Meet Jolene Rodriguez: CEO of Broken English Productions

Jolene Rodriguez. Photo Credit: Tommy Garcia

Jolene Rodriguez, the CEO of Broken English Productions, chatted about her latest projects, which include “The Absence of Eden” and “Atypical Pirate.”

Background on Jolene Rodriguez

Rodriguez began her career as an intern at Screen Gems. She quickly rose through the ranks, cultivating relationships with industry stars who would later collaborate with her on groundbreaking projects.

Presently, Rodriguez stands as the CEO of “Broken English Productions,” a leading production company that is backed by Grandave Capital.

In addition to her body of work, Rodriguez has made an impact as the first Latina producer to create an initiative in partnership with Women in Film, which dedicated to supporting and empowering female filmmakers.

Through this initiative, she has championed diversity and inclusion both in front of and behind the camera, paving the way for the next generation of storytellers.

‘The Absence of Eden’ film

She opened up about “The Absence of Eden,” which stars Zoe Saldana, Garrett Hedlund, Adria Arjona (“Hit Man”), and Tom Waits. “When the director, Marco Perego, pitched me his movie, I read it, and I told him that it would make sense to do it with somebody in the caliber of Zoe,” she said.

She continued, “One department passed on it and I gave it to another department, and they passed on it, but I really loved it, and I called my investor friend of mine, who helped me with the investment for the budget. He met with the team, and he was in. That’s how passionate I felt about it, and I thought it would do well.”

“It was lovely to watch it come to life, especially watching Zoe being the mega-star that she is; Zoe is so talented. She is so special and truly gifted,” Rodriguez said.

“Garrett is such a professional, and he is so good. It is fun to watch him work, and the same holds true for Adria, who is a mega-star herself,” she added.

“This is such a human story,” she noted. “People call it a border movie or a movie on immigration but it’s not. It’s just about a human story, and it’s also a bit of a romantic drama.”

‘Atypical Pirate’ thriller

Rodriguez discussed the action thriller “Atypical Pirate,” which stars Julio Macias and Mira Sorvino. “This is such a different type of movie,” she admitted. “It’s about a kid who is autistic, but this kid is a genius.”

“It becomes an action adventure where he intentionally gets deported to find the treasure in Guadalajara, which is its own character in this movie because it is so stunning and beautiful,” she explained.

“Julio is just incredible, and I am just waiting for him to pop into superstardom. I think Julio is the next big thing… he is also the nicest guy ever,” she acknowledged.

“This movie will inspire audiences to look at autistic people differently,” she said. “I hope they enjoy this ride/adventure.”

The digital age

On being a part of the digital age, she said, “I think there are pros and cons to it. You are more productive but also you are more prone to getting hacked. With technology, comes some big problems, and they are happening all the time.”

Advice for young and aspiring filmmakers and producers

For young and aspiring filmmakers and producers, Rodriguez said, “Networking is the most important part of it, and being passionate about the craft. Do it because you truly love it. Networking is truly important, especially in the producing world.”

Success

On her definition of the word success, she said, “Success means helping other people make their dreams comes true… That’s the whole point of me doing what I do.”

“Also, waking up every day to do what I love and helping others make their dreams come true,” she concluded.