"Érase una vez en el Caribe", a Puerto Rican feature film written and directed by filmmaker Ray Figueroa, blending the samurai and western genres set in a bygone era, is now showing at Caribbean Cinemas locations around the Island.
Drawing on the conventions of these classic genres, Figueroa brings to the big screen the story of "Juan Encarnación," a reserved jíbaro with a violent past. The most feared foreman in the world sets out on a path of revenge after his wife, "Pura," disappears, armed with a machete and carrying his daughter, "Patria," in his arms.
A different kind of film
The film brings together a top-tier cast to tell an action story inspired by the Old West, set in 1930s Puerto Rico.
"There is an epic love story here, but it is framed entirely within a genre fusion and around action. It becomes even more appealing because we want to redefine the jíbaro and the jíbara as heroes, and we draw on cultural touchstones like the décimas, the musical instruments, the machete, and paintings such as Flaming June or El Velorio," said producer Mullen Pacheco.
Dominican actor Héctor Aníbal, known for his role in "The Lost City" (2022), leads "Érase una vez en el Caribe," while Puerto Rican actress Essined Aponte ("Medellín," Amazon) plays the female lead.
The film also features a cast of veterans including Spanish actor Fele Martínez, Néstor Rodulfo, Robert García Cooper, Modesto Lacén, Kisha Tikina Burgos, and the young actresses Linda and Sophia Aguayo.
This content was translated with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
