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I.E. Entertainment, the global distribution outfit founded and run by industry veterans Indra and Erlina Suharjono, has come on board to handle worldwide sales for Cathay Film Company’s “Coolie.”

The TV miniseries is inspired by the little-known history of enslaved Chinese ‘coolies’ in Cuba in the 1860s. It begins shooting this week in the Dominican Republic and will also include locations in Panama.

I.E. Entertainment will introduce “Coolie” to buyers for the first time at the Asia Television Forum & Market (Atf), which runs this week in Singapore.

The eight-episode English and Chinese language drama series is a global production from Meileen Choo’s Singapore-based Cathay Film Company and features a multinational ensemble cast from Hong Kong, Taiwan, Cuba and Colombia.

Arvin Chen is directing. In-Ah Lee (“Land of Plenty,” “Don’t Come Knockin’” “The Way I Spent the End of the World”) is the series’ executive producer. Ed Buhr...

Arvin Chen is to direct “Coolie,” a limited series featuring enslaved Chinese workers in 19th century Cuba.

The eight-part series is the first to emerge from Cathay Film Company, a recent production venture launched by Singapore-based industry veteran Meileen Choo.

In the mid-1800s, when the African slave trade was outlawed throughout the Americas, plantation owners in Cuba instead began trafficking indentured servants from China and other parts of Asia. These, so-called coolies were often treated as slaves, but some integrated into Cuban society and joined the country’s fight for independence from Spain. The provided a low-cost workforce for farms, restaurants, factories and were instrumental in setting up Chinatowns across the world.

With Hong Kong actor Louise Wong in the lead role as a young woman who departs from southern China to marry a political exile working on a sugarcane plantation in Cuba, the narrative sees her join forces...

Mankind Entertainment feature starring Ana Villafane, James Franco is in post.

Mankind Entertainment has hired music producer, composer and songwriter Carlos José Alvarez to score Castro’s Daughter, which UTA Independent Film Group’s Alex Brunner represents for worldwide sales and has begun talks with buyers heading into the Cannes market.

As previously announced Ana Villafane plays the lead role opposite James Franco as Castro. The project shot on location in Colombia doubling for Castro-era Havana and is in post. Global sales talks continue with an eye towards having the film ready for Venice and Toronto.

Miguel Bardem directs the...

Mankind Entertainment feature starring Ana Villafane, James Franco is in post.

Latin Grammy-winning music producer Carlos José Alvarez has been hired by Mankind Entertainment to score Castro’s Daughter, which UTA Independent Film Group’s Alex Brunner represents for worldwide sales and has begun talks with buyers heading into the Cannes market.

As previously announced Ana Villafane plays the lead role opposite James Franco as Castro. The project shot on location in Colombia doubling for Castro-era Havana and is in post. Global sales talks continue with an eye towards having the film ready for Venice and Toronto.

Miguel Bardem directs...

James Franco’s casting as Fidel Castro in the upcoming period piece “Alina of Cuba: La Hija Rebelde” has caused major backlash, but the Oscar nominee has one important supporter: Castro’s daughter, Alina Fernández.

“James Franco has an obvious physical resemblance with Fidel Castro, besides his skills and charisma,” Fernández told Deadline of the “This Is the End” star portraying her Communist leader father.

“The project is almost entirely Latino, both in front and behind the camera,” Fernández added, citing Franco’s Portuguese heritage. “I find the selection of the cast amazing. The filmmakers worked a lot and I can’t be more grateful to them for their overall inclusive selection.”

For “Alina of Cuba,” Fernández will be played by Ana Villafañe, with Mía Maestro starring as Natalia “Naty” Revuelta, the socialite whom Castro had an affair with, resulting in the birth of Fernández.

The film, directed by Miguel Bardem...

Exclusive: Fidel Castro’s daughter, Alina Fernández, has emphasized to Deadline her endorsement of James Franco playing her Cuban leader revolutionary father in the upcoming independent feature, Alina of Cuba.

She is also proud that “the project is almost entirely Latino, both in front and behind the camera.”

“James Franco has an obvious physical resemblance with Fidel Castro, besides his skills and charisma,” said Fernández about the 127 Hours Oscar nominated actor of Portuguese heritage.

Fernández will be played in Alina of Cuba by Ana Villafañe.

Deadline told you first that Franco would play Castro, Villafañe as Fernández and Mía Maestro as her mother Natalia “Naty” Revuelta, the Cuban-born socialite who El Comandante has a passionate love affair with. The movie which is directed by Miguel Bardem and scripted by Oscar-nominated scribe Jose Rivera (The Motorcycle Diaries) and Pulitzer Prize winner Nilo Cruz, follows the true story of Cuban exile-turned-social advocate Fernandez,...

