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"Vargas is exceptionally talented and I expect to hear a whole lot more from and about him in the future."

Michelle "Izzy" Galgana

  Screen Anarchy

"Excellent direction... Someone to keep an eye out for."

- Bite Size Reviews

 "Vargas shows that you do not have to have a long runtime or a major budget to create a stomach-churning production."

Erin Brady

  Gargoyle

"There's much to love... Felipe Vargas has directed a bunch of shorts spanning several different genres."

C.H. Newell

  Father Son Holy Gore

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DGA AWARD WINNER.

IMAGEN AWARD WINNER.

12+ MILLION YOUTUBE VIEWS.

25+ MILLION TIK-TOK VIEWS.

OVER 100 FILM FESTIVAL SCREENINGS.

VARIETY'S EMERGING LATINO CREATOR.

WORK BROADCASTED ON PBS, CNN, TEDx, KTLA.

ONLINE RELEASES ON SHORT OF THE WEEK, DUST, ALTER.

PROJECTS WITH AMAZON FREEVEE, SONY PICTURES TELEVISION,

PARAMOUNT PICTURES, LIONSGATE FILMS, MATTEL FILMS, AGC STUDIOS,

VERTIGO ENTERTAINMENT (ROY LEE), ACT III PRODUCTIONS (NORMAN LEAR),

EXILE CONTENT, BOAT ROCKER STUDIOS.

Bio

BIO

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Felipe Vargas is a Colombian-American writer and director in the realm of boldly-original, thrilling stories with a genre twist.  Felipe's work is often inspired by Latin American mythologies and magical realism. He is a DGA and Imagen award winner, selected as a Latino Content Creator to Watch by Variety.

 

Felipe grew up with his grandmother's legends and campfire tales, where the stars were guardian angels and the woods were full of monsters.  He's always been impassioned by horror films, flooding his parents' bathtub with fake blood and filming it with a camcorder or tying homemade prosthetics to his dog - his first movie monster.  His love for the magical and macabre is shaped by an odd crossroad of Guillermo Del Toro and Terrence Malick, of magical realist Colombian literature and Weird Tales pulp magazines.

 

Felipe directed the upcoming thriller feature "Rosario" for Mucho Mas Media and Jaguar Bite (starring Emeraude Toubia and David Dastmalchian).  He is directing the next installment of "Leprechaun" for Lionsgate, while developing other genre projects with AGC Studios and Paramount Pictures.  His latest short film "Hive" stars Xochitl Gomez.

 

As a writer, Felipe is penning "Bob the Builder" for Mattel Films, produced by Jennifer Lopez and starring Anthony Ramos.  He's a Co-EP and Pilot writer on a fantasy-adventure series based on Mexico’s beloved “Loteria” card game.

BEHIND THE SCENES

Behind the Scenes
Accolades

ACCOLADES

As  Writer  and/or  Director.

Please contact us for updated list.

