THE MADNESS OF MOONLIGHT

Frank Pollaro’s story is unlikely; leaping from the pages of a Horatio Alger story. With only a high school education, Pollaro built a reputation for crafting singular furniture pieces which are considered functional art, for a global clientele which consists of celebrities and billionaires.

In the unassuming town of Hillside New Jersey his warehouse is full of vintage machinery, a collection of the most coveted wood, and several of the greatest craftsmen in the world. And after 35 years, Frank still introduces himself as a cabinet maker. Humble. Inconspicuous. A man of maniacal precision, absolutely obsessed with perfection; a man at the apex of his craft.

During the pandemic, when clients were reeling it in, Frank transcended his emotions through what he's known for globally: a profound dialog between nature and artistry. It took 9000 hours and millions borrowed from his bank. There's not a musical bone in his body, but Frank and his team may have just built the world’s most brilliant piano.

Originally meant for a 20 minute short, we kept documenting as Covid reared its head. The entire Pollaro team poured their souls into this piece while Frank contemplated his mortality, legacy, and his sanity. Four years passed before he agreed to let me get more personal. What remains is just enough to fall a little bit in love with the gentle father and the mad genius that is Frank.

In an age of AI and instant everything, The Madness of Moonlight is a much needed tribute to the slow, methodical, and soulful discipline of true craftsmanship. A meditation on patience and the constant pursuit of artistic perfection. The connection between our creative minds, beating hearts, and human hands. A sweet story about a son, a father, a husband, and a living legend relentlessly dedicated to the spirit of craft.