerns, I grew up watching those old sword-and-sandal films, plus I love mafia movies, science fiction, swashbucklers, action and adventure films, I think it’s a good mix.

(Other) sources of inspiration when writing American Western?

I told a lot of the actors working in this that the whole imprisoned, escaping, and returning for revenge was also greatly inspired by The Count of Monte Cristo, The Mask of Zorro, Ben-Hur and Gladiator. All classics.

What were the challenges of bringing American Western to the screen from a producer's point of view?

Well, we didn’t have a big studio budget. So we had to learn to shoot quick and utilize our time. It was January, in an area about a hour outside of Los Angeles, so the weather was very cold too. But we pulled together and made it happen. Our production team has worked together for 2 years now, we’ve developed a very efficient film family, so I was confident that we were up to the challenge.

You also play the lead in American Western - so what can you tell us about your character, and what did you draw upon to bring him to life?

Nico Raines, is a throwback to those old Hollywood anti-hero movies. Yes, the movie starts off with him as a robber, but throughout the film, he challenges the corrupt people that have taken over the town. I definitely drew my inspiration from those characters in those 50s, 60s, 70s films. A charming and likable anti-hero.

Do talk about the rest of your cast, and why exactly these people? And as executive producer, how much of a hand did you have/demand in the casting process?

Anything I produce, I’m very hands on, from casting, to making shooting schedules, call sheets, prop lists, etc. Especially with the scripts also being written by me, I like to be involved with every aspect of the filmmaking process. The majority of the cast, I have worked with many times. We’ve built our film family, and I wrote with the specific actors in mind, knowing who could execute what specific character. We’re also all friends too, so there’s a lot of laughs on set, we have too much fun sometimes. It’s very much an environment like what the Rat-Pack had going on during their film shoots. We go to each other’s birthdays, karaoke parties, all that fun stuff.

What can you tell us about American Western's director Gregory Hatanaka, and what was your collaboration like?

Greg and I like the same type of films, we can have conversations about old movies for hours. So it’s always been an enjoyable working relationship. He also operates one of the cameras, he knows the angles that he needs to cut together, it’s inspiring to watch him cut the picture in his head as he shoots it. He gives the actors lots of room for improvisation, which helps the scenes find a sense of realism. He is always very open to try different things for each take, which is encouraging for an actor, knowing that the director is working with you.

Beside Greg, I also have to mention fellow producers Chris Spinelli [Chris Spinelli interview - click here] and Nicole D’Angelo. They both really do so much on our productions, both in front of and behind the camera, I truly appreciate them. I feel with Nicole, Chris, Greg and myself, we’ve created the dream team in making films, our projects wouldn’t get done, without everyone’s contributions.

American Western isn't the first time you've worked with Gregory Hatanaka - so do talk about your previous collaborations, and how did the two of you first meet even?

We’ve become very good friends over the last two years. As I said, same taste in old films, old music, and we both have the passion to keep filming movies. I’ve made 8 films with Greg in the last two years, each has been a pleasure. We balance each other very well in regards to executive producing, it’s been a great partnership and a pleasure to work with him.

I made the first American Mobster back in 2010, Greg distributed the film. We happened to touch base after years, and discussed making a sequel, that he would executive produce, direct and distribute. Since then, we just kept working together. I value our friendship among everything else. We might randomly meet for lunch, or his wife and him will have dinner at my home, cooked by my Italian mother Angela. Like I said, he’s a good friend.

Back to American Western: A few words about the shoot as such, and the on-set atmosphere?

Besides the cold weather, it was a lot of fun. The cast and crew were all excited to make a western, so it was like a bunch of kids playing with those toys. We always have fun on set, lots of laughs.

The $64-question of course, where can your movie be seen?

Streaming sites Amazon Prime and Tubi.

Anything you can tell us about audience and critical reception of American Western?

So far, we have been getting good feedback. For the small budget that we shot a period piece movie, it’s always nice to be appreciated. As of now, it’s one of our top streaming films, so that’s also very encouraging to know.

Any future projects you'd like to share?

Greg and I have three films in post production:

Night Cops, which is a loveletter to the old action movies of the 80s and early 90s.

The DeMarco Crew, which is a heist film in the vein of the Rat Pack movies. I cast all my buddies as the DeMarco Crew, and cast Nicole D’Angelo as the lead female. I think we had a good chemistry on screen that played well for the story.

