Documentary Achievement Award
From Academy Award-nominated and Emmy-Nominated filmmaker Matthew Heineman (Cartel Land, City of Ghosts, A Private War) The Boy From Medellin is an astonishingly intimate portrait of J Balvin, one of the biggest international music superstars of our time.
The Boy From Medellin follows J Balvin as he prepares for the most important concert of his career–a sold-out stadium show in his hometown of Medellín, Colombia. But as the performance draws ever closer, the streets explode with growing political unrest, forcing the Latin Grammy-winning musician to wrestle with his responsibility as an artist to his country and his legions of fans around the globe. As the public pressure of the approaching concert heightens, behind the scenes Balvin also continues to deal with the anxiety and depression that has plagued him for years. Shot entirely in the dramatic week leading up to the concert, The Boy From Medellin gives us unprecedented access to the “Prince of Reggaeton,” and provides an immersive look into one of the most pivotal and emotionally charged moments of his life.
Matthew Heineman is one of the premiere documentary filmmakers working today. His film Cartel Land was nominated for Best Documentary Feature at the 2016 Oscars. It was also nominated for an Emmy. His 2017 film City of Ghosts was also nominated for a Primetime Emmy. He also directed the 2018 feature film A Private War starring Rosamund Pike.
