The Cortez Brothers

2012-05-15T09:25:00.000-07:00

¡Muy sabroso! We're currently underway on the second season of PATI'S MEXICAN TABLE, the über-popular cooking series featuring chef Pati Jinich and produced by The Cortez Brothers. Stay tuned for more mouthwatering recipes and tips on bringing authentic Mexican flavors into the American kitchen.

2012-05-11T10:35:00.002-07:00

The Cortez Brothers has just returned from a whirlwind but productive trip to Miami where we attended and sponsored a number of events last week at FIAP, AHAA and USH. We got to reconnect with old friends and clients -- and meet new ones -- at the industry's largest Hispanic advertising festival and awards show.

2012-05-10T11:37:00.000-07:00

Congrats to our directing team Zac&Mac for selling its first feature, a futuristic actioner called "Law Zero," to Warner Bros.!! Variety recently broke the news: http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118053082. More details to come!

2012-03-30T17:10:00.006-07:00

Bernadette Rivero recently sat down for an interview with PRODU, encouraging Latinos in the ad industry to tell their creative stories to Hollywood. Catch more from BB at the jump!

2012-03-20T11:05:00.005-07:00

We are pleased to announce the signing of director Fernando Livschitz for US representation. Buenos Aires-based Livschitz joins our roster on the heels of his two highly successful Web films: "Escalas New York" and "Buenos Aires Inception Park.” Inspired by the design and architecture of great cities, the runaway viral hits combine surreal imagery with the realism of the city. Both films have generated buzz across the world of advertising and visual art.

With the international attention surrounding Livschitz's short films, Ed Rivero sees promising similarities to fellow roster directors Fede Alvarez and Ricardo de Montreuil, both of whom had short films land the attention of major advertising, film and TV players in the United States. Alvarez is currently working on Sam Raimi’s "The Evil Dead." Ricardo de Montreuil, with multiple feature films in active development, is currently turning his short film, "The Raven," into a feature film with Mark Wahlberg attached.

“The addition of Fernando to our roster makes perfect sense and we’re very happy to have him aboard," remarks Rivero. "Fernando highlights the wealth of talent in Latin America, and we’re confident he’ll make a seamless transition to mainstream media just as we've seen with others like Fede and Ricardo.”

View Livschitz 's reel: http://tiny.cc/d9jfbw

“With the tradition of The Cortez Brothers and its breadth of quality projects, I’m excited about the opportunity to create more high-quality work with the company,” concludes Livschitz. “I look forward to bringing my directing aesthetic and eye for detail to the U.S. because these features express my storytelling ability to communicate in a universal language and reach millions of people from all over the world.”

2012-03-02T10:04:00.006-08:00

Even our aquatic pets enjoy a little home movie entertainment -- and if you didn't know that already, they're happy to spell it out for you. The Cortez Brothers Director Simon Bross recently teamed up with ad agency Lopez Negrete and digital design/production studio Charlex to create an amusing Spanish-language spot for Verizon.

Entitled “Fish Tank," the :60 spot features a school of fish who simply want a better view of FiOS, Verizon's 100% fiber optic network. The fish visually express their wish by banding together and forming an arrow, followed by the spelling of the word "TV." The family gets the picture, promptly moving the fish tank to face the TV.

Produced in Mexico City, Bross worked closely with Charlex VFX Supervisor Steve Chiarello to shoot the plates for the CG fish tank.

2012-02-28T13:53:00.003-08:00

Pati Jinich of The Cortez Brothers-produced cooking show, PATI'S MEXICAN TABLE, made a special guest appearance on ABC’s The Chew! With a basket of delectable Garibaldi's in-hand, Pati's grande entrance immediately sweetened the "Mexican Fiesta" episode. Can you say buttery mini pound cakes with a lime-apricot glaze? Wow. On to the next course, Pati invited Mario and Carla to help demonstrate how to make The Pepito, a scrumptious steak torta on rustic bread. Delicioso! Pati even dropped a little culinary wisdom for the viewers at home: It's not Mexican just because you drop a jalapeño in it. Watch clips from the episode and get all of the recipes here.