Official Selection

BOGO Shorts Film Festival

DECEMBER 2020

Official Selection

CRASH Int'l Fantastic Film Festival

DECEMBER 2020

Official Selection

Athens International Children's Film Festival

NOVEMBER 2020

Official Selection

Certamen International De Cortas De Soria

NOVEMBER 2020

Official Selection

Saskatoon Fantastic Film Festival

NOVEMBER 2020

Official Selection

Aesthetica Film Festival

NOVEMBER 2020

Official Selection

Sitges Film Festival

OCTOBER 2020

Official Selection

Fantastic Film Festival

OCTOBER 2020

Best Student Film - Nominee

National Film Festival for Talented Youth

OCTOBER 2020

Official Selection

Morbido Film Fest

OCTOBER 2020

Official Selection

Lund Fantastic Film Festival

OCTOBER 2020

Official Selection

Athens International Children's Film Festival

OCTOBER 2020

Official Selection

FILMETS Badalona Film Festival

OCTOBER 2020

Best Student Film Winner

Imagen Award

SEPTEMBER 2020

Official Selection

Catalina Film Festival

SEPTEMBER 2020

Official Selection

CAA Moebius Film Festival

MAY 2020

Best Young Director Winner

Maniatic International Film Festival

SEPTEMBER 2020

Official Selection

Catalina Film Festival

SEPTEMBER 2020

Best Short Film Winner

Horrible Imaginings

SEPTEMBER 2020

Official Selection

L'Étrange Film Festival

SEPTEMBER 2020

Official Selection

Academy Gold Alumni Screening

Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences

APRIL 2020

Best Cinematography Winner

Maniatic International Film Festival

SEPTEMBER 2020

Finalist

Fine Cut Festival of Films

SEPTEMBER 2020

Official Selection

Fantasia Film Festival

SEPTEMBER 2020

Official Selection

Newport Beach Film Festival

AUGUST 2020

Finalist

In Roads Screenwriting Fellowship

APRIL 2020

Discovery Scholar Distinction

University of Southern California

MAY 2020

Best Emerging Filmmaker Semi-Finalist

Scout Film Festival

APRIL 2020

Official Selection

Lady Filmmakers Film Festival

SEPTEMBER 2019

Acquisition and Multi-platform Release

Gunpowder & Sky - DUST

AUGUST 2019

Official Selection

Chattanooga Film Festival

APRIL 2019

Special Mention

LA Festival of Cinema

APRIL 2019

Official Selection

AFC Global Fest

NOVEMBER 2018

Official Selection

Long Beach Indie International Film Festival

AUGUST 2018

Official Selection

Latin-X Screening

General Consulate of Mexico

MAY 2018

Official Selection

Southern Arizona Independent Film Festival

APRIL 2018

Official Selection

Film Carpet XII

FEBRUARY 2018

Outstanding Sound Design Winner

School of Cinematic Arts Sound Faculty

MAY 2020

Acquisition and Multi-platform Release

Gunpowder & Sky - DUST

APRIL 2020

Official Selection

Los Angeles Lift-Off Film Festival

SEPTEMBER 2019

Acquisition and National Broadcast

PBS Filmmaker - Season Two

JULY 2019

Official Selection

Beverly Hills Film Festival

APRIL 2019

Official Selection (Three Films)

Scout Film Festival

JANUARY 2019

Honorable Mention

Salute Your Shorts Fest

AUGUST 2018

Official Selection

Canada's Yes! Let's Make a Movie Film Festival

AUGUST 2018

Official Selection

25 Under 25 Film Fest

MAY 2018

Official Selection

Global Grit Film Fest

APRIL 2018

Official Selection

Miami Independent Film Festival

DECEMBER 2017

Best Genre Film Nominee

USC First Look Jury

APRIL 2020

Grand Prize Winner

Cine-Books

JANUARY 2020

Best Short Screenplay Finalist

HollyShorts Film Festival

AUGUST 2019

Official Selection

Sarasota Film Festival

MAY 2019

Best Short Film Nominee

LA Festival of Cinema

APRIL 2019

Grant Winner

National YoungArts Foundation

DECEMBER 2018

Best Short Film Finalist

Film Miami Fest

AUGUST 2018

Acquisition and National Broadcast

PBS Filmmaker - Season One

JUNE 2018

Official Selection (Three Films)

Earth Day Film Festival

APRIL 2018

Official Selection

Garden State Film Festival

MARCH 2018

Official Selection

Camera Ziziano

DECEMBER 2017

Official Selection

Early Bird International Film Festival

NOVEMBER 2017

Best Emerging Filmmaker Winner

C&C Hollywood Film Festival

OCTOBER 2017

Official Selection

Copenhagan Underground Film Festival

SEPTEMBER 2017

Official Selection

Hackney Attic Film Festival

AUGUST 2017

Official Selection

Cine Las Americas International Film Festival

MAY 2017

Most Likely To Succeed

TV Production Program

Cypress Bay High School

MAY 2016

Accepted Student Filmmaker

Chapman University Dodge College of Film

MARCH 2016

Accepted Student Filmmaker

UNC School of Arts

MARCH 2016

Accepted Student Filmmaker

USC School of Cinematic Arts

JANUARY 2016

First Place Winner

Sci-Fi / Fantasy Short Film Competition

Student Television Network

JUNE 2016

Best of the Best (First Place Winner)

