Behind the Scenes of Coquito offers a series of short reflections from writer and director Bienvenida Matias about the ideas, people, research, and experiences shaping her documentary Coquito. Beginning with a beloved Puerto Rican holiday drink, Matias follows its ingredients and traditions into a much larger story about Puerto Rican history, culture, migration, agriculture, music, family, and identity. Through these short videos, Matias shares the origins of the film, her search through Puerto Rico’s archives, conversations with community members and historians, the importance of preserving the island’s land and agricultural traditions, and the creation of the film’s musical score. Together, the excerpts provide a personal look at the making of Coquito and Matias’s belief that this familiar holiday tradition carries something much larger within it: Puerto Rican history in a glass.
Latest episodes
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53 sec
come see Coquito
Bienvenida Matias invites audiences to watch Coquito as the documentary begins reaching communities in Puerto Rico and across the United States. She reflects on the joy at the hear…
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3 min
recording the score for Coquito
Bienvenida Matias takes us inside the recording studio as composer Bayuán Ríos, musicians, and sound engineers create the score for Coquito. She reflects on the excitement of watch…
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2 min
the importance of music in telling the history of Coquito
Bienvenida Matias reflects on the essential role music plays in Coquito and in Puerto Rican culture. Working with composer Bayuán Ríos, the film draws on traditional instruments an…
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1 min
audiences for Coquito
Bienvenida Matias reflects on how the audience for Coquito grew beyond the Puerto Rican community to include anyone who has left one place to build a life in another. At its heart,…
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3 min
the history of the island
Bienvenida Matias connects Puerto Rico’s political and economic history with her own family’s experience of migration to New York. Through her research for Coquito, she encounters…
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47 sec
collaboration
Coquito Director Bienvenida Matias reflects on the importance of collaboration in creating Coquito, drawing on the knowledge and experiences of academics, activists, and community…
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2 min
environmentalism and coquito
Bienvenida Matias explores the connection between Coquito, agriculture, and efforts to preserve Puerto Rico’s fertile land. Through the stories of people returning to farming, the…
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2 min
the search for archival materials
Bienvenida Matias reflects on the National Archives of Puerto Rico as an essential resource for understanding the island’s history and transformation. Archival photographs, films,…
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2 min
the origins of the film Coquito
Bienvenida Matias shares how a New York coquito competition inspired what would become a much larger exploration of Puerto Rican history, culture, and migration. What began with a…
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1 min
an introduction to Bienvenida Matias
Filmmaker, photographer, and writer Bienvenida Matias introduces herself and reflects on a career rooted in documentary storytelling. She shares the importance of Puerto Ricans tel…