2024 PROGRAM
OPENING NIGHT

LA GRANDE / THE GREAT

Tito Rodríguez
Director
- Q&A with the producer and actresses
- 2024
- 1h 35m
After more than a decade being hailed by her people as deserving of the most important award in the country, finally, in 2016, the first female merengue singer in the Dominican Republic received the Soberano award. Just before hearing her name, Fefita La Grande closes her eyes and together with her we experience episodes of her life that we did not know until now, showing us the woman behind the artist.
CLOSING NIGHT

FREDDY

Giancarlo Beras-Goico
Director
- Q&A with the director
- 2023
- 1h 49m
The life of Dominican comedian, writer, TV producer and philanthropist Freddy Beras-Goico.
AARON DAVIS HALL, CITY COLLEGE
129 Convent Avenue New York, NY 10027 United States
Wednesday 11/13
8:00 PM
FEATURE FILM OFFICIAL COMPETITION

CANTA Y NO LLORES

Felix Sabroso
Director
- Q&A with the producer and actress
- 2024
- 1h 34m
A family of women composed of Pepa, the matriarch (Consuelo Duval), Beli, the artist (Michelle Rodríguez), and her daughter Lucía (Patricia Maqueo), live alongside Toni (Paco Rueda), Pepa’s son and Beli’s half-brother. The family runs a taco food truck to make a living, where they cook up artistic aspirations and everyday frustrations.

CONVIVENCIA / COEXISTENCE

José Gomez de Vargas
Director
- Q&A with the director and producer
- 2023
- 1h 36m
After the assassination of a resident of an old condo, an extensive investigation holds a group of seven tenants in an interrogation room, all of them suspects of committing the crime.

CUANDO TE TOCA

Rene Bueno
Director
- Q&A with the producers and actors
- 2024
- 83 min
It’s a romantic comedy that highlights the complexities of establishing a romantic relationship in times where the conveniences of technology make love and commitment seem completely outdated and relative concepts.

DANNY 45

Gilbert De La Rosa
Director
- Q&A with the producer and actor
- 2023
- 1h 30m
Based on true events, the story presents a narrative about the events of a period of terror in the most dangerous prison in the Dominican Republic carried out by “DANNY 45” and the events that led him to become the most feared inmate of “La Victoria Prison” in the mid 90’s, imposing terror in this penitentiary.

EL DÍA DE LA TORMENTA / THE DAY OF THE STORM

Alexander Viola
Director
- Q&A with the director
- 2024
- 1h 22m
Macario believes his daughter is the witch responsible for the death of children in the town. He takes refuge in the mountains to face the terrors of his destiny filled with Afro-Caribbean mysticism.

EL TRAYECTO

Francisco Valdez
Director
- Q&A with the director
- 2024
- 1h 12m
“El Trayecto” is a charming coming-of-age comedy set in the Dominican Republic, following four friends—Yasser, Camila, Karina, and Richarson—on a laughter-filled trek through the beautiful yet challenging Samaná terrain. Unforeseen revelations, including Karina and Richarson’s private struggle with fertility, add depth to their journey, turning it into a heartfelt exploration of friendship and self-discovery. In “El Trayecto,” the path to adulthood is paved with laughter, tears, and enduring bonds.

INSULAR

Héctor Valdez
Director
- Q&A with the director
- 2024
Insular follows the sole survivor of an illegal yola (boat) going from the Dominican Republic to Puerto Rico. As time passes, the castaway learns to cope with his isolation by surviving with what the island provides. But his sanity is tested, and the lines of reality increasingly blur. An unexpected turn makes him question his initial reason for leaving.
LEONARD NIMOY THALIA
2537 Broadway at 95th St. New York, NY 10025
Saturday 11 /10
8:30 PM

LA BACHATA DE BIONICO / BIONIC’S BACHATA

Yoel Morales
Director
- Q&A with the director
- 2024
- 1h 20m
A raw vision of love in a hostile Caribbean city, Bionico’s Bachata follows a hopeless romantic, addicted to crack, who must take control of his life if he wants to marry the woman he loves.

LA CIGÜEÑA

Alejandro Andújar
Director
- Q&A with the director
- 2024
- 1h 38m
After her mother’s death, Leila agrees to become a surrogate for the mysterious Inés & her husband Daniel. But under the watchful eyes of Inés & her employee Grace, Leila’s pregnancy turns into a prison filled with secrets & extremism. For each of them, the path to motherhood will look more like a trap than a blessing.

