"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
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
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
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
Instagram: @felipe_vargasf
HOLISTIC
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 Shovel - Short Film
OCTOBER 2017
First Assistant Camera
Slab - Short Film
APRIL 2017
Gaffer
Kill the Lights - Music Video
JANUARY 2017
Boom Operator
Honeylou - Short Film
NOVEMBER 2016
Digital Imaging Technician
Aftermath - Short Film
SEPTEMBER 2017
CREATIVE PROCESS
Preparing for the shoot...
Milk Teeth Concept Art by Kevin Ke | Milk Teeth Concept Art by Pablo Rivera |
---|---|
Milk Teeth Storyboard (1/2) | Milk Teeth Storyboard (2/2) |
Milk Teeth Overhead | Grapefruit & Heat Death! References |
A Fierce Calm Shot List | Vessel Script Annotation |
Storyboard | Distant Script Annotation |
Shot List | Storyboard |
The Guide Script Annotation | The Guide Shot List |
The Guide Concept Art by Pablo Rivera |
Agent
Creative Artists Agency (CAA)
+1 424 288 2000 phone
+1 424 288 2900 fax
Jordan Berg - Television
Albert Lee - Motion Picture Literary
Stephanie Smalling - Motion Picture Literary
Music Video Representation
+1 (323) 899-1559 phone
Jen Herrera
Legal Representative
Gang, Tyre, Ramer, Brown & Passman
+1 310 777 4800 phone
+1 310 777 4801 fax
Daniel Passman
Please feel free to reach out!