Donald Glover took festival-goers attending his Pharos Festival in New Zealand by surprise over the weekend by debuting the trailer for his mysterious upcoming cinematic collaboration with Rihanna.
Although there has been no official release online, smartphone footage of its screening has ended up on the internet – either a sacrilegious way for it to first be experienced by the masses, or a smart way to build hype.
Believed to have been shot in Cuba, the trailer for the film – reportedly titled Guava Island – sees Glover’s character lament: “We live in paradise but none of us actually have the time or the means to live here.”
In spite of this sombre line, the film looks to have a celebratory and comedic tone and be awash with music.
Glover and Rihanna’s characters appear to be girlfriend and boyfriend, Glover’s working a menial day job though his passion lies in playing guitar.
Letitia Wright and Nonso Anozie co-star, with Hiro Murai – the man behind many episodes of Glover’s Atlanta TV show and “This is America” music video – directing.
The title of “Guava Island” has yet to be officially confirmed, much less a release date for the secretive project.
