Donald Glover found himself with a free month between finishing up the most recent season of “Atlanta” and embarking on his worldwide musical tour. So, what’s a creative powerhouse like Glover to do with his free time? Will he go, kick back, and relax in Mexico? No, he goes off to Cuba with Rihanna, Letitia Wright, and other actors and produces a new film with director Hiro Murai called “Guava Island.”
And in a new report about the creation of the film from Vanity Fair, we learn exactly what went into producing and distributing a film that is kept under a veil of secrecy. The film is described as a “music-driven hour-long film shot largely in secret in Havana.” The report says that Glover’s film is influenced by Prince’s “Purple Rain” and Fernando Meirelles’s “City of God.” A pretty intriguing dichotomy, right there.
Amazon executive Jennifer Salke decided to distribute the film after viewing a four-and-a-half minute sizzle reel that she could watch only once and expired 30 minutes after she opened it. That’s some ‘Mission: Impossible’ secrecy, there.
“I would have committed to Donald sight unseen.” Salke said. “I knew whatever he wanted to amplify would have relevance and be entertaining. He has that ability to create cultural moments and spread a message that’s interesting.”
The deal that Glover and Amazon struck isn’t your typical streaming distribution agreement. Starting at 12:01 AM (Pacific Time) this Saturday, “Guava Island” will stream for free on Amazon Prime Video for only 18 hours. It will also be streaming on the network’s Twitch channel, and as we previously reported, YouTube (during its live-stream of Coachella).
READ MORE: Forget James Bond, Idris Elba Says He Wants To Be The Next Donald Glover
Why would Amazon want to stream something for free, especially after it has garnered so much buzz? Well, there’s a method to Salke’s madness, apparently.
“This may convert [viewers] to Prime subscriptions but more importantly, it’s something that is original and exciting and illustrates our commitment to creating a home for talent,” Salke said. If all goes as planned, all involved will have their ever-elusive moment.”
We shall find out soon enough, as the film will hit the streaming service this weekend.
You can see a sneak peek at the film below:
https://twitter.com/PrimeVideo/status/1116134235612434432
