Cinema Libre Studio Acquires North American Rights to Esai Morales’ Indie Drama “Imprisoned”

Esai Moralesis facing (im)prison(ed)time this September…

Cinema Libre Studio has acquired the North American distribution rights to Imprisoned, the indie drama starring 56-year-old Puerto Rican actor.

Esai Morales

Morales stars alongside Laurence FishburneJuana AcostaJuan Pablo Raba and Edward James Olmosin the Paul Kampf-directed film.

Imprisoned was filmed entirely in Puerto Rico in 2017, and was among the last productions to shoot before Hurricane Mariahit and devastated the island. 

Cinema Libre will now return the film there for its world premiere on September 10, followed by a 15-theater rollout on the island September 12. 

The film will be released in select cities in the U.S. beginning September 13.

“It was important for us to hold theImprisonedpremiere in Puerto Rico, as the film has a powerful Latin cast including Juan Pablo Raba, Juana Acosta, Jon Huertas, Esai Morales and Edward James Olmos,” Kampf said. “Imprisoned was the last project filmed on the island before hurricane Maria hit in 2017 and we are proud to support and celebrate the revival of this special location.”

In the thriller, Raba plays Dylan Burke, who attempts to move on from his former life as a criminal with his true love Maria (Acosta). He soon realizes his past will continue to haunt him when he learns the new local prison warden, Daniel Calvin (Fishburne), has not forgiven him for a previously committed crime. Calvin frames him for a murder he didn’t commit, landing him back in jail. When the prison erupts into a riot, they are forced to make a choice between righteousness and revenge.

Equitas Entertainment Partnersproduced the film, and as part of their social impact aims included more than 30 formerly incarcerated and a dozen currently incarcerated men as part of the production. Eight of the current inmates will receive a pass to leave the jail and attend the premiere.

Equitas and Caribbean Cinemasare handling the Puerto Rico rollout.

Gael Garcia Bernal to Star in Jonas Cuaron’s Showtime Thriller Drama Pilot “Hombre”

Gael Garcia Bernalis the man

The 40-year-old Mexican actor/producer has been cast as the lead in Showtime’s thriller drama pilot Hombre, which hails from BAFTA nominee Jonas Cuarón (Gravity).

Gael García Bernal

Garcia Bernal, who won a Golden Globe for his lead role in Mozart in the Jungle, will star alongside Marisé Alvarez (The Vessel), Greg Grunberg (A Star Is Born)Pepi Sonuga (Famous In Love)Adriana Santos (Taken) and newcomer Noah Reyes in the pilot, which is set to begin production at the end of April in Los Angeles.

Created by Cuarón, who also will direct the pilot, Hombre centers on a Mexican-American family man named Marcos Osuna (Bernal) who is living undocumented in the United States. When his wife Leticia is detained by ICE, Marcos, both desperate and resourceful, goes to unprecedented lengths to get her back. The project is an emotional thriller about a man enmeshed in a dangerous double life, contending with powerful forces set on thwarting his unwavering desire to unite his family.

Hombre is a co-production between Showtime and Makeready.

Alvarez will play Marcos’ smart and selfless wife Leticia, whose detention by ICE proves to be the ultimate test on her marriage and close-knit family.

Sonuga will play Adanna, a kind-hearted undocumented immigrant from Nigeria who works with Marcos at a motel. Grunberg will play Norm, a friendly and well-intended ICE trainee. 

Santos will play Leticia’s sister Teresa. Reyes will play Marcos’ and Leticia’s pre-adolescent son Anthony.

Alvarez recently appeared in the feature films The Vessel and Imprisoned, and the Spanish mini-series En el corredor de la muerte. She had her first notable role in the Puerto Rican feature Maldeamores, and starred in Steve Soderbergh’Che: Part One and Che: Part Two.

Santos can be seen in the upcoming film Night Swim directed by Victoria Riverapremiering at Tribeca. Her television credits include Taken, Sweetbitter and Daredevil.

Reyes is a newcomer from Ontario, California. Hombre marks his first television series regular role.

Ana Isabelle Starring in the Indie Thriller “Imprisoned”

Ana Isabel is getting imprisoned

The 31-year-old Puerto Rican actress and singer, whose full name is Ana Isabel Acevedo Avilés, will star in the indie thriller Imprisoned, according to Variety.

Ana Isabelle

Ana Isabel joins a cast that includes Laurence Fishburne, Juan Pablo Raba, Juana Acosta, Jon Huertas, Esai Morales and John Heard.

Paul Kampf is directing from his own script, described as a revenge thriller wrapped around a love story with the question of the sacrifices made for love. Fishburne is playing the local prison warden. Raba and Acosta play a couple and Ana Isabel portrays her daughter — a young woman who never knew her father.

The film is scheduled to begin production in May in Puerto Rico.

Ana Isabel released her first album, Por El Amor, in 2007. She won Univision’s reality show Viva el Sueño in 2009.

Her acting resume includes having the lead role in five episodes of Decisiones Puerto Rico and minor roles in the movies Yellow, El Cantante and Talento de Barrio.