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Following criticisms by John Leguizamo of James Franco’s casting as Cuban revolutionary Fidel Castro in the independent film Alina of Cuba, producer John Martinez O’Felan has responded, calling the comments “culturally uneducated.”

Set to be directed by Miguel Bardem and based on a script written by Jose Rivera and Nilo Cruz, Franco stars opposite Mía Maestro, who portrays Natalia “Naty” Revuelta, a Cuban-born socialite with whom Castro becomes romantically entwined. The film is based on the true-life story of Alina Fernandez — played by Ana Villafañe — a Cuban exile turned social advocate who learns at age 10 that she is Castro’s daughter.

Leguizamo, a Colombian American actor who wrote and performed the Broadway production Latin History for Morons, took to Instagram on Friday to slam the decision to cast Franco, questioning why Hollywood is “excluding” the Latinx community and notes that a film...

John Leguizamo took to Instagram to speak out against the recent casting of James Franco as Cuban revolutionary Fidel Castro in the upcoming independent film, “Alina of Cuba.” Variety confirmed Franco’s casting on Aug. 4. “Alina of Cuba” is directed by Miguel Bardem, based on a script written by Jose Rivera and Nilo Cruz.

“How is this still going on?” Leguizamo asked his Instagram followers about Franco being cast as the Cuban historical figure. “How is Hollywood excluding us but stealing our narratives as well? No more appropriation Hollywood and streamers! Boycott! This F’d up! Plus seriously difficult story to tell without aggrandizement, which would be wrong! I don’t got a [problem] with Franco but he ain’t Latino!”

“Alina of Cuba” is slated to begin production on Aug. 15, with the crew shooting in Colombia. Franco will star opposite Ana Villafañe, who portrays the title character Alina Fernandez, Castro’s daughter.

James Franco has landed the role of Fidel Castro in “Alina of Cuba,” an independent film about the Cuban revolutionary’s daughter, Alina Fernandez.

The project is the latest of multiple live-action films the actor has recently signed on to, ending the hiatus he took following accusations of sexual misconduct 2018 and 2019. Last month, he booked a leading role in post-World War II drama “Me, You” with Tom Hollander and Daisy Jacob.

Starring Ana Villafañe as Fernandez, “Alina of Cuba” recounts the true story of her exile from Cuba and eventual turn to social advocacy. As previously announced, Mía Maestro will play Natalia “Naty” Revuelta, the Cuban socialite whose affair with Castro resulted in the birth of their daughter.

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Fernandez, who learned of her father’s identity at age 10, eventually became one of his most outspoken critics.

James Franco has been cast as Cuban revolutionary Fidel Castro in the independent film “Alina of Cuba,” Variety has confirmed.

Franco joins the previously announced Ana Villafañe, who portrays the title character Alina Fernandez, Castro’s daughter. In addition, Mía Maestro has also joined the cast as Alina’s mother Natalia Revuelta, the Cuban socialite who gave birth to her after an affair with Castro. The film will follow Alina’s life as Castro’s illegitimate daughter and a critic of his reign in Cuba before leaving the country and defecting to Spain in 1993. Franco’s casting was supported by the real life Fernandez, who is serving the production as an on-set creative and biographical consultant.

Franco’s casting comes less than a month after the announcement that the actor will appear in the post-war drama “Me, You” from British director Billie August. The films represent a return for Franco...

Exclusive: Oscar nominee and 2x Golden Globe winner James Franco will play Cuban leader Fidel Castro in Miguel Bardem’s Aline of Cuba with Imagen Award winner Mía Maestro set to play Natalia “Naty” Revuelta, the Cuban-born socialite he has a passionate love affair with.

They join previously announced actress Ana Villafañe who is portraying Alina Fernandez aka Castro’s Daughter. The screenplay from Oscar-nominated scribe Jose Rivera (The Motorcycle Diaries) and Pulitzer Prize winner Nilo Cruz, follows the true-life story of Cuban exile turned social advocate, Fernandez, whose birth was the result of the tryst between Revuelta and Castro. Revuelta sacrificed her and her physician husband’s personal belongings and finances to help fund the start of the communist revolution. Fernandez learned that she was Fidel Castro’s daughter at the age of 10 when after years of secret visits to her home, her mother finally revealed that “El Comandante” was her biological father.