Adrian Ortega is a renowned narrative and documentary filmmaker based in Melbourne, Australia. Born to an Italian/Spanish migrant family, Adrian was raised in the inner-western suburbs of Melbourne by his single mother, who played a significant role in shaping his life and artistic perspective.
As a first-generation Australian, Adrian's upbringing and cultural heritage have greatly influenced his storytelling style and the themes he explores in his films. His documentaries, Bodycrash and Modus Operandi, received critical acclaim and media coverage from prominent publications such as Junkee, VICE, The Daily Mail U.K., and Channel 10 News.
Adrian's third documentary short, They Call Me Spiderman, was selected for the Official Selection at the St. Kilda Film Festival in 2016. This success led to his feature film debut, Cerulean Blue, which he wrote, directed, and produced. The film premiered to sold-out audiences at the 68th Melbourne International Film Festival in 2019 and went on to win the El Rey Award for Excellence in Film Directing at the Barcelona International Film Festival. Cerulean Blue is currently streaming exclusively on Stan in Australia and on Amazon Prime in the US and UK.
In 2016, Adrian founded Proud Wing Films, a production company dedicated to bringing new stories and voices to Australian cinema. The company's second film, Senie Priti's debut short film Alba, received a Special Mention in the Rebel8 Award for Outstanding Emerging Female Director at Flickerfest in 2021.
Adrian's recent production, Aarushi Chowdhury's debut short film Clown, premiered at SXSW Sydney and went on to screen at several other film festivals, including the 72nd Melbourne International Film Festival, the Darwin International Film Festival, the Byron Bay Film Festival, and the Australian Women's Film Festival. Aarushi won the "One To Watch" award, presented by Leah Purcell, at the Australian Women's Film Festival.
Adrian's passion lies in telling stories about complex, flawed characters, often inspired by his own life experiences. He draws inspiration from European art cinema, particularly the works of Andrea Arnold, who is known for her realistic and three-dimensional portrayals of characters.
Adrian is currently in post-production on his second feature film, Westgate, which promises to be an exciting addition to his growing filmography.