2012-02-24T14:03:00.000-08:00

Congrats to our roster director Miguel de Olaso, the Mac portion of directing team Zac&Mac. Miguel's DP talents are exhibited in the short film “Foxes,” which makes its official premiere at SXSW 2012! If you’re heading to Austin, be sure to swing by Alamo Lamar A on Sunday, March 11 for the 1:45 p.m. screening. "Foxes" recently took home Best Short at the 9th Annual Irish Film & Television Awards. Watch the trailer here.

Synopsis:

Ellen and James are the only couple living in a ghost estate, an eerie silent maze of uniform houses populated only by spectral shrieking foxes. Ellen starts to photograph the foxes that raid the couple’s rubbish bin and her interest soon becomes an obsession. James becomes alienated by his wife’s increasingly bizarre behavior and the couple’s relationship grows ever more antagonistic. James confronts Ellen and she flees the house, vanishing into the twilight world of endless rows of gardens and empty houses. Night falls and she does not return. James awaits her return, alone, in the suburban limbo.

2012-02-14T09:53:00.000-08:00

Our own Bernadette Rivero will speak at Digital LA's Latino Content Panel on Wednesday, February 15, 2012. She will join Lalo Alcaraz, the Mexican-American cartoonist behind the highly syndicated comic La Cucaracha (and currently the Editor-in-Chief of POCHO.com), as well as Jai Bugarin of Tutele/Maker Studios, among many others, for a panel discussion on digital creation and distribution of content for Latino audiences. The panel will also explore successful content, themes for mainstream audiences, Latino actors and language, as well as marketing and social media.

With the continued emergence of scripted content beyond traditional film and television platforms, Rivero sees unprecedented opportunity for directors of Latino content on the horizon. Keen on the new media trends currently shifting the Latino commercial production landscape, she will bring relevant insight to the discourse. The Cortez Brothers' Storytelling Department had a hand in LOVE 15, an upcoming English-language web series from WarnerBrothers 2.0, and represents directors Fede Alvarez and Ricardo de Montreuil, who both had blockbuster viral hits that led to feature film deals.

2011-12-22T07:47:00.001-08:00

Director Fernando Arrioja recently worked on "Cold Practice," a CG-intensive spot for Coors Lights via ad agency Bromley. This involved shooting in the snowy conditions of the Rockies, as well as working with Mexico's soccer greats against greenscreen and recreating snow with salt in a studio in Mexico City. http://bit.ly/ublbXM

2011-12-19T14:36:00.000-08:00

We're excited to welcome the Clyde Brothers & Esteban Sapir to our directorial roster! They all bring amazing vision and energy to our team. Please take a look at their recent work.

Clyde Brothers: http://bit.ly/vdfGzF
Esteban Sapir: http://bit.ly/w4JhNL

2011-12-06T10:11:00.001-08:00

Truly scrumptious! Our very own TV cooking superstar, Patricia Jinich of "Pati's Mexican Table," shares her secrets to adding Mexican flavor to your holiday dessert table on the "Today Show": http://on.today.com/vRT8JN

2011-10-31T16:52:00.001-07:00

Lots of congratulations to go around at the moment; commercial director Jeannette Godoy has made the Shots 2011 New Director of the Year Short List, proving what we already knew -- she's really, really awesome and on her way to very great things.

Director Simón Bross took on producing duties in addition to his ad work, helping to usher the documentary "Carrière: 250 Meters" to the San Sebastian Film Festival. The film traces the life of Jean Claude Carrière, long-term collaborator of legendary Spanish filmmaker Luis Buñuel.

Director Ted Melfi sold his feature film script "St. Vincent Van Nuys" to Fox; the story, in the vein of AS GOOD AS IT GETS, follows a fatherless boy as he befriends a grumpy old man and the two develop an unlikely relationship.

Andres Muschietti, one half of our Doble Nelson directing duo (plus beloved producer/sister Barbara Muschietti) are hard at work on MAMA, the horror film executive produced by Guillermo del Toro. The story follows a couple caring for their young nieces and nephews as they face off against a supernatural force intent on taking them back.