Short Film Category

Florida Scholastic Press Association

MARCH 2015

Honorable Mention

Public Service Announcement

Florida Scholastic Press Association

MARCH 2015

Audience Award Nominee

48 Hour Film Festival

JUNE 2014

Official Selection

AFC Global Fest

NOVEMBER 2017

Best Student Film Nominee

Hollywood Verge Film Awards

SEPTEMBER 2017

Official Selection

Cote d'Azur Sport Film Festival

SEPTEMBER 2017

Official Selection

Santa Monica Int'l Teen Film Festival

JULY 2017

Grand Prix - First Place Winner

Alphies Competition

USC School of Cinematic Arts

OCTOBER 2016

First Place Winner

Digital Cinema Competition

SkillsUSA Florida State Conference

APRIL 2016

Accepted Student Filmmaker

Emerson College Film & Media Art

MARCH 2016

Accepted Student Filmmaker

UT Austin Department of Radio-TV-Film

MARCH 2016

Merit Winner

National YoungArts Foundation

NOVEMBER 2015

Best of Miami & Fort. Lauderdale Nominee

48 Hour Film Festival

JUNE 2015

Best of the Best (First Place Winner)

Broadcast Film Review

Florida Scholastic Press Association

MARCH 2015

Second Place

Digital Cinema Competition

SkillsUSA South Florida Regional Conference

FEBRUARY 2015

Perfect Score (Top 2%)

Creative Writing

Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test

JUNE 2014

Official Selection

Seoul International Youth Film Festival

NOVEMBER 2017

Official Selection

Newark International Film Festival

SEPTEMBER 2017

Official Selection

Covellite International Film Festival

SEPTEMBER 2017

Semi-Finalist

Los Angeles CineFest

JULY 2017

Third Place

Digital Cinema Competition

SkillsUSA National Conference

JULY 2016

Accepted Student Filmmaker

FSU Film School

MARCH 2016

Accepted Student Filmmaker

Savannah College of Art and Design

MARCH 2016

Accepted Student Filmmaker

NYU Tisch School of the Arts

MARCH 2016

Official Selection

All-American High School Film Festival

AUGUST 2015

Second Place

Digital Cinema Competition

SkillsUSA Florida State Conference

APRIL 2015

All-Florida Winner (Second Place)

Broadcast Film Review

Florida Scholastic Press Association

MARCH 2015

Second Place

On-the-Spot Broadcast Editorial

Florida Scholastic Press Association

NOVEMBER 2014

ACCOLADES

As Editor

Platinum Remi Award Winner

World Fest Houston International Film Festival

FALL 2020

Jury Award - Best Documentary Feature

Durango Film Festival

MARCH 2020

Audience Award - Best Documentary Feature

Durango Film Festival

MARCH 2020

Focus on Social Impact Award

San Diego International Film Festival

OCTOBER 2019

Finalist

Emerge Film Festival

OCTOBER 2019

Opening Screening

Wildlife Conservation Film Festival

OCTOBER 2019

Award of Excellence

The Impact DOCS Awards

JULY 2019

World Peace Initiative Winner

AFI World Peace Initiative (Cannes)

