Soy de Rancho on Cinelatino

Cinelatino has announced the exclusive U.S. television premiere of its musically-inspired original production, “Soy De Rancho,” featuring the Billboard Award-winning regional Mexican music star “El Komander” Alfredo Rios, on Sunday, July 4, at 11 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. PT.

Based on the artist’s 2014 hit corrido of the same name—which currently boasts over 117 million views on YouTube—the feature-length rom-com follows the story of Alfredo, an ambitious and powerful young Mexican rancher, played by Rios himself. When problems arise with his family businesses, Alfredo must quickly travel to the city’s capital, where he meets Fabiola (Estrella Solís), a beautiful but pretentious young woman whose family is drowning in debt. At the insistence of her mother (Claudia Vega), Fabiola attempts to seduce Alfredo, whom she perceives as a backwards and naïve country boy, in the hopes of taking his money to get her family out of financial straits. But Alfredo is savvier than Fabiola gives him credit for, and her plan goes awry when Alfredo discovers her true intentions. The ranchero decides to teach the alluring city-dweller a lesson she will never forget. Directed by Alonso Ortíz and written by Edén Echeverría, “Soy de Rancho” features performances by Diana Golden (Como Dice el Dicho, Hasta Que el Dinero Nos Separe), Yair Sánchez, Miguel Estrada and Hugo Aceves, as well as songs from Mexican artists Banda La Resonante, Grupo Nueva Altura and other popular El Komander hits such as “Como Tu,” “La Manda Incumplida,” and “Con la Pistola en la Mano.”

Corridos, a tropical fusion of northern Mexican music, North American country music, Sinaloan band music, Colombian cumbia, rock, rap and other genres, all steeped in the Mexican oral tradition, have enjoyed immense popularity thanks to the narrative songs’ depiction of stories from “el pueblo.” From natural disasters and political events to crime, family feuds, horse races, romantic entanglements, social clashes, migration and drug trafficking, the ballads strike a collective cultural nerve, resonating deeply with many segments of the Mexican community.  

Cinelatino has previously showcased movies based on popular corridos, including several by El Komander and Los Cuates de Sinaloa, all of which were well received by audiences. In a testament to the success of the musical genre’s film adaptations, Soy de Rancho, released on Cinelatino’s Latin American feed in 2019, became the network’s best non-series performer for that year. The network has a number of original productions currently in development, slated for release in 2021.

Fans of El Komander will have an opportunity to interact with the singer-songwriter prior to the Soy de Rancho July 4 premiere via the Cinelatino Instagram page, @Cinelatinonews. Part of Cinelatino’s continued digital engagement strategy, the network hosts regular IG Lives featuring stars and talent from its content library of mega blockbuster successes, often with record turn-out. This Wednesday, June 30 at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT, El Komander will respond live to fan comments and questions and provide a “behind-the-scenes” peek at the making of Soy de Rancho.

“El Komander’s star rose quickly since his 2009 debut, garnering a massive fanbase—particularly in the Mexican community—who love both his presence and musical style,” said James M. McNamara, vice chairman of Hemisphere Media Group (“Hemisphere”), Cinelatino’s parent company. “As content creators, we’re always looking to innovate and add to our offering with content that truly speaks to our audiences, and corridos, known for their narrative format, naturally lend themselves to reimagining via other mediums. We saw an opportunity to produce something unique for our viewers, an extension of a work they already enjoyed and identified with, while exploring themes of social dynamics, embracing one’s roots, and the sting of unrequited love; working with El Komander took the project to the next level, and we’re thrilled with the results.”

Leading up to the premiere, viewers can also tune into Cinelatino’s Barbacoa de Éxitos, a selection of box office hits in celebration of the Fourth of July weekend beginning at 7 a.m. ET / 4 a.m. PT, with titles including El Guardian del Zoológico, Un Gallo Con Muchos Huevos, #Lady Rancho, Doc West 1 & 2 and No Manches Frida.