Donald Glover & Rihanna – Guava Island

Guava Island dropped on Amazon Prime Video and there were a few Amazon Videos shared. Those videos continued with the release of the screening event at Coachella 2019, which Donald Glover attended to promote the movie.  There was also a clip of Glover and Rhianna in the movie. This is a chance to listen to Glover’s amazing voice, along with his sexy dance moves.

A young musician seeks to hold a festival to liberate the oppressed people of Guava Island, even if only for a day.

Guava Island is a 2019 American musical film directed by Hiro Murai (his feature directorial debut) with a screenplay by Stephen Glover from a story by Donald Glover, Stephen Glover, Ibra Ake, Jamal Olori and Fam Udeorji. It stars Donald Glover and Rihanna in the lead roles of Deni and Kofi, respectively, and was first exhibited at Coachella. It was then released by Amazon Studios through Amazon Prime Video.

An animated folk tale narrated by Kofi Novia introduces the origins of Guava Island and the music played by Deni Maroon. Kofi and Deni live together and she wakes up to Deni playing a tune on the guitar. Deni, a local celebrity, rushes out of the house and is greeted by many passersby on the street on his way to work; Deni is holding a music festival that the whole town is looking forward to. He is mugged by a group of kids he knows and he convinces them not to rob him by promising them seats up front at the festival.

Kofi works as a seamstress with Yara while Deni works for Red Cargo, a business magnate on the island. While at work, an employee details what he would do if he were able to emigrate to America, which Deni dismisses as ignorant (“This Is America“). Deni is kidnapped and taken to Red Cargo’s office. Red bribes Deni into canceling his festival so that it will not interrupt productivity the next day. When Deni challenges him, Red destroys his guitar.

He returns to Kofi, who immediately questions his injury and his guitar’s absence. Deni brushes off her inquiry, instead serenading her with the song he had promised to write since they were children (“Summertime Magic“). They are interrupted when Deni suddenly has to go, and she is not able to tell him at that moment she is pregnant. Kofi expresses to Yara that she is reluctant to tell him because of his free-spirited lifestyle.

Inspired by two children, Zoila and Mapi (“Time”), Deni performs on the radio again and announces that the festival is back on (“Feels Like Summer“). Kofi is ambushed by Red while both look for Deni; Red asks Kofi to tell him to break a leg. Deni starts the festival late, and performs a song dedicated to Zoila and Mapi (“Saturday”). Kofi spots a masked gunman just before he opens fire on the stage. Deni attempts to escape through an alleyway, but the gunman eventually catches up and assassinates him.

Red is delighted with the development, only to find out all of his employees have left work. Kofi and the islanders have all opted to attend a joyous blue-themed memorial for Deni (“Die with You”); Kofi states that they all finally “got their day”. Kofi tells their child a new and improved version of the story.

Cast

• Donald Glover as Deni Maroon, a Cuban musician who “is determined to throw a festival for his island community”
• Rihanna as Kofi Novia, Deni’s girlfriend and musical inspiration
• Letitia Wright as Yara Love
• Nonso Anozie as Red Cargo, “a shady island tycoon” whose business interests conflict with Deni’s festival
• Betiza Bistmark Calderón as Emani Dune
• Yansel Alberto Monagas Pérez as Coley
• Ayensi Amilgar Jardines Delgado as Dodo
• Karla Talía Pino Piloto as Zoila
• Alain Jonathan Amat Rodriguez as Mapi

Production

In August 2018, it had been reported that actors and musicians Donald Glover and Rihanna had been filming a secret project in Cuba titled Guava Island throughout that summer. Glover’s Atlanta collaborator Hiro Murai was directing, with Letitia Wright and Nonso Anozie also involved.

Music

The film’s score was composed by Michael Uzowuru, with its soundtrack also including several songs performed by Glover as Childish Gambino: