Exclusive: Latino Hollywood firm to open Mexico studio
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A new media company focused on social impact projects intends to open a first-of-its-kind movie studio in Baja, Mexico.
Why it matters: The Latino-founded venture, Phenomena Global, plans to tap Hollywood executives, Washington political players and advocacy groups to fund projects that are entertaining but also tackle issues such as climate change, mental health, and human rights.
Zoom in: Co-founder Adrian Eng-Gastelum says this marks the first time a studio is being built in Baja jointly by Hollywood and political interests.
- Phenomena says it has its first Baja project in development — a murder mystery about dolphins that loops in a conservation and environmental message, according to Eng-Gastelum.
What they're saying: Eng-Gastelum, who was a campaign strategist for President Biden and a senior adviser to Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, says the project has buy-in from Mexican government officials and that wants to create steady jobs for Mexicans in Baja.
- "We want to make sure people are employed and see themselves with purpose. Purpose-driven capitalism is the whole point of what we're doing," he says.
The big picture: Hollywood was hit hard by the pandemic and last year's labor strikes, and productions are down compared to the year before.
- Eng-Gastelum says many of the movies that are being made are intellectual property films such as "The Super Mario Bros. Movie," released last year, or "The Smurfs Movie," slated for release next year.
- Phenomena wants to finance "the films that actually end up becoming the Oscar winners, the cult classics that we all seem to know and love," Eng-Gastelum says.
Editor's note: This story has been updated to remove an incorrect reference to where in Baja the studio will be.
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