Angel Gracia's FROM PRADA TO NADA won the audience's choice for best film of the year at Univision's "Premios Juventud" youth awards show... That's in addition to Alexa Vega taking home Favorite Movie Actress at the Alma Awards (beating out Christina Aguilera, Cameron Diaz, Selena Gomez and Eva Mendes).

Finally, The Cortez Brothers adds two new siblings...

Pilar de Posadas is a former Executive Producer at Flehner Films, overseeing productions in North, Central and South America as well as Spain and France. Fluent in English, Spanish, French and conversational Portuguese, she perfectly embodies the international experience of The Cortez Brothers.

Jerome Williams, a native New Yorker, brings over 14 years of executive entertainment experience to The Cortez Brothers. As SVP with Exodus Film Group, he negotiated the deal to develop, produce and finance the first animated project for Tyler Perry Productions. With Williams as a producer, Exodus' 2008 animated feature, IGOR, grossed over $20 million in domestic box office.

Pilar will be handling all of our television initiatives, while Jerome contributes his extensive management experience to our family.

2011-08-08T13:36:00.000-07:00

The first season of our debut television show, "Pati's Mexican Table," has garnered some impressive statistics since hitting the airwaves... It's now available in some 108 million homes in the U.S., and has a mind-boggling carriage rate of almost 94% nationwide. We are deeply and deliciously in pre-production on the next season of the popular cooking program.

The Cortez Brothers' Storytelling Department congratulates two projects it had a slight and hopefully mostly-imperceptible hand in on making it into the pages of Variety recently... Metanoia Films' "Little Boy," directed by Alejandro Monteverde, is a family drama set in 1940s America at the start of World War II; director Fede Alvarez's reboot of the cult horror pic "The Evil Dead," co-written by Alvarez and Rodo Sayaguez, was given a touch-up by screenwriter Diablo Cody and will be produced by Sam Raimi (writer/director of the original) of Ghost House Pictures.

More film-related accolades are in order for part of our Doble Nelson directing team; Andres Muschietti expands on his fantastic short film, turning it into the feature-length "Mama," co-written with our equally beloved Barbara Muschietti, which is currently being produced by Guillermo del Toro. The story follows two girls who flee from a ghostly woman they believe to be their mother.

Our company welcomes a new hire, Pilar de Posadas, to head up our brand spankin' new television department. She'll be helping establish a slate of programs, both Latin and non-Latin, reality and fiction, for the Cortez Brothers.

We've shuffled and fine-tuned our roster with some great new directors...

JEANNETTE GODOY started her career as a choreographer, most notably bringing her energetic dance moves to Sir Mix-A-Lot's famous "Baby Got Back" video; fast-forward to 2011, when SHOOT MAGAZINE named her as an Up-And-Coming Director to watch (amongst many, many reasons we're happy to have her for the Hispanic market).

KARIM OUARET brings his own background in music videos and promos to the table, not to mention experience with Fox Studios, multilingual filming and rhythm, fashion and still photography.

FATTY, meanwhile, got a peculiar start in the world of advertising, creating a homemade commercial for a TV show contest; his first place prize led him to a workshop at the New York Film Academy. From there he served as AD under a number of the commercial world's most talented and award-winning Argentine directors (including Lucho Bender), then branched out by becoming a skilled director in his own right -- and a perfect addition to our lineup of great directorial talent.

2011-05-09T16:20:00.001-07:00

The Cortez Brothers announces a few new names and faces on our roster, all of them very talented directors and directing teams with more than a little Latin flair...

Los Angeles-based ANTONIO VON HILDEBRAND divided his childhood between Bogotá, Colombia and the Amazon jungle. He moved to Europe as a teenager, then to New York to continue his professional studies in publicity and design. He got his start as a creative at the Bates Agency in NY, then became a Creative Director at the JWT Agency in Mexico City, creating campaigns for Diageo, Ford, HSBC, Nestlé and J&B Scotch Whisky. He is the creator and producer of "Addiction," a hybrid series that bridged the worlds of advertising and television; it was acquired by Warner Brothers and developed by Silver Pictures for the North American market. He was the executive producer of CORMAN'S WORLD: EXPLOITS OF A HOLLYWOOD REBEL, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2011. His feature-length documentary PABLO'S HIPPOS, commissioned by BBC/Storyville and the Sundance Channel, revolves around the life of drug dealer Pablo Escobar and his favorite pet -- a hippo.

GUIDO BELFORTE does the impossible -- he combines whimsy and reality in one package, turning stories that looked fantastical on paper into true, believable slices of life. His background in graphic design (he holds a degree from the University of Buenos Aires) and fillmmaking (studying at NYFA in New York) led him to an impressive career as a Creative and Art Director at McCann Erickson and J.W. Thompson, among others. He holds a Master's in Corporate Communication and Advertising from the Complutense University of Madrid, which speaks to his deep understanding of how to effectively craft good stories that make both clients and audiences happy. Belforte speaks fluent Spanish and English and is a recent Cannes Finalist for his Telecinco work.

BURNING CORNERS is the bright young directing duo of Aaron Burns and Carlos Rincones. Former college friends and current visual effects superstars, they've worked their magic on a number of feature film releases, including GRINDHOUSE and MACHETE (from Troublemaker Studios' director Robert Rodriguez), as well as runaway viral hits like "The Raven" (from director Ricardo de Montreuil, which led to a studio deal and a starring role in the upcoming film version for Mark Wahlberg). Burns' feature film debut, BLACKTINO, made its South by Southwest Festival debut earlier this year; it's a black comedy about an awkward half-African-American, half-Latino teenager growing up in Texas. Rincones is in post-production on his own freshman film, MALAVENTURA, a Spanish-language teen comedy about growing up -- but not growing up too much -- in modern Mexico. Together, they offer fun, cutting-edge, young and hip stories for a modern, tech-savvy crowd.

The dynamic collaborative of SHINE is comprised of two friends who both caught the filmmaking bug at the age of 12 and went on to win some pretty impressive awards as adults. One is a multicultural director specializing in live-action comedy, interactive and CGI and who has worked with the Mill NYC for several years; the other is a Cannes Award-winning creative-turned-director who has worked on everything from Levi's to MTV and Nike. Together, they combine the best of both worlds -- great creative twists and the technical know-how to actually pull it off on-screen. Zany, off-the-wall and enjoyable on set, SHINE counts a number of clients (like the BBC, Gap, Geffen Records, Nike, Nickelodeon, ATT, and Ford to name a few) among the list of those they personally deem "Brave And Wise Enough To Have Worked With Us At Least Once." On the "Accolades and Awards From Those That Don't Know Any Better" list? Several Gold, Silver and Bronze Cannes Lions; 8 Silver Andy Awards; 2 Emmy Awards; Gold and Silver from the NY Film Festival; 4 Gold Clios; FIAP and 12 AHAA awards plus, literally, several shelves full of others.

Finally, Mexican native Tania Verduzco and Spanish-born Adrián Pérez operate together under the pseudonym LOS PÉREZ and gladly take shared credit for their joint activities, which include writing, directing, editing and music composition. Their collaboration began when they studied film together at the Center for the Study of Cinema in Catalonia, Spain, and blossomed through the years to the point that Tania recently took Second Prize in Cannes' Young Director Awards and was shortlisted for a Goya. Adrián, meanwhile, combines his film career with music; he's the singer and composer of CatPeople, one of the most important independent rock bands in Spain, and has composed number of different film scores and themes for TV commercials worldwide. Together, they have pooled their beautiful, visual and rhythmic work as directors for companies in both Mexico City and Europe. They are currently writing the screenplay for their first feature film.

2011-04-01T14:17:00.000-07:00

Happy April 1st to our crew, friends and fans. As spring begins, we start with news that The Cortez Brothers has finally (finally!) secured rights to launch the much-beloved television series "¿Qué Pasa, U.S.A.?" as a musical. The show, America's first bilingual sitcom, was produced by and aired on PBS in the late 1970s.

The Cortez Brothers' production, "¿Qué Pasa, U.S.A. - The Musical," will retain its period setting, Little Havana locations and Cuban-American flavor, adding a variety of original songs to the mix.

Meanwhile, final discussions continue on "¡Three Amigos! Part Dos," a follow-up to the 1986 comedy hit with the ahead-of-its-time tagline of, "They're Down On Their Luck And Up To Their Necks In Señoritas, Margaritas, Banditos And Bullets!"

