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Residente begins filming his first movie, ‘PORTO RICO,’ starring Bad Bunny
🇵🇾 Paraguay /Culture & Society

Residente begins filming his first movie, ‘PORTO RICO,’ starring Bad Bunny

From ABC Color · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News From a news agency Ongoing story
  • Puerto Rican artist René Pérez, known as Residente, has begun filming his first feature, ‘PORTO RICO,’ directed by him and starring Bad Bunny.
  • The film, co-written with Oscar-winning screenwriter Alexander Dinelaris, is described as a Caribbean western inspired by real events and focused on Puerto Rico’s colonial history.
  • Production is taking place in the Dominican Republic amid a dispute involving tax incentives offered by the Puerto Rican government.

Residente has started filming the movie he says he dreamed of making since childhood, a project about Puerto Rico’s history starring Bad Bunny and featuring Viggo Mortensen, Edward Norton and Javier Bardem.

The film, titled ‘PORTO RICO,’ is Residente’s first as a director. He announced the start of production through an Instagram story showing a clapperboard marked for the first scene. He is directing alongside cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle, whose credits include ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ and ‘Snowden.’

I have dreamed of making a film about my country since I was a child. The true history of Puerto Rico has always been surrounded by controversy.

— ResidenteComment on the film when production was announced in February.

Residente described the project as a Caribbean western inspired by real events. Co-written with Alexander Dinelaris, the Oscar-winning screenwriter of ‘Birdman,’ it examines Puerto Rico’s complex colonial history through what the production calls an intense visual approach. “I have dreamed of making a film about my country since I was a child. The true history of Puerto Rico has always been surrounded by controversy,” Residente said when the film was announced in February.

This film is a reaffirmation of who we are, told with the intensity and honesty that our history deserves.

— ResidenteDescription of the film’s purpose and approach.

The story’s Puerto Rican setting has not translated into Puerto Rican production. Filming is taking place in the Dominican Republic because of a controversy between the project’s producers and the tax incentives offered by the Puerto Rican government.

Bad Bunny, who recently completed his ‘Debí tirar más fotos’ world tour in Puerto Rico, will take his first leading role in a film. His earlier screen appearances include ‘Bullet Train’ and ‘Caught Stealing.’ Residente and Erick Douât are producing through 1868 Studios, while Norton, Bill Migliore and Michael Bederman are producing for Class 5 Films. Alejandro G. Iñárritu is among the executive producers. More cast members are expected to be announced.

Everyone knows René as a poet of language and rhythm. Now they will also see the visual visionary he is.

— Edward NortonNorton’s praise for Residente’s move into directing.
About this summary

Originally published by ABC Color in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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