Films

DOOMSCROLLING IN PARADISE (2026)

Ah, vacation. A time to get away from it all. Until you pick up your phone and start scrolling through one disheartening news story after another. I wrote this song in a lovely spot called Wonder Valley, not far from Yosemite, in the days leading up to the 2024 U.S. presidential election. This song is featured on my album “Down at the Polystereophonic Dive Bar.”

EATING IN MY CAR AGAIN (2026)

A rollicking look at the day in the life of a guy who spends a lot of time on the road. This music video, created by Nico Sotomayor, features Keith Larson as “The Driver.” The tune, “Eating in My Car Again,” is from my album “Down at the Polystereophonic Dive Bar.”

Film Festivals / Awards

  • Phoenix Film Festival, Apr. 2026, Scottsdale, AZ (Official Selection).
  • Global Music Awards, Feb. 2026 (Bronze Medal).
  • San Jose Independent Film Festival, Apr. 2026 (Semi-Finalist).

BIRD ON A WIRE (2025)

A surreal rumination on memory, imagination, love, and the state of the world. This poetry film features music by Jules Leyhe, Loren Barnese, Jason Slota, Max Cowan, and Crystal Pascucci-Clifford.

Film Festivals / Awards

  • Another Hole in the Head, Balboa Theater, San Francisco, CA, Dec. 5, 2025 (Official Selection).
  • Festival Poeman IV, Peru, Jan. 2026 (Official Selection).
  • Fisheye International Film Festival, High Wycombe, UK, Apr. 16 – May 2, 2026 (Official Selection).
  • Monologues and Poetry International Film Fest, Vallejo, CA, Apr. 2026 (Official Selection).
  • Delete TV, London, May 2026 (Official Selection).
  • Poeticas Film Festival, Apr. 2026 (Official Selection).
  • International Video Poetry Festival, Athens, Greece (Official Selection).

HOW MUCH FILIPINO (2024)

I come from a mixed family background. Irish, Scottish, Czech, Spanish, Portuguese, German, and Filipino, with my dad’s family coming to the U.S. from Manila towards the end of WWII. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been asked, “How much Filipino are you?” This film was inspired by that question. Original score by Theresa Calpotura.

Film Festivals / Awards

  • OC Film Fiesta, Santa Ana, CA, Oct. 9, 2025 (Official Selection).
  • FilAm Creative Film Festival, Cal State LA, Sept. 26, 2025 (Official Selection).
  • Drumshanbo Poetry Film Festival, Ireland, Aug. 22, 2025.
  • DIWA Filipino Film Festival, Seattle Center Armory, May 31-June 1, 2025 (Official Selection).
  • Poeticas Film Festival, Manteca, California, April 27, 2025 (Official Selection).
  • Home Is Distant Shores Film Festival, Cary Theater, Cary, North Carolina, May 3, 2025 (Official Selection).
  • 12th International Video Poetry Festival, April 11-12, 2025, Athens, Greece (Official Selection).
  • Monologues & Poetry International Film Fest 2025 (Official Selection).
  • REELpoetry International Poetry Film Festival 2025 (Honorable Mention).
  • Dreamanila International Film Festival 2024 (Official Selection).
  • 12th Ó Bhéal Poetry-Film Competition, Cork, Ireland , Nov. 24, 2024 (Finalist).
  • San Francisco Arthouse Short Festival, Aug. 2024 (Semi-Finalist).
  • Vesuvius International Film Awards 2024 (Official Selection).

DREAM OF SAILING (2024)

“Dream of Sailing” is set in a faraway hospital where the narrator, recently returned from war, imagines a life at sea. But will he ever leave the confines of the infirmary? Original score by Crystal Pascucci-Clifford and Mark Pascucci-Clifford.

  • Octopus Marquee Independent Film Festival, Dec 2025 (Official Selection).
  • Another Hole in the Head Film Festival, 4-Star Theater, San Francisco, Dec. 14, 2024 (Official Selection).
  • Brainwash Drive-in, The Box Shop, San Francisco, Nov. 30, 2024 (Official Selection).

THE MISSING BOOK (2023)

“A book is missing from my shelf…” So begins this short poetry-video in which the narrator-poet ruminates on the imagined contents of a missing book, with tributes to Amanda Gorman, Pete Townshend, Allen Ginsberg, and librarians everywhere. Original score by Jules Leyhe.

Film Festivals / Awards

  • Poetic Lens International Film Festival, Eugene, OR, 2025 (Official Selection).
  • Cambridge Short Film Festival, 2025 (Nominee).
  • Maldito Festival de Videopoesia, Teatro Circo, Albacete, Spain , Nov. 15, 2024 (Official Selection).
  • Poetry in Motion 2024 Film Festival, Colorado (Official Selection).
  • REELpoetry 2024 International Film Festival. Houston (Official Selection).
  • Second Poetic Film Festival, 2024, Argentina (Official Selection).
  • Poeman Film Festival, 2024, Peru (Official Selection).

THIS IS WHERE WE’LL BUILD THE LABYRINTH (2023)

A old oak falls in a vineyard, leaving a large dirt patch in the middle of the vines. It’s the perfect spot for a labyrinth thinks the narrator as he ponders the news of the day, from the climate crisis to the latest mass shooting to the first images from the Webb telescope. Original score by Robert Shelton. Labyrinth animation by Olivia Witta.

