Mad Bills to Pay (or Destiny, dile que no soy malo)
| Mad Bills to Pay (or Destiny, dile que no soy malo) | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Joel Alfonso Vargas |
| Written by | Joel Alfonso Vargas |
| Produced by | Paolo Maria Pedullà |
| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Rufai Ajala |
| Edited by | Irfan Van Tuijl |
| Music by | Niklas Sandahl |
Production companies |
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Release date |
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Running time | 101 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Languages |
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Mad Bills to Pay (or Destiny, dile que no soy malo) is a 2025 American drama film, written and directed by Joel Alfonso Vargas, in his directorial debut. It stars Juan Collado, Destiny Checho, Yohanna Florentino and Nathaly Navarro.
It had its world premiere at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival on January 26, 2025.
Premise
Rico spends his summer selling homemade cocktails on Orchard Beach. When his girlfriend, Destiny, becomes pregnant, she moves in with his family.
Cast
- Juan Collado as Rico
- Destiny Checho as Destiny
- Yohanna Florentino as Andrea
- Nathaly Navarro as Sally
Production
Principal photography took place over the course of 16 days in The Bronx.[1][2]
Release
The film premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival on January 26, 2025, where it won the NEXT Special Jury Award for Ensemble Cast.[3][4] It will also screen at the 75th Berlin International Film Festival in February 2025.[5][6] The film had its New York premiere on April 4, 2025 at the Lincoln Center and screened at the Museum of Modern Art the following day as part of the New Directors/New Films Festival.
Reception
Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 80 out of 100, based on 10 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.
References
- ^ Keogan, Natalia (January 26, 2025). "100 Scenes in 16 Shooting Days: Joel Alfonso Vargas on Mad Bills to Pay (or Destiny, dile que no soy malo)". Filmmaker. Retrieved February 3, 2025.
- ^ ""Mad Bills to Pay (or Destiny, dile que no soy malo)" Brings Bronx Hustle and Heart". Sundance Film Festival. January 30, 2025. Retrieved February 3, 2025.
- ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony; Patten, Dominic (December 11, 2024). "Sundance 2025: JLo, Sly Stone, Putin, Ayo Edebiri, André Holland, & Ex-NZ PM Jacinda Ardern Films Among Park City Festival Offerings". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 3, 2025.
- ^ Donnelly, Matt (January 31, 2025). "'Atropia,' 'Twinless' Win Top Sundance 2025 Awards (Full Winners List)". Variety. Retrieved February 3, 2025.
- ^ Ntim, Zac (January 21, 2025). "Berlin Film Festival Lineup: Richard Linklater, Jessica Chastain, A$AP Rocky & Marion Cotillard Movies Among Vibrant Selection". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 3, 2025.
- ^ "Mad Bills to Pay (or Destiny, dile que no soy malo)". Berlin International Film Festival. Retrieved February 3, 2025.