Boris Labourguigne: Multi-Talented Filmmaker and Entrepreneur Shaping the Creative Industry
Cinema is a medium filled with boundless possibilities. One can create anything on the big screen, whether it be fictional worlds, imagined characters, or scenarios that harken back to one’s own life. In the current superhero and blockbuster climate it can be easy to forget just how pliable cinema can be, but filmmakers like Boris Labourguigne are making sure we don’t forget.
Labourguigne is a multi-threat: a director, a producer, and entrepreneur. He was born in Beaulieu, a small village in the south of France, and stoked the flames of his cinematic passion ever since he was a boy. He would experiment with the artistic possibilities of everything he could get his hands on, and would even make his own short films and mock news broadcasts. This is the kind of boundless imagination that has powered the most legendary filmmakers, and it pushed Labourguigne to leave his hometown and pursue a career in Paris.
The filmmaker attended Jacques Prevert School and the University of Paris 1 Panthéon La Sorbonne. He learned to hone his craft at these respective institutions, but it was a collaboration with his friend Bastien Raynaud, an adaptation of Guy de Maupassant’s The Horla, that truly kick-started his cinematic career.
Part of what makes Labourguigne such a formidable talent is the fact that he’s had experience with nearly every part of the filmmaking process. He knows how each of the roles function, and how to maximize each of them to get the best possible product on the screen. It’s also led to him developing a keen eye for talent.
Labourguigne and Bastien founded the YouTube channel 3èmeGauche in 2009, which features over 500 live performances directed by the former. Some of these performances are by world-renowned artists like Bastille, The Kooks, Imagine Dragons, and Sofiane Pamart, and they showcase Labourguigne’s knack for staging, as well as capturing the energy of a live show. Labourguigne has gotten tons of exposure from the channel, and has also led to him mentoring Aube Perrie, a talent who’s gone on to direct videos for Megan Thee Stallion and Harry Styles.
The entrepreneurial spirit doesn’t stop there. Labourguigne co-founded LEFT with Augustin de Belloy in 2012, which is an organization that focuses on music videos, commercials and other branded content. Adidas, Reebok, L’Oreal, Yves Saint Laurent, Louis Vuitton, and Mercedes are just some of the high-profile clients who have partnered with LEFT, which has only grown bigger on the heels of Labourguigne moving to Los Angeles in 2019.
LEFT continues to rise in popularity. The brand provided production services for the new spin-off of The Walking Dead starring Norman Reedus, which was shot in France. There are also several deals lined up to produce original content for streaming services in the near future.
A recent standout project for LEFT was the groundbreaking Louis Vuitton commercial for their new perfume, “City of Stars,” which aired in 2022. The luxury brand chose Los Angeles as the backdrop for this captivating campaign, drawing inspiration from the city’s rich history and the perfume’s California-inspired fragrance collection. Boris teamed up with his talented friend, French female director Lesly Lynch, and chose a stunning house on Mulholland Drive as the shooting location, capturing the essence of LA’s enchanting beauty during sunset. The commercial showcased innovative storytelling, breathtaking visuals, and the collaboration between Boris and Lesly Lynch, emphasizing Boris’ ability to create unique, trendsetting content that resonates with audiences worldwide.
At the center of it all is Labourguigne, who has been recognized for his work with honors at the Webby Awards and the UK Music Video Awards. He’s also served on juries for film festivals, bringing his expertise and eye for talent to a whole new generation of filmmakers. He’s managed to conquer every element of the industry in which he’s ventured, and there’s still so much more to come. We can’t wait to see what he does next.
