The quarantine led Matthew Baquero to use the time of solitude and isolation to start a project that would impact his life and that is now on the big screen: the movie “San Pablo.”
After listening to a conversation between his cousin and her boyfriend, who would later become the protagonist of the film, Baquero’s imagination began to fly and resulted in the script for his first film production.
“Saint Paul tells the story of a young man with a dream. He lives in a neighborhood in Colombia where these dreams seem unattainable, but he fantasizes about going to live in France and opening his own restaurant. However, the town where he lives puts obstacles in his path,” explained the director, writer and producer of the film.
Baquero’s film has received good reviews at different film festivals./Courtesy
A native of Brooklyn, Baquero comes from a family of Colombian immigrants who instilled the culture and language in him from an early age.
“San Pablo is a neighborhood in the city of Cartago, Colombia, where my mother is from and where we filmed our scenes. “This project is like a trip back in time for her and other Latinos who identify with that environment and type of life,” added the 28-year-old filmmaker.
“These types of stories manage to captivate the public because they give hope, that is why I worked so hard to bring this project forward without having a big enough budget,” he said.
Baquero financed the film with his savings, but he assures that he learned that a large budget is not the most important thing and he hopes that investing in his dream will not be in vain.
“I learned that a lot can be done with the help of people and with the resources you have at hand. For example, there is a girl in the film who works in a beauty salon, because I have a friend with a beauty salon where we were able to film. Also, I have a friend who sells insurance in an office, so in my film there is a character who sells insurance,” she explained.
Despite its low budget, the film has been a success and has brought happiness to all those who are part of the production.
“The children and grandparents who participated as extras looked very happy to see themselves on the big screen of the cinema. Many of these people who participated are natives of Cartago and had never been to a movie theater,” he says.
The cast of the production is made up of beginning actors residing in San Pablo./Courtesy
The film does not have a cast of professional actors, however Baquero understood the type of person he needed for each of his characters, managing to put together a cast of beginners who showed a talent for acting.
“The roles in the film focus on characters not very different from the reality of life in Carthage, I think that helped the actors understand their roles,” he said.
After having first premiered in Boynton Beach, Florida, on May 21, 2022, San Pablo has received recognition and acclaim from the public at different film festivals throughout the United States, such as the Studio City Film Festival (California ), the Latin American Film Festival (Texas), Capital City Film Festival (Michigan), among others.
This Saturday, January 20, San Pablo will be screened for the first time in New York, at the Alpine Cinema in Brooklyn, at 7:30 pm.
“Having my film shown at the Alpine Cinema means a lot to me because I grew up going to that cinema. There I discovered my passion for the world of cinema and that’s where part of my inspiration comes from,” added the artist.
In detail:
What: epremiere of the movie “San Pablo”
When: Saturday, January 20, at 7:30 pm Where: Alpine Cinema de Brooklyn – 6817 5th Ave, Brooklyn
2024-01-18 16:30:00
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