Welcome to Hollywood cinema, Fede Alvarez

By Brian C. Kuriawa

In recent years, it’s often been argued about the status of Hollywood and the quality of films that are annually given to audiences on a weekly basis. While various filmmakers have been given the stamp of approval by both studios and audiences, with each passing year, fewer and fewer young directors emerge from the limelight to make their mark. In several cases, these individuals are often hyped to the skies on their debut, only to wander from the spotlight or suffer under critically panned works. Yet from this uncertain industry lies one filmmaker whose recent feature length debut may be the start of an excellent career, his name, Fede Alvarez.

Born February 9, 1978 in Montevideo, Uruguay, Alvarez made his debut in 2001 with the 12 minute short film, “Los Pocillos.” Five years later, he made a minor splash when his short, “El Cojonudo” was the winner for “Best Short Film” at the 2006 Buenos Aires Rojo Sangre, an international festival spotlighting sci-fi, horror and fantasy cinema. Yet for the up and coming filmmaker, a game-changer was fast approaching on the horizon.

In 2009, working within a budget of $300, Alvarez’s short film, “Ataque de Panico!” a.k.a. “Panic Attack,” debuted online and became an overnight sensation when it was featured on the blog of rapper Kanye West. The feature, which spotlighted an immensely special effects oriented alien invasion featuring giant robots, led to a contract with Ghost House Pictures to produce his own science-fiction piece. By 2013 however, the director found himself at the helm of a reboot to Sam Raimi’s popular “Evil Dead.”

With the critical and financial success of “Evil Dead” upon his career, Alvarez appears to be making a transition to the world of mainstream cinema. Despite talks regarding further sequels in the above mentioned series and a potential project from Marvel Studios, his future seems up in the air, but for the moment that seems fine for this newcomer.

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