Mario Pagano is a Venezuelan director, writer, producer, photographer, composer and visual Artist. His passion for storytelling began at the age of fifteen when he started creating films with a Video8 camera.

His artistic sensibility was shaped by a multicultural background that combines the aesthetic heritage of his Italian father with the vibrant spirit of his Venezuelan mother. Raised in a family where art and music played a central role, Pagano developed an early fascination with visual expression and narrative.

At the age of eighteen, he began working in front of the camera in commercials and television programs while studying advertising.

He spent a brief season in Paris, where he deepened his connection to the arts through the fashion industry, Upon returning to Caracas, he studied acting with the firm goal of understand the actor’s methodology and preparing himself as a film director.

In 1998, Pagano began working as self-taught photographer and quickly gained recognition for a distinctive visual style characterised by bold color palettes and strong narrative imagery. His work led to collaborations with leading fashion magazines and advertising agencies throughout Latin America.

At the age of twenty-seven, he received the award for “Best Fashion Photographer of Latin America” at the “Vogue Latin Fashion Awards”. Following this achievement, he moved to New York to studyFilmmaking at the New York Film Academy.

In 2003, Pagano relocated to Madrid, Spain, where he continued developing his audiovisual career, through film projects, television series, music videos, and advertising campaigns. Constantly exploring new forms of storytelling, he also ventured into theater, directing and producing the plays: “Do not ask me to return” and “Paco the Butcher”.

Pagano has directed seven short films, including “Shock”, which received the “Calle 13 Special Mention Award” at Spain’s “Notodofilmfest” and was selected for numerous international film festivals.

In 2016 he premiered his first feature film titled: “Backseat Fighter”, an English-language action thriller for which he served as writer, director, producer and cinematographer. The film was released theatrically across Europe, Latin America, and the United States. It was “Official Selection” for numerous international film festivals and won three awards at the “International Action Film Festival of Spain 2018” including: “Best Picture”

In 2020, Pagano received his first “Honorable Mention” at the prestigious “International Photography Awards” (IPA) and published his first book, “Monitor”. The following year,  he earned second “Honorable Mention” at the IPA Awards 2021.

In 2023, he became for two years coordinator of the Video Art Group at the Visual Artists Association of Madrid (AVAM). That same year, he presented his video art piece “Deformed Beauty” while continuing to expand the series. The project received an “Honorable Mention” in the section Fine Arts Photography (Nudes) category at the IPA Awards.

In 2024, Pagano won an “Honorable Mention” at the Monochrome Photography Awards, a Nomination at the “Fine Art Photography Awards” and another “Honorable Mention” at the IPA Awards He also premiered his second feature film, New Earth (Nueva Tierra), a sci-fi fantasy thriller. In addition to directing, writing, producing and serving as cinematography, he also composed the film’s original score.

In 2025, Pagano was selected as one of the ten emerging producers of Spain to attend the Visitors Programme at the European Film Market at Berlinale (EFM). Also received a Honorable Nomination at the “Fine Art Photography ” and a Honorable Mention at IPA Awards. Also in 2025another photographic series and recognition with an “Honorable Mention” at Video Art and Experimental Film Festival of New York with his experimental film Screen Kills an official selections at various experimental film festivals around the world.

In 2026 he completed his latest film, Eternal Love, a unique artistic film about universal love, supported of two important museums: the National Museum Thyssen-Bornemisza in Madrid, Spain and the Jumex Museum of Contemporary Art in Mexico and published his second book, this time a novel, titled: “El motel de los Pecados” (The Motel of Sins)