Dillon Porter (left) says that the Colombian weather played into the filming of Bastards y Diablos
We caught up with actor-producer Dillon Porter before the premiere of Bastards y Diablos.
Bastards y Diablos – right from the start it’s clear the film will be bilingual. That’s common in Bollywood but rare outside. “No one makes a bilingual movie. It’s really rare to see that,” says actor and producer Dillon Porter. He plays Dion, one of two brothers on an exhilarating road trip through Colombia.
The brothers walk in two worlds, American yet Colombian at the same time, and the language plays a big part in that. “Yeah, it was pretty real to life in some regards. It raises the stakes,” says Dillon, “when there’s a language barrier, everyone has to lean in and pay attention. He’s speaking English but in a thick accent. He’s speaking Spanish, but so slow, so gringo that even [someone who doesn’t speak Spanish] can understand.”
As it’s a road trip, Colombia itself plays a pivotal role in the film, and Dillon is clear about the importance of the country around them. He leans in as he tells me, “Definitely Colombia was at the forefront as a character. We were proud of that and that people can plot the brothers’ journey through the landscape. And what a rich and diverse landscape.” One memorable sequence involves the Parque Nacional de Café, and another the salt cathedral of Zipa. “It was fun for me in pre-production to be researching that, looking up places and the sumptuous quality of those landmarks allowed themselves to be expressed,” enthuses the actor.
It wasn’t all plain sailing, as the famous climate was an issue. “Weather sometimes played a role,” he admits, “but we used that. ‘Oh, it’s raining great, that’s another thing to play into the plot.’”
I wonder if he’ll be recommending the country as a filming location. “Absolutely!” he chuckles, “especially if it’s a real budget film. I hope the industry in Colombia sees an uptick. It’s nothing to shy away from.”
He’s clear, though, that you should be here for the right reasons. “Don’t come because it’s a good deal. Come for all the reasons people would want to live here or be from here. Come for the people, come for the food, come for the biodiversity, come for the history, stay for the tax break. Who wouldn’t?” He’s preaching to the converted, of course. We all know what a wonderful country this is. Head to Cine Colombia for a screening of Bastards y Diablos to see it in its full glory.
Bastards y Diablos is in Colombian theatres from October 19
