MONEY TALK$ is a 33-minute delight. From its music, to its actors, to that infamous—and root of all the film’s problems—100-dollar bill. Written by Tony Mucci and David Mazouz and directed by Tony, the film is fun, fast, and chaotic… just like money.
Set in New York, 1981, it feels like a love letter to a city that has inspired countless directors through the years. Think Woody Allen’s Manhattan or Scorsese’s Taxi Driver. Speaking of Scorsese… Francesca, his daughter, appears in the opening scene, and of course the question on everyone’s mind was: “How did she get there!?” It’s Tony’s first film, but definitely not his first rodeo in the industry, hence his connection with Marty’s daughter.
The film lives fully in the 80s: Star Wars, Reagan, Deep Throat, the cultural noise of that decade. It follows a hundred-dollar bill as it passes from hand to hand, from life to life, improving it… or ruining it.
What was meant to be a 20-minute interview turned into a two-hour matcha conversation. We talked about his debut in music video, MONEY TALK$, and everything in between.
The interview began in a funny way. We were supposed to meet at a hotel; I arrived, texted Tony, he came to the lobby, texted me… yet we couldn’t find each other. Turns out I was at a different hotel, half an hour away from his. Misfortune. I took the tube to meet him, though Tony, ever the gentleman, offered to call an Uber. With London traffic, the tube was faster. I finally arrived at this gorgeous hotel, and we headed to the bar.
“I’d like a soy-milk matcha latte, please,” I told the waiter.
“Oh, that sounds good—I’ll take the same,” Tony said.
Tony is 26 but feels like he’s lived a thousand lives. From his vintage style and those 80s glasses printed with Stanley’s Kubrick signature, to the fact that he’s a walking film encyclopedia. He dropped out of school and started directing music videos for a singer friend. He’d even sneak into rapper concerts just to introduce himself. That led him to work with major artists such as Drake, and Lil Wayne, among others.
When I asked about the jump from music videos to cinema, he said it was simply in his blood. As a kid, it was all about creating and building universes, starting with Legos and then, the hundred-dollar bill his grandma gave him every Christmas. One year, the bill was torn and glued back together. They joked about all the places it might have been, and voilà: MONEY TALK$ was born.
Tony was lucky enough to meet the person who later invited him onto the set of a huge Hollywood production. He watched everything. Absorbed everything. A sponge soaking up knowledge and experience from big-budget filmmaking. Mix that with his creativity and imagination and boom! A beautiful cinematic experience emerges. And about Francesca Scorsese: he met her on one of those sets and they became friends.
He cast every actor in his film, all people he knew personally. I asked what it was like to work only with friends in such a specific environment. He quoted Kubrick: “Work with friends because they won’t charge you”.
“Not too bad being friends with the daughter of one of your biggest inspirations, huh?” I joked. He laughed and said he considers himself very lucky. He’s had the chance to spend time with Marty himself. At first, Scorsese was cautious. It’s his daughter’s friend, after all, but after a few meetings, he opened up, and real conversations happened. What I would give to be a fly on the wall for those.
If there’s something Marty and Tony share is a deep love and passion for movies. Tony’s knowledge of classics, directors, fun facts and everything film-related is impressive.
There’s a scene in MONEY TALK$ with blood, and God knows I’m a fan of blood in films. It’s an element I can talk about for hours, and I’m obsessively picky about it. It doesn’t even have to look “real”; it just needs to make sense with the film. The color, the texture, the placement… Here I go. I told him I liked his blood, which is a very weird thing to say. He laughed. He knew what I meant. Our humor just clicks.
Another thing I loved about the film was the color palette. The colors capture that vibrant decade in a city with its pulse exposed. Neon-lit and grimy, dangerous and dazzling. Graffiti-bright dreams on streets that smelled of ambition and sex. Loud, wild, imperfect… Beautifully portrayed by Tony and the characters who inhabit those dirty nighttime streets, those clubs and X-rated cinemas, and by day, the toy stores, parks, and subways.
If I could define the film with one word, it would be nostalgic. From the city, to the music, to the shots. It looks and feels like an 80s film made by an 80s director. A unique achievement from a young filmmaker who wasn’t even born then.
We talked for hours and ended the interview shaking hands, agreeing to work together next year on his next project. He has so many ideas, so many formats he wants to explore. I can’t wait to see what’s next for him.
The film is now running to qualify for the Oscars 2026 for Best Live-Action Short Film. It has everything it needs to make the cut—and win.
© Featured image: Still from the film MONEY TALK$ © 2025