Finally, financing is nearly in place for "Son of Montana," the television pilot that follows the rise and fall of Tony Montana, Jr., son of the main character in 1983's groundbreaking feature film "Scarface." Production will begin in Oxnard and the Czech Republic this summer.

2011-02-01T16:14:00.000-08:00

The Cortez Brothers just moved offices this month, taking over a larger space down the street at 13445 Beach Avenue in sunny Marina del Rey. Ping-pong aficionados are cordially invited to try out our pro table, while our Editing, Production and Storytelling offices enjoy bigger and hipper digs just steps away.

Director Angel Gracia's feature film, "From Prada to Nada," gets a spiffy new poster and a fantastic first weekend in release. The first film out of the gate for Lionsgate's Latin-targeted Pantelion label, the movie enjoyed both our undying love and best wishes for success (since we manage Angel) as well as an overwhelmingly female audience (some 71%!).

Luis Gerard, meanwhile, did a cool movie-style trailer entitled "Sniper" that (trust us) makes reading French subtitles worthwhile.

Not one but two Cortez Brothers directors ended up on Hollywood's Black List for aspiring filmmakers recently; you can find Ricardo de Montreuil there for "The Raven" and Fede Alvarez for "Panic Attack." Actor Mark Wahlberg ("The Fighter," "The Departed," "The Perfect Storm") is attached to star in the upcoming feature version of "The Raven."

VP of Development Bernadette Rivero wrote a Latin-themed project for Warner Brothers that will make its debut over the next few months. We can't say much, except that it follows a Latin family in L.A. as they plan for a big event that doesn't exactly turn out as planned.

The Storytelling Department lends its services to an A-list director and production company working on a very scary screenplay we can't talk about, as well as a reality-based television series for a large TV network we also can't talk about. "Discretion" is a big word for us this year, as is "quality work."

Finally, the beloved writer we manage, Sierra Hall, releases a graphic teaser of her screenplay "The Machete Queen." Story by Sierra, drawings by the very talented Casey Maloney.

2010-10-23T21:55:00.000-07:00

Hey, look! A movie poster with our logo on it. You can catch "Sin Ella" in Mexico at the end of this month; we were happy to help produce it, and even happier to see so many award-winning Mexican and Spanish stars bring it to life. Thank you Buena Vista International, thank you Miravista, and thank you director Jorge Colon for this little gem of a drama.

2010-10-11T10:09:00.000-07:00

There's nothing we like more than sharing good news about our directors, and this month we have two accolades to share.

First, kudos to the fantastic Nelson Cabrera for taking home silver at AHAA for his very funny MTV spot (you can read more in Ad Age about it here). That was thanks to the creative minds at Miami's La Comunidad agency.

Second, Angel Gracia finally and wonderfully has a trailer for his feature film debut, "From Prada to Nada."

2010-08-11T14:30:00.000-07:00

Is summer almost over? Where did the first half of 2010 go!? Kudos to director Angel Gracia, who finally has picture lock (i.e. closure, also known as a completely finished edit) on his feature, From Prada to Nada. It scored ridiculously high with test audiences and is scheduled to hit theaters in early 2011.

Congrats are also due to Aaron Burns for wrapping Blacktino, his directorial debut. The film was shot in Austin, Texas and features Danny Trejo (Desperado, From Dusk Till Dawn, Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy), Daryl Sabara (Spy Kids), a few surprise stars and talented newcomers Austin Marshall, Devyn Ray, Tiger Sheu and Denise Williamson.

Ted Melfi's shorts Roshambo and I Want Candy have been selected by Film Independent (IFP) as two of their Movies of the Month. The former is a mockumentary about the cut-throat world of competitive Rock, Paper, Scissors; the latter follows a family looking for the "perfect" nanny.

As a company, The Cortez Brothers is extremely pleased to announce that we're filming a 13-part television series. We can't give many details except to say that it's English-language, Latin-flavored, the pilot is in the can, and we're quite literally foaming at the mouth thinking about upcoming episodes.

