Hope/Esperanza

Hope/Esperanza is an indie romantic drama currently in principal photography across Costa Rica through the end of May 2026. Emmy-winning documentarian Abby Fuller is making her narrative feature debut, directing from her own screenplay loosely based on a period of her youth. Oscar-winning producer Mark Johnson produces through his Gran Via Productions banner, alongside Costa Rican producer Esteban Quesada and executive producer Alejandra Cardenas. The production began filming April 13 in locations including Pacayas and Bagaces, employing more than 200 Costa Rican cast and crew members. Cinematographer Alexander D. Paul and production designer Rocio Gimenez round out the key creative team. Set in the early 2000s, the film follows an American teen whose search for freedom in Costa Rica collides with immigration tensions when she falls for a Nicaraguan immigrant. The five-week shoot marks a tonal departure for Johnson, moving from prestige television into intimate independent drama.