HOLLYWOOD producer Brad Krevoy will arrive on island next week to help jump-start the local film industry, Gov. Ralph DLG Torres said Thursday.
Krevoy is the founder and chairman/CEO of Motion Picture Corporation of America, known for creating commercial motion pictures and for having an aggressive sales and marketing team that generates more than $1 billion worldwide in all media.
One of Krevoy’s recent films is “Falling for Christmas,” starring Lindsay Lohan, which is one of Netflix’s top 10 movies in the U.S. today.
He will be on Saipan to formally announce his intention to develop a movie studio and to produce a minimum of 20 motion pictures over the next five years in the Marianas, the governor’s office said.
Moreover, Krevoy will create a training program for film school students as well as permanent jobs in the production industry while also promoting tourism and the diversification of the local economy, the governor’s office added.
At a press conference on Thursday, Governor Torres and local filmmaker Dr. Galvin Deleon Guerrero shared their excitement regarding Krevoy’s arrival.
“I’ve invited him numerous times, but because of the pandemic, it took long,” Torres said. “[We want him to] really look at the opportunities that we have here. [This will] diversify…our economy [and create] opportunities for our kids [and] our students, and then, of course, with...‘Dr. G’ [who has] been very instrumental here in the islands through theatre and the passion that [he has for filmmaking].”
Deleon Guerrero said Krevoy is “the real deal.”
“He has over 30 years in Hollywood film and [television]. He’s a titan in Hollywood. He has launched the careers of many amazing performers and filmmakers, including Jim Carrey with films like ‘Dumb and Dumber,’ but as you can see, he has also worked in serious drama...and is also sort of the king of Christmas comedies and [romantic comedies] on all platforms across Netflix, Hulu, Hallmark, [and] Lifetime,” Deleon Guerrero added.
“It’s really quite incredible that he is going to come here because he is a sought-after filmmaker around the world. When you consider his experience, when you consider his résumé, when you just consider his filmography, everywhere he goes, he gets welcomed and they roll out the red carpet. Of all of the places in the world he’s chosen to do his filmmaking, he is choosing to come here, and that is simply amazing. This is not a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity; this is a once-in-a-generation opportunity...and the timing couldn’t be better,” Deleon Guerrero said.
“Not only is this timely, this is fitting for who we are as a Commonwealth because one thing about the people of the Commonwealth and [its] many different cultures is that we’re storytellers and we’re creative. This is who we are, this is what we do, and we are now going to have an opportunity to take and harness all of that talent and creativity, and put it on an international platform. What an incredible opportunity for the people of the Northern Marianas,” Deleon Guerrero added.
