We are proud to announce that Il Pagliacci, a short film directed by Erick Moya in collaboration with musician Mario DiSanto, has been officially selected for the 2026 Tokyo CINEMASTERS International Film Festival, taking place November 11 in Japan.
Originally submitted as a narrative music video, Il Pagliacci was ultimately selected for the festival's Drama Shorts category. And perhaps that's where it belongs. Beneath its eccentric visuals and garage rock soundtrack lies a dramatic story about identity, emotional suffering, and the contrast between the faces we show the world and the struggles we conceal.
Il Pagliacci was my second short film while attending the New York Film Academy, and the production was anything but smooth.
The film was created in collaboration with Mario DiSanto, an exceptionally talented musician whose album Distorted Proportions draws inspiration from the raw garage rock sounds of the 1950s and 1960s.
Mario has a remarkable ability to create something grandiose with very limited resources. I come from the same school of thought. We share the belief that compelling filmmaking doesn't necessarily require an enormous budget, but rather a strong idea, careful planning, and the determination to see it through.
And on this particular production, that determination would be tested.
From the beginning, we faced unexpected challenges. The student film crew assigned to help with production didn't arrive until we were already halfway through shooting.
But we weren't going to let that stop us.
Mario and I had our concept, our storyboards, our locations, and a clear vision of what we wanted to accomplish. We had already invested considerable time developing the story, and we were determined to bring it to life.
Our next problem was something seemingly insignificant: balloons.
We had gathered nearly every prop needed for the production, except for the balloons, which were essential to the character and visual storytelling.
So there we were, in the middle of Manhattan's Financial District, searching for balloons.
After some exploring, we finally found what we needed, had them filled with helium, and continued with production.
With our props secured, we searched for a quiet corner of Wall Street where we could film the opening sequence: Mario's character slowly applying his clown makeup, beginning his transformation from an ordinary Wall Street businessman into Il Pagliacci.
It was a simple scene, but an important one. The makeup wasn't merely a costume. It represented the emotional mask worn by someone whose outward appearance conceals something far more complicated beneath the surface.
That contrast became the foundation of our film.
What began as an ambitious student film and an independent collaboration between two artists has now earned an official festival selection in Japan.
For me, this recognition is particularly meaningful. Il Pagliacci represents the kind of filmmaking I believe in: resourceful, unconventional, visually driven, and built around storytelling rather than production budgets.
I'm grateful to Mario DiSanto for bringing his musical talent, creativity, and commitment to this project. Together, we created something that reflects both our artistic sensibilities.
Il Pagliacci will screen on November 11, 2026, at the Tokyo CINEMASTERS International Film Festival as part of its Drama Shorts program.
We're excited to share our work with an international audience and proud to see this unusual little film find a home on the big screen in Japan.
