Fran Villalba is a Paraguayan film composer and pianist. He has composed scores for many short films and featured films. He is best known as the composer of the award-winning Paraguayan film 7 Boxes.
Education and career
He holds a degree in Accounting from Universidad Católica "Nuestra Señora de la Asunción". He has a classical music education, self-taught studies in harmony, composition and electronic music. He holds a Master degree in Composition of Soundtracks and Music for Audiovisual Media from the Escola Superior de Música de Catalunya. He was keyboardist of the rock band Gaudí, with whom he recorded 3 albums "Radio Fábula", "Turbo", and "La Vida es Más". Fran won a scholarship to attend the Laboratory of Music for Film in 2013, which belongs to film laboratories for professionals in Mexico City. He was selected for Talents Buenos Aires in 2014. He released his first album of instrumental music Universo Paralelo in 2014. He is known for his work on "7 Boxes" award winning for Film in Progress at the International Film Festival of San Sebastian and nominated for Goya Awards, "#Ya" World Premiere at the 65th Berlinale - Generation 14 Plus Competition, "Peaches" named as The Raindance Film of the Festival Award, "Selva" nominee for La Semaine de la Critique - Cannes competition, "3 feet" winner of the Special City Award at the Kineko International Children´s Film Festival, and "Cazando Gamusinos" winner of The Children Jury Special Mention at the Tbilisi International Animation Festival. Fran has been working as a composer and music producer on his own Planetario Music Studio since 2006.
Discography
Universo Paralelo
Filmography
Opaco
Minotauro
Jazmines del Alma: La vida de Chiquitunga
Universo servilleta
7 cajas
#Ya
Km 72
De lunes a lunes
Liviano
Selva
Un Bosque
Hoy partido a las 3
Río atrevido
Mujeres entre fronteras
Mr. Emmett & Los Melocotones enlatados
México 1984
Venus Flytrap
The Muse
Hycha Guaia
Tercer Acto
3 feet
Cazando Gamusinos
A casa
Santa Clara
Other work (additional music)
Die Toten reiten schnell
Awards
Rock and Pop Paraguay Awards 2000 – Best Paraguayan keyboardist
45 Talents of the year 2013 El País Awards – One of the 45 talents of the year by the Spanish newspaper.
Unasur International Film Festival Awards 2013 – Best Sound design/Original Music award for the score of "7 Boxes".
Tatakua Festival 2017 - Best Original Soundtrack award for the advertisement "Moving fans" for Laika Agency.
Experimental Film, Dance & Music Festival 2017 - Best Music award for "A Forest".
SciFi Film Festival 2018 - Best Music/Sound award for the score of "Melocotones".
US Hollywood International Golden Film Award 2019 - Excellence-Music for the score of "Cazando Gamusinos".
Indie Film Awards 2020 - Best Music for the score of "Cazando Gamusinos".