And finally Crack, an urban drama with some great acting performances. I play a supporting but pivotal part in this film, the lead actors and actresses are very talented and I’m excited to watch as their careers grow.

All will release later this year on streaming.

I always write, I love to pass the time writing, so I have a few scripts ready for when we decide what to shoot next.

What got you into the filmworld in the first place, and did you receive any formal education on the subject?

I grew up in the Chicago area, working at my Italian Immigrant parents’ restaurant with my siblings, Rose, Pia, Nick, Giuseppe, and Giorgina. I know, a very typical Italian family, lol. From childhood, I always knew I wanted to make films. So I moved to Los Angeles when I was 21, and have lived here for 22 years now. I trained for two years under Piero Dusa at the Promenade Playhouse, located in the Santa Monica Promenade.

Going through your filmography, it seems you're equally comfortable in front of the camera as behind it - so which kinds of film jobs do you prefer, what could you do without?

It actually all goes hand in hand for me. I’m not a director, I like to write and produce material that I can act in. That gives me control over my projects and allows me an opportunity to play different types of characters and stories.

What can you tell us about your filmwork prior to American Western, in whatever position?

We made the American Mobster sequel, which is always fun playing mobsters. The character Nick Romano is a complex character that I enjoy playing. I first played him in my twenties, and I’d like to play him at least one more time to complete the trilogy.

After American Mobster we made the Christmas comedy A Wiseguy Christmas, which was nominated at the Santa Clarita International Film Festival for Best Picture Comedy. That was a lot of fun. I played Tony Pantera over the top, as I thought it would add to the fun comedy atmosphere of the film. It was great working with my co-stars Chris Spinelli and Jaclyn Marfuggi-Caprio on that picture. I think the chemistry between all of us came off well, and it was another fun shoot.

Lastly, we shot Bad Timing, which was an idea Greg and I had to shoot a film that takes place in mainly one location with a handful of cast members. It’s a very drama-character-based film, and I am proud of my performance in that film.

How would you describe yourself as an actor, and how as a writer?

I studied Mariner and Stella Adler for two years, so I try to incorporate method acting when I approach each character. I write a lot of notes on my script and rehearse with my cast, although I don’t believe in over-rehearsing, as I like the scene to come off fresh and natural. I do enjoy meeting my castmembers for coffee and just discussing the script and our characters. I also get to know more about them, which helps with on-screen chemistry.

As a writer I don’t believe in writing long scenes. I don’t like the script to drag on, I like to keep the pace moving. I won’t write a scene longer than three pages, I feel it should be tight and concise.

Writers, actors, filmmakers, whoever else who inspire you?

To me, I feel Marlon Brando is the greatest actor of all time, his realism on screen was amazing. Also, I a huge fan of Al Pacino, (who I happened to meet the very first day that I moved to Los Angeles), and Robert DeNiro. Their films inspired me growing up and still do today. Besides them, I love the work of Anthony Hopkins, Meryl Streep, Daniel Day Lewis, Jack Nicholson, Denzel Washington, Sylvester Stallone, John Travolta, Charlton Heston, Andy Garcia, Antonio Banderas, James Caan, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Elvis Presley, and way too many more to mention.

Directors, Scorsese and Coppola are at the top for sure. But I also love the work of George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, Brian DePalma, Spike Lee, Quentin Tarantino, Robert Rodriguez, Christopher Nolan, and Cecil B DeMille.

Your favourite movies?

The Godfather Trilogy, the Star Wars Saga, the Rocky films, fhe Indiana Jones films, the Lord Of The Rings films, Goodfellas, Carlito’s Way, Saturday Night Fever, the Dark Knight Trilogy, The Ten Commandments, Samson and Delilah, The Mask of Zorro, The Mark of Zorro, Heat, Raging Bull, and way too many more.

Feeling lucky? Want to search any of my partnershops yourself for more, better results? (commissions earned)

The links below will take you just there!!!

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... and of course, films you really deplore?

I deplore any film that doesn’t live up to its potential.

Your/your movie's website, social media, whatever else?

Nino Cimino on Facebook, nino__cimino on Instagram.

Anything else you're dying to mention and I have merely forgotten to ask?

I have a 7 year old daughter named Marley. She lives part time in LA with me, and part time in Florida with her mother. I think Marley is a natural performer and my dream one day is to make a movie with her, she’s the light of my life.

Thanks for the interview!

My pleasure, thank you.

© by Mike Haberfelner

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