On Thursday night, following his performance at Coachella, Childish Gambino (a.k.a. Donald Glover) debuted his new film, Guava Island, co-starring Rihanna, written by Donald’s brother, Steven Glover, and directed by frequent collaborator Hiro Murai. Murai has directed several music videos for Childish Gambino (including the Internet-breaking “This Is America”) in addition to playing an integral directorial role in Glover’s award-winning FX series, Atlanta.
[Screengrabs via Guava Island on Amazon Prime Video]
In addition to premiering live at Coachella, the 54-minute film is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video free of charge through 9:00 p.m. today, Saturday, April 13th. The film will continue to be available after 9:00 p.m. with an Amazon Prime Video subscription.
“I’m really humbled having the opportunity to present something this timely and timeless,” Glover said in a statement announcing the details of the film that will premiere on Amazon Prime Video on Saturday (April 13) at 12:01 a.m. PT. “Between Rihanna and the people of Cuba, this is one of my favorite projects I’ve ever worked on.”
The movie, filmed in Cuba, takes place on a tropical island and feature plenty of energetic island musical energy. In it, Glover plays Deni, a musician on a small tropical island who rises to local celebrity (and delivers a few performances of Childish Gambino songs along the way). However, the advertised “tropical thriller” aspect of Guava Island rears its head when Deni plans to throw a festival and political roadblocks and other complications ensue.
As Glover’s character muses in a thematic voice-over in the film’s initial teaser trailer, “We live in paradise but none of us have the time or the means to actually live here…We work hard. We deserve a day off. We’re just taking what’s ours.”
You can watch Childish Gambino’s Guava Island here.
Guava Island – Teaser Clip
[Video: Amazon Prime Video]
