CHULO follows Gael, a young artist who travels to Puerto Rico to spend time with their sister Maria and recently widowed abuela Nina. Gael’s visit comes the year after the death of their abuelo and they’re greeted with open arms. During their trip they travel around the island, reconnect with their familial roots, and immerse themselves in Puerto Rican culture like never before. 

One day Gael meets Mateo, a handsome local who invites them to spend the day together at the beach. An instant connection forms between the two of them and what was supposed to be a week-long trip for Gael turns into a month-long adventure around the beautiful island. 

When Gael realizes it’s time for them to head back home, they spend one last night with Mateo in Viejo San Juan. They realize this may be the last night they have together as a couple, so they embrace this moment, knowing their time together may have altered their lives forever. 

WHY THIS STORY?

As someone who is half Puerto Rican and grew up in Florida away from my island, I constantly travel to visit my family in San Juan and wonder what life would be like if I stayed. I want to depict a twenty something queer Puerto Rican who grew up in the states and experiences the diaspora of visiting their home island and finding a love, but not being able to stay because they have a life elsewhere.

Chulo will explore the importance of family, the power of love, and the struggle of making a life long decision while experiencing the most beautiful moments in one's life. As the narrative unravels, we plan on painting a love story that only comes once in a lifetime.

When I first came out as a queer person in my early twenties, I was afraid to tell my family in Puerto Rico. I didn't know how they would take it or how they would treat me. I later learned that my late grandfather was the most accepting person in my family and loved me no matter what. When I visit my family in Puerto Rico now, I feel free to be myself and experience my culture as a proud queer Puertoriqueño.

With CHULO, I hope to channel these feelings of pride by showcasing familial love and highlighting the beauty of the island. The film will follow Gael's perspective as they get closer with their family and meet Mateo who changes their view on love.

I've always loved international and romance films and their authentic storytelling has inspired the films I want to make.

Here are some of the films and stories I am channeling for CHULO

MOOD BOARD

We are currently in pre-production and are gathering all the necessary pieces to get our film made. We shot test footage in Puerto Rico, have a fully Latiné cast, and we are forming a crew and creative team based in New York and Puerto Rico.

We plan on shooting towards the end of August or early September this year. We will shooting in San Juan, Carolina, and various beaches and rainforests in Puerto Rico and then post production would start immediately after.

The goal is to have the film completed by the end of 2024 and submit CHULO to festivals at the start of 2025. We will focus on LGBTQ+ and Latino film festivals and we're excited to bring this story to life.

WHAT THE MONEY IS GOING TOWARDS

As young and emerging filmmakers, self-funded projects are not sustainable in the long run. It takes a large group of creative team member to bring a film to life and we need your help for this story to reach it's full potential.

Our goal is to raise $15,000 to cover production expenses, pay for travel, food/lodging, film equipment, and to compensate out cast, crew, and creative team for their work.

As an independent film producer, it's always a priority of mine to pay all team members and your contribution would help make that a reality while we highlight the beauty of Puerto Rico. Your contribution would also go towards the economy of the island that is still rebuilding.

CHULO will showcase my ability as a writer, director and actor and will serve as a proof of concept for a feature film that will also take place in Puerto Rico.

This film will also join a series of films I have made that center of queer Latiné characters and their introspective journeys. My previous films EZRA and RIVER have screened at multiple film festivals worldwide including OutFest Fusion, NewFest, Inside Out, Transition International Minorities Film Festival, Philadelphia Latino Film Festival, Gasparilla, and many more.

Your contribution would help get a great movie made in Puerto Rico and help make a queer film come to life. You would be supporting up and coming filmmakers who are interested in highlighting an underrepresented island and its people. My goal is to continue to make films that focus on queer slice of life stories and your contribution would allow me to continue on this journey and create a story that would last a lifetime.

If you're ready to be part of the team, then be sure to follow our social media accounts for updates and please consider contributing to our campaign. We cannot make it happen without you. Thank you!

- TEAM CHULO