In 2004, Andy Garcia began filming The Lost City and wanted to shoot one of the most memorable scenes of his movie at Chateau de la Fuente in July. Unfortunately, there was no tobacco plants growing at Chateau de la Fuente during that time because the tobacco plants are usually harvested in March. In order to help Andy Garcia, Carlito Fuente planted tobacco at Chateau de la Fuente during summer time so that Andy could film The Lost City.
After the movie was shot at Chateau de la Fuente, the tobacco plants were harvested and aged. Carlito Fuente initially intended the summer crop only as a setting for Garcia’s movie. Andy Garcia, though, had other ideas. “When we finished shooting the scene, I asked Carlito what he was going to do with the tobacco,” Garcia recalled. “He said if the tobacco was good he’d use it. I suggested using it to make a cigar with the logo from The Lost City, and that the project would benefit his foundation.” At the wish of Andy Garcia, the Lost City Scholarship Fund has been established to provide college scholarships to the students who graduated from the Cigar Family high school. The Cigar Family Charitable Foundation provides education and health services to the underprivileged children in the Bonao region of the Dominican Republic.
