MARIO

Premiering June 4th at Tribeca

Produced and directed by Emmy® and Peabody winners Peter, Teddy, and George Kunhardt, Mario is a portrait of one of the most compelling political voices in modern American history. The film tells the story of Mario Cuomo’s rise from the son of Italian immigrants to Governor of New York, and how his vision of leadership left a lasting mark on American politics.

Born in 1932 to a working-class family in Queens, Cuomo was shaped by the struggles and values of his parents’ generation. His early legal career defending working-class families against powerful interests helped define his belief that government should serve those without privilege. That conviction would guide him through decades of public life.

Set against the backdrop of Ronald Reagan’s America, Mario examines Cuomo’s emergence as a national figure, culminating in his defining 1984 Democratic National Convention keynote address. Through archival footage, reflections from family, friends, and historians, and excerpts from his personal diaries, the film captures a leader whose words and ideas continue to resonate today.

At its heart, Mario is the story of a man who championed government as a force for compassion and a voice for the common good.