Cinema of Puerto Rico


The history of the Cinema industry in Puerto Rico begins with the US invasion of the island in 1898. At that time, the American soldiers brought cameras to record what they saw. It was not until the 1912 that Puerto Ricans would begin to produce their own films.
After this, Puerto Rican cinema has developed at a slow pace. Despite this, the industry has produced several actors and actresses and one Academy Award nominated film.
Starting in the late 1990s the Puerto Rican film industry saw significant growth and the number of local productions has been on the increase every year.

Early years: 1912-1950

After the early images recorded by the American soldiers in 1898, most of the films produced in the island were documentaries. It wasn't until 1912 that Rafael Colorado D'Assoy recorded the first non-documentary film titled Un drama en Puerto Rico. After that, Colorado and Antonio Capella Martínez created the Film Industrial Society of Puerto Rico in 1916, producing their first film titled Por la hembra y el gallo. Other film companies formed during the time were the Tropical Film Company and the Porto Rico Photoplays.
The Tropical Film Company was founded by two intellectuals in the National Independence Movement and a veteran filmmaker that immigrated to Puerto Rico from Spain. Even though it is known that this company had produced four films, none of them have been retrieved. This however does not negate the founding base of the Tropical Film Company in Puerto Rican Cinema. It was through Tropical Film Company that the first discourses of educational, cultural, and economic aims were made within the limitations of financial and infrastructural resources that existed then, and still persist, for locally grounded cinematic production, distribution and exhibition in Puerto Rico.
In 1934, Juan Emilio Viguié Cajas produced and directed the first Puerto Rican film with sound titled, Romance Tropical. There is little known of the whereabouts of this film or the ones mentioned above.

The 1950s to 1970s

The first truly Puerto Rican film, Los Peloteros, featured a Puerto Rican cast and was based on a real story. Ramón Rivero starred as the inspirational coach of a children's baseball team. His impoverished team played with old, broken equipment and longed for uniforms. Known as a comedian, the role enabled Rivero to demonstrate his dramatic abilities. The children in the movie were not professional actors; they actually were poor children cast at the shooting locale. Photographer Jack Delano directed the film for the Puerto Rican government's Division of Community Education. Some consider Los Peloteros to be the best Puerto Rican film ever made.
Several films were shot in Puerto Rico in the 1950s. Two were Puerto Rican, the musical drama El Otro Camino, and the drama/romance Maruja. Axel Anderson was a German ex-patriate who became a star in both Puerto Rican television and film. In Maruja, Anderson played opposite leading lady, Marta Romero, and in El Otro Camino he played opposite Rosaura Andreu, future children's television host. A third movie was the American film noir Man With My Face, a thriller centering on Americans living in Puerto Rico. Producer J. Harold Odell shot three films on the island, Machete, Counterplot and Fiend of Dope Island. In 1956, Modesta, a short film produced within the island's Division of Community Education, won the Best Short Film Award at the Venice Film Festival; in 1998, Modesta became the first Puerto Rican film named to the United States National Film Registry.
Within the 1960s, an explosion of filmmaking aroused on the island. About half of the films shot in this period were co-productions between Puerto Rico and Mexico. Mexico also shot a few stand-alone productions, plus a few co-productions with Spain and Venezuela. Puerto Rico hosted a sizable number of U.S. movies throughout the decade, plus one from Argentina and one from the United Kingdom. Although none of the movies from this period received wide critical acclaim, director Leopoldo Torre Nilsson was nominated for the Golden Palm award at the Cannes Film Festival for his work on La Chica del Lunes. Also notable are the Bob Hope comedy The Private Navy of Sgt. O'Farrell when Hawaii was unavailable for Department of Defense cooperation and a film adaptation of William Golding's novel Lord of the Flies.
Filmmaking in the 1970s, slowed down substantially. Among the handful of Puerto Rican pictures, only the Jacobo Morales film Dios los Cría stands out. Morales had a solid background as an actor and writer, going back to the inception of Puerto Rican television in the 1950s. Dios los Cria marked the beginning of his work writing and directing for the big screen. The collection of five comedic tales earned him acclaim, as well as a slot in the 'Un Certain Regard' section of the 1979 Cannes Film Festival.
The United States produced more films in Puerto Rico in the 1970s than any other country did. Most of them were schlock movies typical of the time, such as producer Sydney W. Pink's last movie The Man from O.R.G.Y.. The Woody Allen film Bananas, of 1971, is the only classic American film of the time to be filmed in Puerto Rico. Jacobo Morales played a supporting role on the film.