LA ESTRATEGIA DEL MERO / THE FISHERMAN’S DAUGHTER

Edgar de Luque Jácome
Director
- Q&A with the director
- 2023
- 1h 20m
Samuel, the last freediving fisherman of grouper, lives isolated on an island. One day, he unexpectedly receives a visit from his son, now called Priscila, a transgender prostitute looking for a place to hide. He allows her to stay despite his constant rejection. The area’s fishermen observe everything with strangeness and one of them extorts Priscila because he knows why she’s hiding. After suffering an accident, Samuel must accept the care of his daughter, and this brings them closer together. They take the opportunity to dive together in life to heal a broken past and to accept each other in the depth of the sea; like groupers, who can change sex when they reach maturity.

LA HEMBRITA / BABYGIRL

Laura Amelia Guzmán
Director
- Q&A with the director
- 2023
- 1h 32m
From her empty nest in Santo Domingo, Dominique is waiting for her first grandchild to be born abroad, and she eagerly expects a baby girl. When Carmen, her live-in maid, vanishes without a warning and leaves behind her 7-year-old granddaughter, Dominique takes the girl in. As she deals with pushback from her family, Dominique finds herself challenging her own priorities.

LA TERCERA EDAD

Archie López
Director
- Q&A with the director
- 2023
- 1h 30m
Two friends in their senior years make a life-changing decision: enrolling in university. Their intention is to embark on new adventures, meet new loves, and, of course, have more fun… What could possibly go wrong?
DOCUMENTARY FILM OFFICIAL COMPETITION

AQUÍ ESTAMOS / HERE WE ARE

Violeta Lockhart
Director
- Q&A with the director and producers
- 2024
- 1h 10m
A group of young activists challenge the status quo through a citizen candidacy and win a deputation with less than 10% of what their opponents invest. Now, from inside and outside Congress, they will try to replicate the strategy to involve more people in the defense of democracy, human rights and the environment, and thus occupy the spaces of power where they face a conservative majority.

CONSUELO

Fernando Santos Díaz
Director
- Q&A with the director
- 2023
- 1h 10m
“Consuelo” follows Sister Leonor Gibbs, the only surviving nun, who, aided by a group of dedicated teachers, continues her daily fight to prevent the loss of the values that made this municipality a model for personal, community, and national transformation.

EL FOTÓGRAFO DE LA 40 / THE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE 40

Erika Santelices y Orlando Barría
Directores
- Q&A with the directors
- 2023
- 1h 16m
It reveals the story of photographer Pedro Aníbal Fuentes Berg, who was sent to take images at the clandestine prison La 40, a torture center created during the dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo (1930-1961) in the Dominican Republic. Fuentes Berg feels an inevitable commitment to spread these images internationally to expose the horrors experienced by the regime’s opponents inside the prison, and he decides to publish them so they can be known. Some of these photographs became iconic representations of the brutality of Trujillo’s dictatorship.

FÚTBOL DESDE EL CORAZÓN / FOOTBALL FROM THE HEART

Nelson González
Director
- Q&A with the director
- 2024
- 1h 25m
With Football from the heart, we are going to tell the story and the impact of soccer on the Dominican sports class, the impact of a club on the lives of all its players, humble boys who have found on a field the way out that previously eluded them. . We will see the international journey of Dominican soccer, we will ask ourselves if we will ever be a World Cup country and we will look for the answers to this and other questions. Football from the heart is a comprehensive work on soccer in the Dominican Republic, soccer in Santiago, and soccer in Cibao.

YAQUE

Oliver Olivo
Director
- Q&A with the director
- 2023
- 1h 39m
The film tells the story of the people who live along the Yaque del Norte, the longest and most important river in the Dominican Republic, and how that flow of water plays a fundamental role in their lives.
ALIANZA DOMINICANA CULTURAL CENTER
530 West 166th Street New York, NY 10032 United States
Saturday 11/9
4:00 PM
DOMINICAN IN THE DIASPORA: FEATURE FILM OFFICIAL COMPETITION

1.5 MILLION

Gregory Hernández
Director
- Q&A with the director
- 2022
- 1h 30m
“1.5 Million” explores the literacy crisis in the South Bronx’s District 7, driven by a lack of libraries, bookstores, and education investment. Stereotypes and poverty worsen the issue, with 70% of third graders unable to read at grade level and only 56% of high school graduates being college-ready. The area has the nation’s poorest congressional district and high unemployment.

