André Is An Idiot, Tony Benna’s documentary following André Ricciardi’s journey after receiving a terminal diagnosis, has been acquired by Joint Venture.
The film premiered at Sundance Film Festival where it won the Audience Award for US Documentary and the Jonathan Oppenheim Editing Award for US Documentary. It then screened at Mill Valley Film Festival where it won Audience Favorite for Documentary, and the Special Documentary Jury Prize for Impactful Storytelling at Hamptons Film Festival.
André Is An Idiot will open in theaters beginning March 6, 2026, at Film Forum in New York City.
The film follows André Ricciardi, described as “a self-proclaimed idiot” for not getting a colonoscopy, learns he’s dying from a disease he could have detected, he decides to document his final journey.
As an iconoclastic ad man, he had defied convention throughout his life. True to form, Ricciardi approaches mortality with his trademark humor and curiosity, determined to learn how to die both happily and ridiculously.
In a unique collaboration between the film’s participant, Ricciardi, and director Benna, Ricciardi’s stories and musings are brought to life with interludes of fantastical stop-motion animation, highlighting his unique approach to life’s challenges and joys alongside the verité storytelling. André Is An Idiot is a celebration of resilience, fearless and edgy humor, and the beauty of fully embracing the human experience – even at its end.
“When André approached me to direct what he called ‘a comedy about his cancer,’ I was taken aback but also deeply honored that he trusted me to tell such an intimate story,” said the film’s director, Tony Benna.
He added, “Cancer isn’t inherently funny, but André definitely is. His raw, unapologetic honesty and humor in the face of something so heavy make it impossible not to fall in love with him. You’ll laugh, you might cry, and you’ll definitely rethink what normal looks like. Beyond nudging everyone to get a colonoscopy, I hope audiences take away that it’s okay to talk about sickness and death… and that sometimes, the best way to survive life’s cruelties is simply to laugh at them.”
“André Is An Idiot is a documentary unlike any we’ve ever seen. The film is a beautiful portrait about mortality, friendship, fatherhood, and love—that plays like a stand-up comedy special,” said Joint Venture’s Co-Founder and CEO Vinay Singh.
“It’s funny, it’s colorful, it’s in your face. André Is An Idiot is about something real and challenging, but the story is profoundly human and oozes with joy and humor. It’s a celebration of life,” added Joint Venture’s Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer Jess Jacobs.
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