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Amazon Studios Acquires Doc About Colombian Superstar J Balvin, ‘The Boy From Medellín’

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Amazon Studios has picked up the worldwide rights to a documentary about  international superstar J Balvin, also known as "El Príncipe del Reggaetón" (the Prince of Reggaeton), just before its world premiere at the 2020 Toronto International Film Festival in September.

The Boy from Medellín, directed by Oscar-nominated and Emmy-winning filmmaker Matthew Heineman, takes a deep dive into the life of the Colombian four-time Latin Grammy winner and one of the top streaming music artists in the world, regardless of language.

J Balvin gave the filmmaker unprecedented access to capture the moments leading up to the biggest concert of his life — a sold-out performance in his hometown of Medellín, Colombia. 

Heineman explores the influential performer's journey to stardom in the city where he began his career and gives audiences a behind-the-scenes view into what is considered to be one of the most game-changing and career defining moments of J Balvin’s life. 

"Representing my country, my city and Latin culture globally is a lifelong pursuit and I'm so proud to be a son of Medellín," states J Balvin. "I'm honored to be able to tell my story in this beautiful way and working with Matthew on this project was an incredible experience. Thank you to Amazon for making sure this story can be seen around the world."

The Endeavor Content fully financed feature-length documentary, produced by Our Time Projects and SB Projects, was made with an international crew in Colombia and New York. 

The Boy from Medellin is a poignant and transparent snapshot of Latin superstar J Balvin’s journey at such a crucial time in Colombia’s history,” says Javiera Balmaceda, Head of International Originals in Argentina, Chile and Colombia, Amazon Studios. “Filmmaker Matthew Heineman is a master of his craft, and beautifully depicts the perspective of an international music icon. We are thrilled to welcome Matthew back to the Amazon family and to share J Balvin’s story with our global customers.”

Heineman is known for his immersive style in films such as City of Ghosts, also released by Amazon Studios, for which he won a DGA Award.From Our Time Projects, producers are Heineman, Juan Camilo Cruz, Myles Estey and Joedan Okun. Executive Producers are Scooter Braun, Allison Kaye, Scott Manson and Jennifer McDaniels on behalf of SB Projects, Fabio Acosta, José Álvaro Osorio Balvín, Jenna Millman and Juan Diego Villegas.

J Balvin's latest album, Colores, released in March 2020, in which every song is named after a color, except "Arcoiris" (Spanish for rainbow), is a commercial success. J Balvin is the artist with the most No. 1 songs on Billboard's Latin Airplay charts in history, with 24 of his tunes earning that spot over the course of his career. 

There is no date yet for the premiere of the documentary on the Amazon Prime Video platform.

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