Colombian Popular Comedy for Dummies: The Nieto Roa and Dago García Producciones Formula

Abstract

No names epitomize popular comedy in Colombian cinema like those of directors Gustavo Nieto Roa and Dago García. Nieto Roa has been active in the filmmaking industry in Colombia since the 1970s, first as a director, screenwriter, and producer; and, later, during the temporary decline of Colombian film production from 1993 to 2003, his Centauro Producciones company stayed in business offering rental equipment and dubbing services. With the reactivation of Colombia’s filmmaking industry under Law 814 or the Law on Filmmaking in 2003,¹ he returned to directing—this time with a soft porn drama entitled Entre sábanas/Between the Sheets (2008). Dago García—commonly known as Dago—is a director, screenwriter, and producer who combines filmmaking with his work as a script writer and creative director of soap operas and TV series for Caracol Television, one of the leading media companies in Colombia. He holds a seat as its vice president of production while also directing Dago Producciones, his own production company. Dago’s career dates back to the early 1990s.