The 1980s to present

Following up on his previous success, Morales has continued to write and direct his own films. Nicolas y los Demas and Lo que le Pasó a Santiago both won audience appreciation. In addition, the latter received an Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Film. In 1994, he directed Linda Sara which didn't earn as much respect as his earlier works, although it's generally considered enjoyable. In 2004, he released a sequel to his 1979 hit, Dios los Cria 2.
During the 1980s, Puerto Rican began submitting films for consideration to the Academy Award for Best Foreign Film. Some of the films submitted were La Gran Fiesta and the above-mentioned Lo que le Pasó a Santiago. Despite these efforts, the industry wasn't booming like before.
Una Aventura Llamada Menudo was a local film that gained international success during 1982, thanks in part to it being starred by Menudo, a teen idol band of the time.
The early to mid-1990s had Paramount Pictures' A Show of Force, whose cast included Amy Irving, Robert Duvall, Andy García, and Kevin Spacey; La Guagua Aérea, the aforementioned Linda Sara, and El Poder del Shakti as theatrical releases on the island. 1997 brought Robert Zemeckis and his team to the island to shoot sequences for Contact and Steven Spielberg for a 2-day shoot for Amistad. 1998 had theatrical releases for the well-received Héroes de Otra Patria and for the not-as-well-received Mi Día de Suerte, as well as a limited release for The Face at the Window. 1999 had the theatrical premiere, but not a general theatrical release, for the English-language Paging Emma.
In the 2000s, another filmmaking boom began. 12 Horas enjoyed a decent, six-week theatrical run in 2001, and ever since then, the number of films made by Puerto Ricans has increased dramatically. So has the variety, including documentaries, short films, and animation. Voces inocentes co-produced by Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the United States, won several international awards. Both the Puerto Rico Film Commission and the Corporation for the Development of Arts, Science and Film Industry in Puerto Rico promote local and international film making, including loans and financial incentives.
Other recent films that have garnered praise are Celestino y el Vampiro, Ladrones y Mentirosos, Cayo, and Jacobo Morales' Angel. Unfortunately, people in Puerto Rico see most of these films as art house material and they don't get the box office reception as many American mainstream films.
One notable exception to this trend of lukewarm reception at the box office occurred with the film Maldeamores. Starting with its sold-out, one-week Oscar-qualifying run in late 2007, this film became a benchmark in Puerto Rican cinema for its combination of excellent critical reception, decent box office reception, and actual theatrical exhibition in the U.S. Nevertheless, in July 2009 the Puerto Rico Film Commission reported that Maldeamores had only recovered about 50% of its costs.
In 2008, director Steven Soderbergh and actor - producer Benicio del Toro filmed most of the first part of Che on the island; and George Clooney, Jeff Bridges, and Kevin Spacey shot The Men Who Stare at Goats. Also in 2008, the film Talento de Barrio, a movie based on the life of "Daddy Yankee", became the first Puerto Rican film to sell more than 300,000 tickets during its theatrical run, even though its critical reception was decidedly on the "rotten" side of the spectrum.
In 2009, Party Time: The Movie, directed by Juan Fernandez-Paris, Miente, directed and production-designed by Rafi Mercado, and Kabo y Platon directed by Edmundo H. Rodríguez, received theatrical releases. Also, Johnny Depp visited the island to work in The Rum Diary and Joel Silver took advantage of available incentives to shoot most of The Losers.
The year 2010 saw theatrical releases for Que Despelote, directed by Eduardo 'Transfor' Ortiz; Elite, directed by Andres Ramírez Molina, and Caos, directed by Raul García, and also saw the island serve as a production hub for a significant portion of Fast Five.
2011 was a somewhat tumultuous year for the film industry in Puerto Rico. It included a decision from the Academy Of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences which eliminated Puerto Rico's participation in the race for the Academy Award for Best Film in a Foreign Language. Nevertheless, it did yield two theatrical releases: Que Joyitas, directed by Eduardo 'Transfor' Ortiz, which ultimately grossed over $700,000 at the box office, and Mi verano con Amanda 2, written and directed by Benjamin 'Benji' López. Other releases included The Caller and The Witness .
In 2012, the short film Mi santa mirada, directed by Alvaro Aponte Centeno, became the first Puerto Rican short film to compete for the Short Film Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. Locally, 2012 marked the two-week theatrical release of the film Los Condenados and the seven-month theatrical release of Broche de oro, directed by Raul Marchand.

