The St. John Film Society (SJFS) will screen the film “Rican-ing of White Boy” on Tuesday, February 4, at St John School of the Arts, at 7:30 p.m. Jeff Rodriguez, cinematographer and supporting actor, will be present to talk about the film.
“The Ricaning of White Boy” explores, “What happens when a forty seven year old paternally adopted Schmuck from Queens, NY, sets out for the first time to meet his long lost Puerto Rican family, after being raised by a tribe of white people?” Actor/writer, Paul Louis (Gonzalez) comically documents his journey, with no short supply of anxiety, culture shock, religious jokes, and a surprisingly touching lessened learned on family, and the bond which connects us.
Andrea Leland, SJFS Programming Director, and Carol Beckowitz, SJFS Programming, discovered “The Ricaning of White Boy” during their trip to the 2013 Rincon Film Festival in Puerto Rico. It was there they met the filmmaker Paul Louis.
Leland and Beckowitz found the film to be quite irreverent. “Despite the “home video” quality, there was a lot of humor and heart-felt emotion displayed about the father-son relationship which is why the film was chosen for our program,” said Leland.
“The Ricaning of White Boy” won the Audience Choice Award at the 2013 Rincon International Film Festival – thanks in no small part to cinematographer and supporting actor, Jeff Rodriguez. Jeff is part of the dynamic duo behind the production of the award-winning comic documentary shot on location in Rincon, Puerto Rico. Jeff also lent his effortless comedic persona to the film as he made his screen acting debut and played comic sidekick to the film’s star and director, Paul Louis.
Jeff Rodriquez was born in NYC on October 1964 to Puerto Rican parents who had emigrated to the states at an early age. Jeff had the complete opposite experience as Paul growing up because his family moved from Manhattan to Massapequa Park, Long Island when he was just 5 years old. He grew up in suburbia where most of his friends were Irish, Italian or Jewish. Although both Paul & Jeff had a different upbringing, they both were minorities in their own neighborhoods. He now lives between Amityville, NY and Rincon, Puerto Rico and is a property manager in Rincon.
Jeff’s life experiences have taught him to enjoy the present to the fullest, be grateful for what you have and most of all Live, Love, & most of all Laugh.
Produced, Directed and Edited by Paul Louis. Filmed by Jeff Rodriguez and Paul Louis. Music by Kevin MacLeod.
There is a suggested donation of $5.
SJFS is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts, Virgin Island Council on the Arts and St. John Community Foundation. For more information contact St John Film Society at stjviff@gmail.com or www.stjohnfilm.com.
