Dick Cigarette

Casey Puccini (July 12, 1986) is a director, actor, editor, and producer, born in Rochester, New York. Known for his sardonic, autobiographical narratives that often blur the lines between fact and fiction, his work frequently explores aggressively self-centered characters, using elements of his own life as a springboard for darkly comedic narratives.

He made his feature directorial debut with Children Without Parents (2013), a caustic comedy about four siblings navigating the aftermath of their father's death. Puccini not only directed but also played a version of himself in the film, which was shot in a vérité style and drew heavily from his own family experiences. He has described his approach as turning himself and his family into characters, rather than simply fictionalizing real people4. The film was noted for its blend of humor and unresolved family tensions, and for its focus on performance over visual aesthetics.

Puccini followed up with I Don’t Care (2018), a sharply observed comedy chronicling a pretentious filmmaker whose latest project unravels due to his own incompetence and hubris. Again starring as a version of himself, Puccini used the film as a "cautionary tale," imagining a darker trajectory for his own life. The film was praised for its cringe humor and its unflinching look at artistic collaboration.

He earned a B.F.A. in Cinema from Binghamton University and an M.F.A. in Film, Video, New Media, and Animation from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.