Best known for his popular comedy skits on social media and his musical puppetry work on the YouTube channel “Awkward Puppets,” Rudy Mancuso could end up more than just a cult online figure soon. He’s about to star in the semi-autobiographical “Música,” which he co-wrote, directed, directed, choreographed, and composed the score for—a serious multi-hyphenate. Based on his life story, “Música” is a coming-of-age love story that follows an aspiring creator with synesthesia who must come to terms with an uncertain future while navigating the pressures of love, family, and his Brazilian culture in Newark, New Jersey.
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Alongside Mancuso stars Camila Mendes (“Riverdale,” “Do Revenge”), Francesca Reale (“Stranger Things”), J.B. Smoove (“Curb Your Enthusiasm”), and Maria Mancuso (his real-life mother).
Here’s the official synopsis:
Loosely based on his own experiences, Mancuso stars as Rudy, a soon-to-be college graduate and street performer living with his mom (portrayed by his real-life mother, Maria Mancuso) in the Ironbound District of Newark, New Jersey, who experiences synesthesia which manifests as hearing rhythms within quotidian sounds. Already feeling stuck in life – between his seemingly futile passion for music and performing, the long-term relationship with a girlfriend (Reale) who has very different plans for the future than he does, and his mother who puts pressure on him to find and commit to a Brazilian girl as soon as possible – things become more complicated when he meets the enthralling Isabella (Mendes) at his local fish market.
With Música (his debut film), Mancuso crafts a colorful, charming, and laugh-out-loud funny love triangle saga informed by a deep appreciation of his Brazilian culture. Also serving as composer and choreographer, Mancuso embellishes his earnest story with a playful score to creatively convey to viewers the cacophony he constantly hears in his head from commonplace objects. Mancuso and Mendes are a couple in real life as well, adding to their off-the-charts chemistry onscreen.
“Música” is streaming globally on Prime Video on April 4, 2024, and makes its world premiere at the SXSW Film Festival, which begins March 8.