Ruben Latre, a Barcelona-born director known for his innovative work in commercials, music videos, documentaries and broadcast design, has signed with STORY for exclusive representation in the United States. Latre, who is bilingual and currently resides in New York City, was included in SHOOT Magazine’s 2011 New Directors Showcase and was also named “Best New Director” at the 2010 APCP Awards in Spain.
Latre’s work in advertising includes U.S. and European campaigns for Y&R, Leo Burnett, McCann and Global Hue, and clients including Spanish construction giant Sacyr Vallehermoso and Biomasa. A spot that he directed for European energy giant Iberdrola and Y&R Madrid starred Spain’s national soccer team and ran throughout the 2010 World Cup. Most recently, his spot Pioneer for U.S. heath-care provider TMG Health was short-listed for Best Cinematography at the 2012 AICP Awards.
Latre has also garnered considerable acclaim for his documentaries and short films. Last year, he directed a short film for the new National Museum of Hip-Hop in New York, via Global Hue, in which a conductor, dressed in a bow-tie and tails, walks through a graffiti-filled section of New York to lead a hip-hop orchestra composed of DJs. He also directed the documentaries Seven Days and Angkor City of Gods for Spanish television that were shot in Cuba and Cambodia, respectively.
“Ruben has developed a highly original creative vision, and he applies it to all of his projects with skill, imagination and passion,” said STORY executive producer Mark Androw. “We believe he is going to be a major force in advertising and in other areas of filmmaking and look forward to working with him and helping to further his career.”
Latre began his career as an editor and later worked as a graphic artist. He continues to edit much of his own work and often employs unusual post production techniques to create powerful visuals. For the TMG Health campaign, Latre travelled to southern Iceland to record a starkly beautiful story of a lone hiker trekking across the country’s volcanic landscape.
Latre said that he joined STORY because he felt its national presence (it has production offices in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago) will aid the development of his U.S. career. “I hope to gain more assignments that are creatively satisfying,” he said. “I focus intensely on my projects. Everything outside of work, for me, doesn’t exist. I live, breath and love my projects.”
STORY is represented is represented on the East Coast by Laura Zinn (212) 741-0909; in the Midwest by Dawn Ratcliffe (312) 491-9194, in the Southeast by Miller + Associates, (954) 563-6004; in the Southwest by Gossip!, (214) 288-2813 and on the West Coast by Susan Bennett (310) 827-8441.
