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Rolando Gil is an award-winning filmmaker whose current project, Quadrant D, based on a true story about the past horrors of prison life in Puerto Rico for many inmates and the victory of the human spirit.
Gil, who has been working on this feature film since 2014, began researching many books and journals about the Puerto Rican correctional system, which was established by Spain during the 1700s when the first jail was built on the island. Gil researched materials and local news video footage at the Puerto Rico National Archives and the University of Puerto Rico library. He interviewed reporters, hostages, guards and inmates. In addition, Gil spent six months visiting inmates in their own cells, working hard to getting to know them and gaining their trust to get the most accurate story.
A native of Arecibo, Puerto Rico, Gil grew up in the neighborhood of Santana. It should be no surprise that Gil was drawn to film at an early age, since Santana is home of the longest-running drive-in movie theatre in Puerto Rico, Auto Cine Santana. As a youth, he spent much time watching movies and participating in theatre, either acting or coordinating some of the productions. He also devoted a lot of time to writing when inspired by his surroundings. After graduating high school with honors, Gil was admitted to Universidad Politecnica in Hato Rey, P.R., where he started his engineering studies.
Gil's determination and resolve perhaps can also be traced to his hometown's spirit. Arecibo is the site of one of Puerto Rico's greatest battles, in 1702 when Puerto Rican hero Captain Antonio de los Reyes Correa of the Spanish Army drove off a British Navy invasion by ambushing forces led by rear-admiral William Whetstone.
This son of Arecibo got his start as a filmmaker after being inspired while volunteering directing a play that raised funds for a local church. The play project took a year to plan and produce, with a packed house of 465 attending opening night. Gil took that experience and inspiration and decided to pursue a filmmaking career.
Following his passion to make films, Gil moved to Naples, Florida, where he enrolled in an English course to master the language. Gil then moved to Charlotte, where he earned a degree in Filmmaking at the Art Institute of Charlotte (AIC) in 2014. Within six months at AIC, Gil had submitted a music video and short film for competitions, and earned his first nomination for his professional work. His music video was nominated at the Manifesto Film Festival in Charlotte and his (first) short film won Bronze Award for Best Narrative Short Film at the UNC Charlotte Film Festival.
Gil was featured in the 2014 Joedance Film Festival in Charlotte with his short film Filius. Filius, based on a true story, in which a father loses his only daughter and was not able to overcome the loss, won Best Student Film at the Rincon International Film Festival in Puerto Rico (considered one of the top 25 film festivals in the United States). Filius' award earned Gil a scholarship at the New York Film Academy University. While at Rincon, Gil met many filmmakers, producers and directors, one of whom offered Gil a job on some major commercials in Charlotte and Boston.
All of this work and preparation led him to produce a film and story that he's carried around in his soul for years, the story of Quadrant D.
