Alberto Belli might’ve started as a computer science engineer, but his passion for storytelling has seen him transform into one of the most versatile directors working today. Born in Mexico, Belli moved to Los Angeles to pursue filmmaking, earning his MFA from the USC School of Cinematic Arts and the prestigious John Huston directing merit scholarship. Since then, he’s directed everything from Emmy-nominated festive capers (The Naughty Nine) to supernatural comedies (Gatlopp) and acclaimed TV episodes for Netflix and Amazon.
Now, he’s taking on one of the most iconic children’s franchises of all time with Dora and the Search for Sol Dorado, a bold, family-friendly reboot of the Dora the Explorer universe that premieres on July 2 via Paramount+ and Nickelodeon. Popped’s very own Christopher Mills caught up with Belli to discuss his journey to the director’s chair, what makes this Dora different, and why the character continues to resonate across generations.
What was it like finally getting a proper premiere for one of your films?
I was really excited, because the first time it was COVID, and the second time was the strike. You make movies for people to enjoy and laugh and cry and to have feelings, so when you screen the movie and then you’re getting the laughs you wanted and hearing sniffles here and there – it was fantastic. I think this movie is one of those that deserves to be watched together, with a family together, so it was a dream come true – I will never forget it for the rest of my life.
Do you see this as a stand-alone ‘Dora’ film separate from the last film?
It’s completely that – this film is a complete reimagining of what a live-action Dora film is, so we were inspired by the animated series and everything, and we made it our own. It has a different feel and look, a little more realistic. Not only did we change the characters, but we changed the concept itself.
What was it about this film that made you want to direct it?
When I was a kid, I dreamed of making these movies. It had action and adventure, it had a lot of comedy – it was fun, but also had a lot of heart and heartfelt moments. Especially now, I love these movies, they’re very action-heavy, but they don’t have character arcs, or they’re very indie and character indie-driven, which I like, the spectacle. When I read the script, I was like “Oh my god, this has everything”, and it goes in an unexpected direction with Dora that I didn’t think it would take a risk, so I was very happily surprised when I read the script
What was the decision to go with the realistic version of Boots?
We were making this world as realistic as possible, and it just felt that this Boots fit better in our world. There are some very strict laws in Colombia, where we shot, so we ended up doing all CGI, but we also added that he talked. In the original script, he didn’t talk, and we added that as we think people were expecting him to talk. I think it would have been a little weird to have a puppet – in this, he only talks to Dora, and people would be thinking, “Why is that weird puppet there?”
Dora is inspired by Camila the Crusader. What was the decision to give Dora someone to look up to?
I think it was important for us to create a message to inspire to need mentors. Not only do we show that we also show how she meets Boots, that we’ve never seen before. Where did she get the map? So we really wanted to establish, like all the connections that you already know and where they come from, and I think it was important to show that it’s important to inspire people and also get inspired and then give the chance to anyone to make you grow and be a better person, and I think the character of Camila shows that, but also with a twist…
How much of ‘Dora and the Search for Sol Dorado’ was shot on location?
It’s 100% [on set]. Obviously, the jungle is all real jungle in Colombia, and then the set pieces, some you couldn’t get to in real life, so they were all practical. They were all built by Todd Cherniawsky, and he did Lilo & Stitch and Obi-Wan Kenobi – he created all these sets, but they were all practical – from the fire, to the closing walls. All the kids had to survive that, they had X amount of time to be able to escape this thing and we even had a security thing to break in case things went wrong on set. For me, it was amazing for the actors. Rarely are any movies doing that, so it was really cool.
What was the hardest thing for you, directing ‘Dora and the Search for Sol Dorado’ on location?
We really respect the nature, and we were there, so like we had a snake wrangler who would get snakes out on the set like every day, and someone got stung by a scorpion, and then the heat is brutal when you’re there. But it also gives you this inspiration because you feel the vibes of this jungle, and how powerful it is, then you can embrace that. You see the movie, like when they’re sweating – there’s no makeup either. There were bugs everywhere in the frames. For me, that was the most challenging thing, being surrounded by real nature and then, while trying to focus on directing and not getting stung by a scorpion.
Dora and the Search for Sol Dorado releases on Paramount+ on July 2. Check out a trailer below:
In this high-stakes jungle adventure, a 16-year-old Dora (played by You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah’s Samantha Lorraine) sets off on a quest to find the lost treasure of Sol Dorado before it falls into the wrong hands. Alongside her cousin Diego (Jacob Rodriguez), bold adventurer Naiya (Mariana Garzón Toro), energetic younger brother Sonny (Acston Luca Porto), and the legendary Camila the Crusader (Daniella Pineda), Dora must navigate ancient traps, modern villains, and her own sense of identity. Oh — and yes, Boots the monkey (voiced by Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias) is back too.
The film is directed by Alberto Belli and written by JT Billings, with executive producers Adam Bonnett, Chris Gifford, and Valerie Walsh Valdes. The launch also kicks off The Great Dora Fiesta, celebrating 25 years of Dora the Explorer with new content and experiences across platforms.