Partial list of Puerto Rican films

FilmYearComment
12 Horas2001
29 de mayoShort Film
¿Y si Cristóbal despierta?2001TV
A life of sin1979
Actores trabajando2006
Adiós, New York, adiós1973
Agua con sal2005
Al compás de un sentimiento1996
Alicia Alonso y el Ballet Nacional de Cuba1979
Amnesia2006
Amor perdóname1967
Amores como todos los demás1999TV
Ángel2007
Angelito mío1998
Angeles perdidos2005TV
Antes de las 112007
Antesala de la silla eléctrica1968
Archipiélago2003
Arocho y Clemente1970
Ayer amargo1959
Bala perdida2003TV
Barricada2008
Barrios: El bailao de Julia y Berto2004TV
Barrios: El rumbón de Fepe2004TV
Barrios: La familia del camello2004TV
Bello amanecer1968
Candido1975
Cannabis Cannibal II: Exodus2009
Caña brava1965
Casi Casi2006
Cayo2005
Celestino y el vampiro2003
Chiquito pero Juguetón: The Muvi2008
Christian y Cristal2009
Complot1999
Con los pies descalzos1961
Conciencia2008
Conexión Caribe1984
Contrabandistas del Caribe1966
Contraseña2008
Correa Cotto: ¡Así me llaman!1968
Cuando lo pequeño se hace grande2000Short film
Cuando quiere un borincano1967
Cuentos de Abelardo1991
Cuentos para despertar1998
De espaldas al sol1975
De la mano de un ángel2002TV
Desamores2004
Después de la muerte2006
Diario Vietnam2004
Dios los cría...1979
Dios los cría 22005
Doña Ana2003
Eco2008
Encuentros2003TV
El alcalde de Machuchal1964
El anillo2004Short film
El beso que me diste2000
El clown2007-
2009Short film
El cimarrón2007
El cuerpo del delito2005TV
El curandero del pueblo1969
El derecho de comer1968
El fugitivo de Puerto Rico1975
El hijo de Ángela Maria1974
El jibarito Rafael1967
El jibaro millonario1966
El lenguaje de la guerra2009
El milagro de la virgen1917
El otro2010Short Film
El otro camino1955
El poder del Shakti1996
El ruiseñor y la rosa1997
El septimo ángel2000
El sueño del regreso2006
El tesoro de Cofresí1919
En mi viejo San Juan1966
Elite2010
Entre Dios y el hombre1960
Entre el cielo y tú2007
Entremedio2006
Flight of Fancy2000
Fray dollar1970
Fuego en el alma2002TV
Fuera de tinieblas2009
Hay hombres para todas2008TV
Héroe de Guerra2007Short Film
Héroes de otra patria1998
Heroína1967
Historia de un 1968
Huellas1961
Ilusión2001TV
Iraq en mí2008
Juventud sin frenos1965
Kabo y Platón2009
Kamaleon2003
La caja de problemas2004TV
La criada malcriada1969
La entrega2007Short Film
La fiebre del deseo1964
La fuga2010
La gran fiesta1985
La guagua aérea1993
La jaula1999Short film
La leyenda de Toño bicicleta1975
La mala2008
La mujer del cura1967
La palomilla1971
La Pandilla en apuros1977
La piel desnuda1964
La venganza de Correa Cotto1969
La virgen de la calle1965
La viudita se quiere casar1917
Ladrones y mentirosos2006
Lamento borincano1963
Las combatientes2004TV
Las pecadoras1967
Libertad para la juventud1970
Linda Sara1994
Lo que le pasó a Santiago1989
Los Condenados2012
Los cuentos de Abelardo1990
Los días de Doris1998
Los dos mundos de Angelita1982
Los expatriados1963
Los misterios de Cofresí1917
Los panas2005Short Film
Los peloteros1953
Los que nunca amaron1965
Los unos y los otros2009Short Film
Lucía, Ignacio y otras historias2008
Luisa1970
Luna de miel en Puerto Rico1967
Machuchal agente 01966
Mafia en puerta de tierra1917
Maldeamores2007
Mami1967
Manuela y Manuel2008
Maruja1958
Mas allá del capitolio1963
'1981
Meteoro2007
Mi Borinquen querída1965
Mi día de suerte1998
Mi santa mirada2012Short Film
Mi verano con Amanda2008
Miente2009
Mientras Puerto Rico duerme1964
2010Short Film
Misión: Incomprensible2004
Mónica1994Short Film
Mr. Dollar1964
Muerte en el paraíso2008
Mulato1967
2009Short Film
Natas es Satán1971
Nicolás y los demás1986
Not Even the Devil2008
Nuestro regimiento1966
Nuestro regimiento1975
Obsesión1961
Ocho puertas2003
Operación alacrán1976
Operación tiburón1965
Organización criminal1968
Paging Emma1999
Palés y la rumba de esquina2009
Paloma del monte1917
Palmer a muerto1961
Party Time: The Movie2009
Pasaporte a la fama2006
Pasiones Infernales1969
Plaza vacante2002
Por la hembra y el gallo1916
Prohibído amar en Nueva York1982
Punto 452006
Que bravas son las solteras1976
Que Despelote2010
Que familia mas normal2004TV
Que familia mas normal 22004TV
Que familia mas normal 32004TV
Que Joyitas2011
Raíces2001
Revolución en el infierno2005
Romance en Puerto Rico1961
Romance tropical1934
Rosa la tequilera1968
Ruido2007
Ruptura1997Short film
Sabo2004
Santa Cristal2004
Seguros de vida2004Short film
'2008
Sudor amargo2002TV
Sueños a precios de descuento2006
Talento de barrio2008
Taínos: La última tríbu2005
Tango Bar1988
Tesoros1987
The Absolution1998Short film
The disappearance of García Lorca1997
The face at the window1997
The machos1975
The tents of Allah1922
The Witness 2011
The woman who fooled herself1922
Todos tenemos un ángel2005
Toño bicicleta1975
Traicioneros2007Short Film
Tres puertorriqueñas y un deseo1961
Tropical love1921
Tú mi amor1972
Un amanta anda suelto1970
Un drama en Puerto Rico1912
Una aventura llamada Menudo1983
Una historia común2004
Una mujer sin precio1965
Una puertorriqueña en Acapulco1968
Vampiros2004
Vendedora de amor1964
Victoria2006
Virgenes a go-go1964
What I tell the wind2008
Yellow2007