Film Festivals / Awards

  • Brainwash Drive-in 2025, The Box Shop, San Francisco, CA (Official Selection).
  • Bloomsday Film Festival 2023, Dublin, Ireland (Official Selection).
  • Another Hole in the Head Film Festival 2023, San Francisco (Official Selection).
  • International Sound Future Awards 2023 (Official Selection).
  • ReelHeart International Film Festival 2023 (Finalist).
  • Experimental Film Fest 2023 (Official Selection).

GIANT ROCK (2022)

A desert dream vision. A deathbed hallucination. An extraterrestrial encounter. In this short poetry-film, the narrator visits the Southern California desert where he relives various stages of his life while wandering through a surreal landscape. Original score by John Vanderslice.

Film Festivals / Awards

  • Octopus Marquee Independent Film Festival, 2023, Official Selection.
  • Montreal Intnl Animation Film Festival (Animaze), 2023, Official Selection.
  • Portland Festival of Cinema, Animation & Technology, Aug 2023, Official Selection.
  • Lebanese International Film Festival, Beirut.
  • First Contact Film Festival, July 2023, Official Selection.
  • Prague Underground Film Festival 2023, Semi-Finalist.
  • Los Angeles Animation Festival 2022, Honorable Mention.
  • Niagara Falls International Short Festival 2022, Semi-Finalist.
  • AniMate – Australia Animation Film Festival 2022, Finalist.
  • Austin International Art Festival 2022, Semi-Finalist.

THEN CAME THE FIRESTORM (2021)

This is a short poetry film about a firestorm, a pandemic, and murder hornets. Yes, it pretty much sums up the last year and a half … and counting. Original score by Crystal Pascucci-Clifford and Ryan Ross Smith.

Film Festivals / Awards

  • San Francisco International Short Film Festival 2021 (Official Selection).
  • Another Hole in the Head Film Festival 2021 (Official Selection).
  • Absurd Art House Film Fest 2021 (Official Selection).
  • Make Art Not Fear 2021 (Semi-Finalist).
  • Pandemic Film Festival (2021 Official Selection).
  • Independent Shorts Awards (Finalist).
  • Prague International Monthly Film Festival (Finalist).
  • Kosice International Monthly Film Festival (Finalist).

CHERNOBYL (2021)

Step right this way. The show’s about to begin. Hurry, hurry. It’s gonna be a blast. I wrote this post-apocalyptic-pop song after reading an article about how Chernobyl has become a tourist destination.

Festivals/Awards

  • Semi-Finalist (International Music Video Awards, London).
  • Finalist (Rome Music Video Awards).
  • Finalist (Munich Music Video Awards).
  • Finalist (Prague International Monthly Film Festival).
  • Finalist (Kosice International Monthly Film Festival).
  • Winner, May (Cult Critic Movie Awards, India).

DON’T FORGET TO PACK YOUR HAND GRENADE (2021)

While waiting in an airport security line, I saw the usual signs. No sharp objects. No flammable substances. No firearms. Then my attention was drawn to an image of a grenade with a slash through it. Is this what we’ve come to, I thought? That’s where this song (and music video) came from.

Festivals / Awards

  • Official Selection (Another Hole in the Head Film Festival 2022); world premiere screening December 11, 2022 at the Four Star Theater, San Francisco, CA.
  • Nominee (End of Days Film Festival).
  • Finalist (Munich Music Video Awards).

DEAR LEVIATHAN (2021)

This short poetry-film is a lockdown-influenced rumination about big-mouthed politicians and the lies they spew. It features public domain video clips found in the Prelinger Archives. All audio samples were either created or purchased (or used in accordance with Creative Commons attribution requirements). Required attributions are listed at the end of the film.

  • Absurd Art House Film Fest 2022 (Finalist).
  • Holly Weird Film Festival 2022 (Official Selection).
  • Make Art Not Fear 2021 (Semi-Finalist).

HE RUNS (2020)

It’s an afternoon like any other when a young man goes for a jog in his neighborhood. Little does he know this short run will become a race for his life. This short animated film was inspired by the tragic death of Ahmaud Arbery on February 23, 2020. Original score by Andrew Dixon.

Film Festivals / Awards

  • Midwest Video Poetry Festival (2021 Official Selection).
  • Montreal International Black Film Festival (2021 Official Selection).
  • Sidewalk Film Festival, Birmingham, AL (2021 Official Selection).
  • Socially Relevant Film Festival, New York. (Official Selection).
  • Halifax Black Film Festival (2021 Official Selection).
  • Indie Short Film Fest (Semi-Finalist, January 2021. Los Angeles International Film Festival).
  • Best Shorts Competition (Award of Merit: Animation & Contemporary Issues / Awareness Raising).
  • Independent Shorts Awards (Finalist, November 2020).
  • Spotlight Short Film Awards (2020 Gold Award).

LATE AFTERNOON OCEAN BEACH (2020)

A plump gray cartoon mouse. A black cat. A conversation at Ocean Beach. This short poetry film captures the sights and sounds of the beach, plus a soundtrack featuring snapping guitar strings and marimba.