MAY 2019

Audience Award - Best Documentary Feature

San Diego International Film Festival

OCTOBER 2019

Best Documentary Feature

New Jersey International Film Festival

OCTOBER 2019

Finalist

LA Theatrical Release Competition & Awards

OCTOBER 2019

Official Selection

Breckenridge Film Festival

SEPTEMBER 2019

Grand Prize Winner

Silicon Beach Film Festival

JUNE 2019

Spirit of Activism Award

San Francisco Documentary Film Festival

MAY 2019

Jury Award - Best Documentary Feature

San Diego International Film Festival

OCTOBER 2019

Finalist

Flickers' Rhode Island Int'l Film Festival

OCTOBER 2019

Official Selection

Heartland International Film Festival

OCTOBER 2019

Official Selection

Vail Film Festival

AUGUST 2019

Official Selection

New Media Film Festival

JUNE 2019

Audience Award Winer

New Haven Film Festival

MAY 2019

Official Selection

Julien Dubuque Film Festival

APRIL 2019

Official Selection

Newport Beach Film Festival

APRIL 2019

Updates

UPDATES

Instagram: @felipe_vargasf

HOLISTIC

EXPERIENCE

Additional Experience

Television Development Intern

Annapurna Pictures

SUMMER 2019

Production & Development Intern

Pantelion Films

Lionsgate Entertainment

SUMMER 2019

Academy Gold Participant

Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences

SUMMER 2019

Television Intern

Blumhouse Productions

SPRING 2019

Office of the CEO Intern

Showtime Networks

SUMMER 2018

Advertisement Director

Trojan Marketing Group

University of Southern California

SPRING 2018 - SPRING 2020

Video Team Cameraman / Editor

Price School of Public Policy

University of Southern California

FALL 2017 - SPRING 2018

Vice-President

Undergraduate Student Council

USC School of Cinematic Arts

SPRING 2017 - FALL 2017

PRODUCTION EXPERIENCE

Below-the-line work

Gaffer

Flour Baby - Short Film

FEBRUARY 2019

Director of Photography

Candy - Short Film

NOVEMBER 2018

Grip & Electric

Llora Conmigo - Short Film

NOVEMBER 2019

Visual Effects

The Guide - Short Film

SEPTEMBER 2018

First Assistant Director

Lulu - Short Film

MAY 2018

Director of Photography

Deebee's Organics - Advertisement

APRIL 2018

First Assistant Director

Our Last Normal Conversation - Short Film

MARCH 2018

Second Assistant Camera

Summon a Fiend - Short Film

FEBRUARY 2018

Director of Photography

Hurts So Good - Short Film

JANUARY 2018

First Assistant Director

Ensemble - Web Series

NOVEMBER 2017

Director of Photography

Peche de Mort - Short Film

NOVEMBER 2017

Script Supervisor

Burt & The Wall Children - Short Film

SEPTEMBER 2017

Script Supervisor

Sedation - Short Film

MAY 2017

First Assistant Camera

Shortly Before Rising - Short Film

FEBRUARY 2017

Grip & Electric

Lost in Arancore - Short Film

FEBRUARY 2017

Art Director

Wrapped - Short Film

JANUARY 2017

Grip & Electric

Anchor Baby - Short Film

DECEMBER 2016

First Assistant Camera

Reverie - Short Film

OCTOBER 2016

Art Department

Undertones - Virtual Reality Film

OCTOBER 2016

Gaffer

Limp - Short Film

JANUARY 2019

Production Intern

Paper Tiger - Feature Film

OCTOBER 2018

Director of Photography

Clown - Short Film

APRIL 2018

Second Assistant Director

American Cancer Society - PSA

FEBRUARY 2018

Second Assistant Director

12 Days of Christmas - Feature Film

DECEMBER 2018

Production Designer

My Ex Girlfriend is a ShovelShort Film

OCTOBER 2017

First Assistant Camera

Slab - Short Film

APRIL 2017

Gaffer

Kill the Lights - Music Video

JANUARY 2017

Boom Operator

HoneylouShort Film

NOVEMBER 2016

Digital Imaging Technician

Aftermath - Short Film

SEPTEMBER 2017

Creative Process

CREATIVE PROCESS

Preparing for the shoot...

Milk Teeth Concept Art by Kevin Ke

Milk Teeth Concept Art by Kevin Ke

Milk Teeth Concept Art by Pablo Rivera

Milk Teeth Concept Art by Pablo Rivera

Milk Teeth Storyboard (1/2)

Milk Teeth Storyboard (1/2)

Milk Teeth Storyboard (2/2)

Milk Teeth Storyboard (2/2)

Milk Teeth Overhead

Milk Teeth Overhead

Grapefruit & Heat Death! References

Grapefruit & Heat Death! References

A Fierce Calm Shot List

A Fierce Calm Shot List

Vessel Script Annotation

Vessel Script Annotation

Storyboard

Storyboard

Distant Script Annotation

Distant Script Annotation

Shot List

Shot List

Storyboard

Storyboard

The Guide Script Annotation

The Guide Script Annotation

The Guide Shot List

The Guide Shot List

The Guide Concept Art by Pablo Rivera

The Guide Concept Art by Pablo Rivera

Contact

Agent

Creative Artists Agency (CAA)

caa.com

+1 424 288 2000 phone

+1 424 288 2900 fax

info@caa.com

Jordan Berg - Television

Jordan.Berg@caa.com

Albert Lee - Motion Picture Literary

Albert.Lee@caa.com

Stephanie Smalling - Motion Picture Literary

Stephanie.Smalling@caa.com

Manager

Magnolia Entertainment

+1 323 510 0818 phone

Michael Klein

michael@magnoliaent.com

Music Video Representation

Las Bandas.  Be Brave.

lasbandas.tv

+1 (323) 899-1559 phone

Jen Herrera

jen@lasbandas.tv

Legal Representative

Gang, Tyre, Ramer, Brown & Passman

+1 310 777 4800 phone

+1 310 777 4801 fax

Daniel Passman

DIRECT INQUIRIES

Please feel free to reach out!

Thanks for submitting!

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