Buzz has been circulating the internet about Federico Alvarez. Until a few days ago, Alvarez was a total unknown in America, but once Sam Raimi and Mandate Pictures saw the Uruguay-born director's short film "Panic Attack!", he became an overnight sensation.

Alvarez made the short film, which features giant robots destroying Montevideo, on a shoestring budget of only $500, yet the effects and cinematography look like something Hollywood might have churned out. Mandate offered the young filmmaker a reported $1 million to direct a $30 million dollar version of the invasion story for Sam Raimi's Ghost House brand.

Raimi, who is hard at work at Spider-Man 4, will take Alvarez under his wing and mentor the young director through his first feature.

You can watch Alvarez' short film here: