Los Films, the film discipline of the creative studio Los York, has signed Somayeh for exclusive spot representation in the U.S. This marks the director’s first such representation in the American ad market.
Somayeh’s work has been described by Huck Magazine as “blending modern London with Iranian aesthetics.” The story of her own heritage and self-identity often becomes interlaced with her subject matter to produce an intimate language on-screen, blurring the lines between fiction and reality.
“Somayeh is the next big thing in the U.S.,” said Los York’s founder Seth Epstein. “She has an incredible story and history to pull from. She is a gifted narrative filmmaker, a creator of extraordinarily beautiful work that is cinematic, emotive, heavily influenced by sound design. She is new to the market but has a tremendous amount of experience as a film editor and director, having plied her craft in the U.K. and Europe for many years, and she is finally ready to burst onto the scene here.”
In the U.K. Somayeh has worked on campaigns for Audi, Nike, Google, Pepsi and Facebook, among many others, and as a commercial photographer she has focused on fashion brands and designers including Nathalie Ballout, Hudson Shoes and others. She also has created a raft of short scripted films including Skin of Water, which was recently nominated for Best UK Short at the BAFTA/BIFA qualifying Raindance Film Festival out of 4000+ submissions.
“Somayeh is an amazing artist,” said Chris Abitbol, head of Los Films. “One of the first things she said to me when we first met is ‘I’m going to be the first female Iranian to win an Oscar.’ That’s what got me! I believe in her ambition and her determination more than anything else, and whenever she’s brought on to a project that feeling is super palpable and really gets people excited! She is a magical realist with a poetic voice that comes through in her narrative shorts as well as her commercials. She fits perfectly into Los Films’ crew of ‘Global Nomads of the Arts.’”
After graduating from the University of London with a Masters in documentary film, Somayeh segued into a 12-year career as a film editor before finally leaping into the role of director, initially with representation in the U.K. and Europe by Ridley Scott Creative Group. Before joining Los Films, Somayeh was on the roster of London-based Magnetic Field, where she worked with Abitbol, who was recruited earlier this year to head the newly renamed and reinvigorated Los Films. Abitbol brought Somayeh along with him.
“Chris and Seth understand my vision and that’s why I joined them,“ said Somayeh, who is an alum of SHOOT’s 2023 New Directors Showcase. “Poetry is in my DNA. I want to work with brands that will allow me to bring poetry and creativity to an assignment, to conceptualize rather than simply be literal, showing things in a metaphorical way, capturing feelings between the lines, conveying emotion without directly naming it. I am very ambitious and it’s very hard to find people who not only align with one’s ambitions but match them, Los Films is that place for me.”
Los Films’ directorial roster is represented on the East and West Coasts by Simpatico, in the Midwest by SG+P Reps, and for multicultural work by Momentum.
