The Dominican Republic’s Lantica Studios Leads the Vanguard in Central America

variety.com:

Anna Marie de la Fuente As the Malaga Film Festival’s Country Guest of Honor, the Dominican Republic has sent a number of standout productions, among them, family dramedy “Perez Rodriguez” from Lantica Studios.

One of the key driving forces behind the Caribbean nation’s uptick in local filmmaking, Lantica Studios has been producing an average of two to three original features a year for more than a decade.

It also owns and operates the country’s sprawling horizon water tank facility. Formerly known as the Pinewood Dominican Republic Studios, it was renamed Lantica Studios in May 2024 when the venerable Pinewood Studios sold its minority stake to Dominican-owned company Lantica Media. “Our objective is threefold: first, to support local talent; second, to showcase Latin American stories to international audiences ; and third, to train younger generations entering the industry,” said Lantica Studios CEO Albert Martinez. “The idea is that the more we support local talent, the more the national industry grows,” Lantica’s VP of production Rafael Elías Muñoz, pointed out.

The debut feature of helmer-scribe Humberto Tavárez is a satirical yet earnest portrait of a Dominican family navigating generational struggles.