Little Minx has signed Luke Gilford to its stable of directors for commercial representation. A multi-hyphenate artist, Gilford wrote and directed the critically acclaimed National Anthem, his debut feature film, which premiered at TIFF and SXSW in 2023. This summer, the film will close the Raindance and Frameline film festivals before opening in select theaters on July 12 and nationwide on July 19. RogerEbert.com hailed the film as “a blend of awe and grace…Gilford’s work with performers and characters announces a major talent.” Paste applauded the film as “effortlessly challenging all expectations…a miraculous feat,” while Vulture described Gilford as “a hot indie wunderkind, descending from the likes of Andrea Arnold and Chloé Zhao.” Earlier this month at its Celebration of LGBTQ+ Cinema and Television, the Critics Choice Association honored Gilford with its “Breakthrough Director” Award.
The film was inspired by Gilford’s photography monograph–also titled “National Anthem”–an intimate and moving document of America’s queer rodeo subculture. Vanity Fair praised the book as being “rich with Gilford’s tenderness for his subjects, while imploring us to rethink the hegemony of the American cowboy.”
“When I saw the trailer for National Anthem, I felt a massive jolt of excitement,” said Little Minx founder and president Rhea Scott. “I have always been intuitive in my director choices, and Luke was someone I needed to get to. When we first sat together, time just flew by–three hours felt like minutes. We completely synced, and I understood his sensibility, what he is capable of and how we can support him to shine in his commercial career, the way he shines in both his film and print work. There is no doubt in my mind that we will thrive together.”
“Rhea reached out to me when the trailer for my film was released. She was very moved by it and wanted to meet. It felt like an honest and authentic attraction,” said Gilford. “We’re aligned in the kind of work we want to make together, and the type of people we like to collaborate with. It was clear to me that Rhea understands what I’m doing in a deep and meaningful way. With Little Minx I plan to make work that shifts and moves culture. It’s about cultivating those projects that matter.”
Prior to National Anthem, Gilford has been recognized for his editorial and commercial work, which is characterized by a strong visual style along with a sense of intimacy and trust with his subjects. He has created campaigns for Apple, Prada, Maybelline, Valentino, Mercedes-Benz, American Eagle, Dom Perignon and Indeed, among others. His music video work includes Troye Sivan’s “Angel Baby,” Kesha’s “Raising Hell” and Blood Orange’s “Best to You.” Gilford’s fine art films and photography have been exhibited around the world; including MoMA in New York and FOAM in Amsterdam. Over the past decade, his work has often been featured in The New York Times, Vanity Fair and Vogue.
Gilford’s filmmaking and photography share a heightened connection between subject and viewer, something he credits to his natural ease and calm, which help nurture a safe space he brings to all of his sets. After his success with National Anthem, Gilford is excited to bring more of the film’s standout filmmaking craft, visionary casting and breathtaking performances to his commercials. Prior to joining Little Minx, Gilford had been handled by production company Golden LA for commercial representation.
On making National Anthem, Gilford told Interview Magazine: “It was a primary goal of mine to craft a story that didn’t just immediately fall into cliches. So at every turn, as soon as you start to feel like you’re expecting something–an alcoholic mother, a kid in danger, or a three-way relationship–I wanted to move against what we’ve seen before. It was important to create something that wasn’t just leaning on cliches. I don’t think survival always has to be about violence or trauma. It can be about joy too, and celebration, and of course love. We all know this is a very scary time. Why do we need to see that on-screen all the time, though? Wouldn’t it be nice to have a little bit of utopia–to give us hope, too?”
Director Collective Savants Signs With Jelly For Global Representation
Jelly, which maintains studios in London, New York and Hamburg, has added European director collective Savants to its roster for global representation. Savants are based across Italy, Spain and Amsterdam, and possess a universal design language that can be applied to all mediums and environments. Prior to joining Jelly, Savants were repped by animation studio Not To Scale.
Exploration of style and technique has led Savants to craft boundary-pushing work that adorns screens, galleries, magazines, walls, hearts and minds--or any surface they can lay their hands on.
Savants have created dynamic characters and brought worlds to life for brands including Adidas, MTV, Hyundai, OK Cupid, Nike, PlayStation and Audi.
Last year the collective designed and animated numerous GFX assets for Netflix’s American Manhunt - The Boston Marathon Bombing, a three-episode docuseries created by director Floyd Russ and executive producer Tiller Russell.
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