Donald Glover‘s first foray into short film, Guava Island was an artistic focal point of Coachella‘s 2019 programming. Starring Rihanna alongside Glover, the flick first premiered at at the Indio Valley affair and was also broadcasted on Coachella’s YouTube live stream. Shortly thereafter, Guava Island became available on Amazon Prime .

Now, Glover revisits the visual production via five new behind-the-scenes videos that canvass the different locations in Cuba where Glover and his team shot the film, the influences who assisted and advanced Glover’s creative vision, and the Cuban traditions that guided Guava Island’s choreography.

“At its best (or maybe just its most accessible), art is ingenuity,” Glover said in a statement. “I had the pleasure of experiencing this spirit of ‘making what you must with what you have’ collaborating with Cuba’s talented and abundant artists over the course of filming Guava Island. The artist’s endeavor has always been the manifesting of an idea, then forcing a society to recognize, or maybe just question, its value. These artists have not only inspired me to examine what we value on a day-to-day basis, but also to move with intention in the world with the childlike ingenuity that Cuba seems to offer every moment. I’m very proud to be able to share their stories with you.”

Guava Island is the product of Glover’s conceptual interplay with Cuban residents, and with director and frequent collaborator Hiro Murai. Murai is memorable for his work with Glover on the Grammy Award-winning music video for “This Is America,” and on various episodes of Atlanta, Glover’s comedy-drama television series.

Viewers can watch the remaining four behind-the-scenes segments on YouTube, here. Meanwhile, Amazon Prime subscribers can screen Guava Island here.

Tags: behind the scenes, donald glover, Guava Island, rihanna

Categories: News, Videos