Production house Fela has added director and photographer Adrian Villagomez to its diverse roster for representation in the U.S. and Canada. He had previously been repped by production company Consulat.
Villagomez earned a Best Alternative Video award at the UKMVAs for his collaboration with Jean-Michel Blais on “passepied.” The clip reflected Villagomez’s raw, docu-style approach, peppered with surreal elements. In 2023, the director received a special award from the Canadian Academy of Cinema for his outstanding music videos and their international impact. His powerful compositions evoke magical realism across work with artists including The Kid LAROI, Denzel Curry, Killer Mike, and Skiifall, and brands Xbox, Montreal Symphony Orchestra, Birks, Aldo, and Audi.
Born to a Peruvian father and a French-Canadian mother, the tri-lingual director was raised in Montreal and grew up playing the violin. After touring with his school orchestra, he attended university for film and photography, then parlayed his musical background into traveling the world as a concert tour photographer and he soon began directing music videos for the same artists. Touring with musical acts internationally proved excellent preparation for his move into the fast pace of advertising.
“Meeting new collaborators abroad and at home, exchanging and creating lasting relationships, has been my fuel,” said Villagomez. “I used to do mostly photography when I started, but I find it to be a lonely medium. Working in cinema, on the other hand, is an experience where everybody works for a common goal and you are as good as the people you surround yourself with.”
“Adrian truly represents Fela’s DNA,” said Taj Critchlow, founder and managing partner of Fela. “His creative ingenuity is a beautiful addition to our roster of artists. He’s not a one-dimensional director and we’re not a one-dimensional company, so whether it’s commercials, music videos, documentaries, or narrative films, we’re always aiming to elevate and energize through what we do.”
“For me, joining Fela feels like the perfect partnership–we just clicked,” continued Villagomez. “They elevate the culture in an amazing, seamless way, whether through film, music videos, or advertising. The emphasis and support that they give to their directors across all these mediums is really exciting.”
“Fela’s roots are unapologetically Canadian but we’re playing on an international stage,” added Critchlow. “It’s something we pride ourselves on and we’re thrilled to partner with Adrian as we celebrate four years as a company this week.”
An “Unstoppable” Premiere At The Toronto Film Festival
A few hours before the film about his life, "Unstoppable," was to premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, Anthony Robles, sitting alongside the actor who plays him, Jharrel Jerome, was remembering the moment he won the NCAA wrestling national title.
He had done something that was, by any measure, extraordinary. Robles was born without his right leg. Through grit and determination, Robles had risen to be the best 125-pound wrestler in the country. But the last thing on his mind at that moment was Hollywood.
"I was sitting there showering off after the match," Robles says. "I was excited and then I was like, 'I gotta find a job. I gotta start getting my resume together.' I never got into any of this for the attention."
"Unstoppable," which premiered Friday night in Toronto, was one of the most-anticipated premieres of the festival partly because of outside drama. The film is produced by Ben Affleck and Matt Damon and co-stars Jennifer Lopez as Robles' mom, Judy. But if all the talk going in was about who would turn up between Affleck and Lopez (Lopez did), the talk after the movie belonged to Robles and Jerome.
The film, directed by the Oscar-winning editor William Goldenberg ("Argo," "Heat") and which Amazon MGM will release in December, is in many ways a conventional sports drama, with an uplifting message and terrific supporting performances from Lopez, Don Cheadle, Michael Peña and Bobby Cannavale. But it also, rather than building toward one big challenge, takes a more naturalistic path. Robles, as played by Jerome, doesn't face a hurdle or two. He faces continual adversity, at home and on the mat.
"That's honestly how I felt going through my life," says Robles, who redshirted as a freshman at Arizona State... Read More