Always on
This project successfully funded on 6th June 2026, you can still support them with a donation.
El Bananero Feature Film
London, Greater London, United Kingdom
Aim
Support El Bananero! Help us raise £25k to make a bold salsa musical mystery about love, migration and bananas in London.
Who We Are
We are Film Locos, an independent production company based in the UK dedicated to telling bold stories from the Latin American diaspora. Since 2018, we have produced award-winning short films and creative projects that celebrate Latin culture, music and identity in Britain.
El Bananero will be directed by Jean Paul Arroyave and produced by Victor Rios, a British Bolivian producer committed to bringing more Latin American voices to the screen. This project will be our first feature film and, to our knowledge, the first British Latino feature film set in London created by a Latin-led team.
The Story of the Film
Our vision is to create a vibrant salsa musical mystery that celebrates our culture while telling a story that mixes comedy, satire and magical realism.
The film follows the mysterious death of El Bananero, a beloved fruit seller, and the investigation led by La Mulata, who begins uncovering strange clues across the Latin neighbourhood of London. As she searches for the truth, memories of their love story unfold through music, humour and the colourful world of the community.
EL BANANERO - Message in the film
While the film is playful and musical, it also touches on an important historical reality. The story references the violent history connected to the banana industry in South America, including the massacres and exploitation of workers linked to powerful fruit corporations. These events form part of Latin American history, and our film reflects on them through satire, comedy and music.
Our Mission
Our goal is to create a film that is entertaining, culturally vibrant and politically aware.
Through comedy, salsa music and magical realism, we want to explore themes of migration, love, labour and power while celebrating the creativity and resilience of the Latin community.
Stories like these are rarely seen in British cinema, and we believe it is time to bring them to the screen.
Filming in London and Colombia
We plan to shoot around 80 per cent of the film in Elephant and Castle, one of the most important cultural hubs for the Latin American community in London. For many years, this neighbourhood has been considered the heart of Latin London, full of music, food, dance and community life.
By filming there, we want to highlight the vibrancy of the area and the stories of the people who live and work there.
The remaining 20 per cent of the film will be shot in October in Cali, Colombia, the world capital of salsa. There, we will collaborate with a group of local filmmakers and artists to capture the energy and musical spirit that inspires the film.
A Film Made With the Community
This project is not just about making a film. It is about making it with the community.
We aim to collaborate with local businesses in Elephant and Castle, Latin talent groups, dancers, musicians and an aspiring team of Latino filmmakers. We are also working with artists from the global majority, reflecting the real diversity of London.
Our goal is to create a film that truly represents the voices, creativity and energy of the people who make this city what it is.
What We Need the Money For
The funds raised through this campaign will help us bring the film to life.
Your support will go directly toward production in London, travel and filming in Colombia, music recording, choreography, Set design, costumes, film equipment, crew, talent and post-production.
With your support, we can complete El Bananero and share this unique British Latino story with audiences in the UK and internationally.
Behind FILM LOCOS to make this film possible are:
JEAN PAUL ARROYAVE: Writer & Director
VICTOR RIOS: Actor & Producer
ELEIDA LINAN: Actress & Marketing
IGOR HISZCZYNSKI: Actor & Public Relations
ANDREA MOLINA: Actress & Logistics
LISSETE PICO: Social Media Manager & Line Producer
Funding method
Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made