By Lucy Spicer
One of the most exciting things about the Sundance Film Festival is having a front-row seat for the bright future of independent filmmaking. While we can learn a lot about the filmmakers from the 2025 Sundance Film Festival through the art that these storytellers share with us, there’s always more we can learn about them as people. We decided to get to the bottom of those artistic wells with our ongoing series: Give Me the Backstory!
Tony Benna’s feature film debut originated from an unusual phone conversation. His friend and co-worker, advertising creative André Ricciardi, called Benna with a request — Ricciardi was dying of colon cancer, and he wanted Benna to make a comedy documentary about his experience. Benna agreed, and the result would become André is an Idiot, which premiered in the U.S. Documentary Competition at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival.
Filled with heart and humor, Benna’s documentary strikes a tone atypical for a story about illness and death, but, in doing so, the film stays true to its wacky, creative subject. “I would like the takeaway to be that you can bend genres and break molds to create something original,” says Benna of his hopes for the doc’s legacy. “In other words, don’t be afraid to break the rules.”
Incorporating stop-motion animation by Benna, André is an Idiot frames Ricciardi in all his eccentric glory, and the approach paid off — the film won the Audience Award: U.S. Documentary and the Jonathan Oppenheim Editing Award: U.S. Documentary at the Festival following its premiere. “Always fight for your creative vision, no matter what, and remember that no one cares about the story or the film as much as you do,” offers Benna. “Take critique and criticism with a grain of salt, even if it’s coming from someone you consider more experienced than you.”
Read on to learn more about the documentary and its director, including Benna’s roundabout path to filmmaking and why André is an Idiot is a film for everyone, right now.
What was the biggest inspiration behind this film?
The inspiration for this film actually came from the subject, André. He was a brilliant creative with eclectic tastes and a wicked sense of humor.
Describe who you want this film to reach.
This film is for anyone who has an anus.
Your favorite part of making the film? Memories from the process?
My favorite part of this process was spending time with André and his inner circle of family and friends; it was both hilarious and tragic, all at the same time. His creative energy and lust for life were infectious to all of us. I was honored to capture his crazy story while he lived his lifelong dream of making a film.
What was a big challenge you faced while making this film?
After losing André, the biggest challenge was keeping the creative vision and authentic narrative alive through post-production.
Why does this story need to be told now?
We live in a society where cancer rates are ticking up every year, and in Western culture we are programmed to not discuss our illnesses or talk about death. It’s time we open up the conversation. Death is merely a part of life, and we should be able to talk about it openly, celebrate it, and even joke about it. After all, laughter is the best medicine. It never fails to bring a shared catharsis.
Tell us why and how you got into filmmaking.
When I was growing up, my older brother was into documentary filmmaking. I helped him with a lot of his projects. While I enjoyed filmmaking, I did not want to follow my brother’s exact footsteps. So, as an act of rebellion, I quit documentaries and moved into animation and narrative work. Twenty-five years later, this road led me directly back into documentaries. The irony!
Why is filmmaking important to you? Why is it important to the world?
When I first started art school, I was really into drawing and painting. While I loved that medium of expression, and still use it today, I realized that there was nothing quite like the language of film. That storytelling, through both audio and visual together, could provoke instant deep, emotional responses, alter perspectives, and even change behavior. We need filmmakers because films give us unique and diverse perspectives, and with that, a better understanding of one another.
If you weren’t a filmmaker, what would you be doing?
Wow this one’s tough. I have always joked about opening an Italian deli. This is because I take a lot of pride in my family history but also because (in my opinion) I make a great Italian sandwich with fresh herbs and veg from my garden. If not that, I’d probably be a ski bum making just enough money to chase powder days all around the world.
Who are your creative heroes?
I don’t want to mention names here, but I tend to look up to artists that didn’t follow the mainstream or fall into pop culture, because these are the artists that end up making something truly unique. Not because they meant to, but because it’s in their bones to create and it’s just what came out of them naturally.
One thing people don’t know about me is _____.
I’m a 6-year-old stuck inside an adult body.
Which of your personal characteristics contributes most to your success as a storyteller?
My childlike imagination and emotional intuition and empathy allow me to push the story visually while connecting with my subjects and audience on an authentic level.
Tell us about your history with Sundance Institute. When was the first time you engaged with us? Why did you want your film to premiere with us?
This is my first time submitting to Sundance or attending the Festival. Somebody had told me that you have a better chance of winning the lottery than getting a feature documentary accepted, and since I was born in Reno, Nevada, I figured let’s roll the dice!
Who was the first person you told when you learned you got into the Sundance Film Festival?
Ironically, I happened to be sitting with my father in my hometown, lamenting about the trials and tribulations of this film. I even told him that I thought I’d made a huge mistake and that I might be quitting the film industry altogether. At that moment, I got a text from one of the producers saying, “Shit’s happening; check your email.” I told my father and he said, “I’m proud of you. Maybe this is a sign you didn’t make a mistake.”
What’s your favorite film that has come from the Sundance Institute or Festival?
I really loved American Movie, which premiered at the Festival [in 1999]. It was one of the first documentaries that had me laughing out loud. Up to that point, I didn’t realize documentaries could be comedic and tragic at the same time. It was eye-opening. Also, seeing Mark Borchardt struggle to make his art made me realize that I was not the only one out there trying to make films with a ragtag group of friends armed with nothing but a dream, a camera, hot glue, and duct tape. RIP Mike Schank.
