The House that Jack Built

Philadelphia Premiere
University of the Arts
Sunday April 27 | 5:00 p.m.

The House that Jack Built - Dancing at a wedding
The House that Jack Built - bride
Henry Barrial/USA/2013/90 minutes/English

A new motion picture starring E.J. Bonilla and Melissa Fumero (Brooklyn Ninty-Nine). Using Bronx locations and a strong cast of Caribbean-Latino actors, director Henry Barrial constructs a convincing portrait of a neighborhood and its Nuyorican culture. The script was written by Joseph Vasquez whose 1991 film Hangin’ with the Homeboys was a rare Latino themed hit in the early days of the American Indie movement.

About the Film

Jack Maldonado is an ambitious Latino man who fueled by misguided nostalgia, buys a small apartment building in the Bronx and moves his family into the apartments to live rent-free. His parents, Carlos and Martha, sister Nadia, brother Richie and his wife Rosa, Grandmother/Abuela and cousins Hector and Manny, all under one roof. Tension builds quickly as Jack imposes his views on everyone around him, including his fiancée, Lily. All the while, he hides the fact that his corner store is a front for selling marijuana but soon has to deal with new unwanted competitive forces. It's only a matter of time before Jack's family and 'business' lives collide in tragic fashion.

Trailer