We've reached the 100+ mark on webisodes for our much-loved and ever-evolving AARP project. On the commercial end of things, we've very happily shot spots for wireless carriers, music video channels, department stores and delicious, delicious beer. If you see an awesome Public Service Announcement for the Partnership for a Drug-Free America, that would be us (together with the good folks at Adrenalina).

Finally, a treat for those of you who paid attention in Spanish 101 or are lucky enough to be native Argentine Spanish speakers... this is a ridiculously funny new spot from our director Hernán Almar. If you don't speak español, just revel in the absurdity of Scot-Argentines wearing kilts while riding moonwalking minature ponies.

2010-06-23T12:04:00.000-07:00

First, we are in Cannes this week--so if you spot us sporting our double-headed logo somewhere around town, feel free to say "bonjour."

Second, it is our pleasure to post some impressive artwork from our equally impressive writer Sierra Hall (drawing courtesy of IDW artist Casey Maloney).

Her feature film script "The Naked Eye" is a modern, noir-ish drama about a pair of doomed lovers. Chloe's a young woman escaping her past by hiding in the big city; he's the scientist who falls in love with her--but only after he has turned her invisible, and by then it's too late. Except it's not the invisibility that tears them apart... it's the secret she's hiding.

2010-06-18T15:02:00.000-07:00

Congratulations are in order for our director Nelson Cabrera, who has a stunning ten spots running during the World Cup. If you tune in to a match and see any of his AT&T, Best Buy or Ford work, let out a yell with something other than a vuvuzela.

We also offer some applause for Ricardo de Montreuil, who directed a special effects-driven short called "The Raven." It is floating around the Interwebs in several dozen places, but we particularly like the HD version:

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2010-04-27T14:03:00.001-07:00

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2010-04-12T12:18:00.000-07:00

Wow, what a Spring! We really hit the pavement over the last month, shooting projects and chasing film premieres in Buenos Aires, Los Angeles, Hawaii, Atlanta and Dallas. We are happy to report that we returned from Uruguay with a newfound appreciation for filmmakers there (like our own Fede Alvarez) and for the country as a whole.

Closer to home in Santa Monica, we also moderated a workshop at the National Association of Latino Independent Producers' conference entitled "The Secret to Making 30-Second Feature Films: Commercial Production for Fun, Experience and (Mostly) Profit."

We give a big tip of the hat to our director Cole Webley, since he is a finalist for Boards Magazine's Eleventh Annual First Boards Awards. Boards doesn't mention that he's a red-headed fluent Spanish-speaker (by way of the Dominican Republic), but we will.

On the Storytelling side we welcome the very talented and brilliant writer Sierra Hall to our team, and give a kudos and lots of love to writer/directors Aaron Burns (of the upcoming film "Blacktino," to be produced by Elizabeth Avellán and shot in Texas) and Carlos Rincones (of the upcoming film "Malaventura," currently casting in Mexico).

Finally, we welcome Uruguayan director Guillermo Carbonell to our team. If you happen to read Spanish you can learn more about him in this interview here, and if you don't -- well, you're just going to have to trust us when we tell you that he has worked all over South America and Mexico and we are excited to add someone as talented as he is to our roster.

2010-03-07T23:03:00.000-08:00

Greetings to anyone visiting us from SourceEcreative; their special edition on Latin American production this month prominently features The Cortez Brothers, and we think that's pretty cool. Also, kudos to our director Nelson Cabrera, since he just won five Addys--two of them for "Reunion," the Latin-flavored AT&T spot we shot with the awesome team at Bravo. Cole Webley, our favorite redheaded Spanish speaker, has been chosen as a finalist for the 11th Annual First Boards Awards. Meanwhile, the Storytelling Department lent a hand to three feature film scripts and one documentary proposal over the last few weeks. We specialize in helping producers, directors and writers in the advertising industry turn their ideas into Hollywood-worthy final products (although we do a lot of work with civilian folks, too). Two of the seedling projects we nurtured into full-fledged scripts last year are set to shoot by the end of summer, so we're quite excited about that. Finally, if you haven't checked out our YouTube site we suggest you stop by and say "hi." Of course, you can do that in person if you're in the Marina del Rey area, too...