Driving on Success Blvd... If your dreams don't scare you, they are not big enough.
Driving on Success Blvd... If your dreams don't scare you, they are not big enough.
PEPE is currently developing the series Belleza en Juicio and the films Policy of the Heart and Cuando te hablen de Amor (José Alfredo Jiménez).
Pepe just released on Christmas day 2024 the seven-episode limited series Ahora que no Estás (Jump-Start My Heart), an original Amazon MGM Studios series which he created, directed, wrote and produced all episodes (showrunner). The series was a hit and remained 9 consecutive weeks on the Top 10 Most Watched Titles on Amazon Prime Mexico. The series assembles a renowned cast which includes Erik Hayser, Ana Serradilla, Gaby Espino, Sandra Echeverría, Yare Santana, Dominika Paleta, Laura de Ita y Osvaldo de León.
Pepe’s film, Como Caído del Cielo, a Netflix original musical comedy he directed, produced and co-wrote, inspired by the songs of Mexican legend Pedro Infante, starring Omar Chaparro, Ana Claudia Talancón & Stephanie Cayo, was released on Christmas day and became the 2019's number one Spanish title in Mexico on Netflix. Also, the film ranked third for any title released in Mexico that year, regardless of language. And in the United States, the film was one of Netflix’s 2019 Top 10 Most Popular International releases.
Some of his notable projects include:
Más sabe el Diablo por Viejo, which was produced and released theatrically by 20th Century Fox in July 2018. The film was nominated for 2 Silver Goddess Awards given by the Mexican Film Press & Critics and it reached 6th place in Mexican films box office in 2018. The film assembles an amazing cast that includes Osvaldo Benavides, Sandra Echeverría, Martín Altomaro, Arturo Barba and Mexican film legends Ignacio López Tarso, Isela Vega, Lorena Velázquez & Tara Parra.
Legends, a collection of stories that depict the magic of Latin folk tales and fables, written, produced and directed by Pepe.
Hidden Moon, a binational production between USA and Mexico, distributed by Universal Pictures, where Pepe also directs, writes and produces. The feature film assembles a cast from Hollywood and Mexico that includes the BAFTA nominee and Oscar Winner for Best Film for American Beauty, Wes Bentley. Along with Latin American star Ana Serradilla and US Actors Johnathon Schaech and Linda Gray. The original score was composed by Luis Bacalov, Academy Award winner for the Italian film IL Postino, and the love theme of the film was performed by the Italian singers IL VOLO.
Hidden Moon was nominated for 8 Silver Goddess Awards given by the Mexican Film Press including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actress (won), Best Actor, Best Song (won), Best Supporting Actress, and it won the Bravo Awards in Mexico for Best Picture of the Year, Best Actress and Best Actor. The film also won Best Film and Best Cinematography at the Cinegear Expo - Paramount Pictures in LA.
Sea of Dreams represents Pepe's feature-film debut as a director, writer and producer. A Mexican- American production in English that assembles an international cast which includes the three time Golden Globe, Emmy and BAFTA nominee Brazilian actress Sonia Braga, Academy Award nominee Seymour Cassel, Johnathon Schaech & Mexican sweetheart Angelica Maria. Once again, Pepe makes a team with famous composer Luis Bacalov.
Sea of Dreams received much critical acclaim, cited by VARIETY as “... a rare treasure.” and earned Pepe the 2006 Silver Goddess award from the Mexican Film Press, Journalists & Critics. The film was also listed as one of the top ten films of the year by Cinemania Magazine. His perspective, which fuses the Latin and American experience, was honored in a gallery presentation at the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, showcasing Sea of Dreams as part of “The Legacy of Mexican Cinema” exhibition.
Pepe holds a Master of Fine Arts degree in film directing from the University of Southern California USC School of Cinematic Arts, a degree in marketing from Harvard University and a Bachelor’s degree from the Monterrey Institute of Technology.
His numerous awards include the DGA Student Film Award for directing, the Kodak Award, the Barbara Corday Award, the USC Faculty 546 directing Award, and a Cinema Circulus Award for academic excellence. Additionally, he was recognized with a grant from Columbia TriStar as a promising new talent, and for three consecutive years, the directing award given by the Mexican National Endowment for Culture and the Art.
PEPE, es un reconocido cineasta internacional, conocido por su innovadora visión y versatilidad en la industria cinematográfica. Estudió su Maestría en Dirección Cinematográfica en la prestigiada Universidad del Sur de California USC.
Nacido en México, Pepe ha sido reconocido por su habilidad para capturar la esencia de las historias y ofrecer narrativas cautivadoras que resuenan con el público. Sus películas han sido multi premiadas y en México han tenido 13 nominaciones a las Diosas de Plata, obteniendo tres de ellas. Su perspectiva, que fusiona su experiencia latina y americana, fue homenajeada en la galería de la Academia de Artes y Ciencias Cinematográficas en Hollywood, exhibiendo su ópera prima como parte de "El Legado del Cine Mexicano”.
Pepe estrenó esta Navidad del 2024, la serie original de Amazon MGM Studios, titulada "Ahora que no Estás", la cual creó, dirigió, co-escribió y produjo (Showrunner). La serie fue un hit que permaneció 9 semanas consecutivas en el Top 10 de los títulos más vistos en Amazon Prime México.
Su película "Como Caído del Cielo", una comedia original de Netflix que dirigió, produjo y co-escribió, inspirada en las canciones de Pedro Infante, se convirtió en el título número uno en español del 2019 en Netflix. Y en Estados Unidos, la película se colocó en el Top 10 de los títulos internacionales más populares de Netflix de ese mismo año.
Entre sus proyectos más destacados donde dirige, escribe y produce, se incluyen:
"Más Sabe el Diablo por Viejo" de 20th Century Fox, la cual alcanzó el 6º lugar en el Box Office de México en el 2018, y obtuvo 2 nominaciones a las Diosas de Plata. "Hidden Moon" de Universal Pictures, la cual obtuvo 8 nominaciones a la Diosas de Plata, incluyendo Mejor Película, Mejor Director y Mejor Guión, obteniendo dos Diosas y "Sea of Dreams" citada por la revista Variety como “Una joya extraordinaria”, que le valió a Pepe la Diosa de Plata por dirección.