MANGÚ AQUÍ 2

Luke Bond
Director
- Q&A with the director
- 2024
- 37m 13s
In “Mangú Aquí 2,” we’re back on the streets of New York City with Roberto in his teenage years. This sequel takes us deeper into his world, mixing the raw, real-life moments with those of laughter and love. It’s more than just a follow-up; it’s a dive into the rich culture and tight-knit family dynamics of his community.

RETRATOS DE REPÚBLICA DOMINICANA

Daihoro Peguero Moscoso
Director
- Q&A with the director
- 2024
- 1h 01m
This captivating documentary journeys through the heart of the Dominican Republic as five passionate individuals share their unique crafts and stories. From the rhythmic flow of fishing the island’s coasts to the art of meat preparation, from skilled craftsmanship to the vibrant world of aviculture, and finally to the rich flavors of Dominican cuisine, each person offers a glimpse into the cultural tapestry that defines their homeland. Through their eyes, we explore the deep connection between tradition, identity, and the spirit of a nation.

SOMETHING OF VALUE

Yaniel Paulino
Director
- Q&A with the director
- 2024
- 1h 30m
When the pressures of being a senior in high school gets to be too much, Manuel “Manny” Reyes, begins to rebel against his parents, consequently falling into the wrong crowd aligning himself with the neighborhood gang who are responsible for a string of robberies, selling drugs, and heavy partying.

TAMBIÉN SE MIGRA POR SER

Miguel Oniel
Director
- Q&A with the director
- 2024
- 1h 05m
Benny, Ektor, Yorky, Gian, Josué and Emmanuel, are only 6 Dominican migrants out of the millions around the world. They live in different latitudes of the globe, however, they are united by the reason they left their country. How does current legislation affect the Dominican LGTBIQ+ community? Is there homophobia and discrimination in the DR? Is leaving the country the only viable option to live a dignified life?
SHORT FILM BIG STORY

EBANDELI

Melvin Báez
Director

Patricia Valerio
Directora
- Q&A with the director
- 2024
- 14m 58s
In 1965, in a small village in Damajagua, Jánico, a young woman finds herself caught between her spiritual heritage and her family’s expectations. While her grandfather performs a ritual to ease her afflictions, she is visited by an enigmatic figure, Santa Marta Negra, who represents the hidden, African part of her lineage. Her curiosity drives her to uncover the secrets her family has kept, despite her mother’s warnings. In her quest to understand who she is and where she comes from, she discovers that the key to her healing lies in fully embracing her spiritual and cultural identity.

AZUL

Rebecca Dalmasí
Director
- Q&A with the director
- 2023
- 16m 59s
Adrián, a teenager grappling with the recent death of his father, is placed in the company of his blind cousin, Ángel. Though they initially clash due to their lack of understanding, they manage to forge an unexpected friendship. This bond will be tested when Adrián is faced with a choice between what he has lost and what still remains.

VOYEUR

Franchelle Marie Ulloa
Director
- Q&A with the director
- 2024
- 7m 57s
In a surreal world where the boundaries between reality and perception blur, a Woman struggles to navigate a life where freedom seems like an illusion. As she goes about her daily routines, her internal conflict deepens, all while pretending she is not catering to male fantasies. She imagines herself unseen, believing she has a life of her own, unaware that every move is orchestrated by the pervasive presence of the Man in her mind.

ANTHOLOGY OF THE NATURAL STATE (STAINED)

Inés de los Santos
Director
- Q&A with the director
- 2024
- 10m 17s
Locked in her room, a young woman faces the ghosts that make her relive the sexual abuse she was a victim of during a party by a schoolmate.

UN ADIÓS PARA LILÍ

Lorena Durán
Director
- 2021
- 12m
When an electrical job goes wrong, a cynical electrician must accept help from a caring spirit to bury the evidence of a fatal accident

LA SUERTE

Victor E Stamers
Director
- 2024
- 6m
Willian, a writer in his fifties, celebrates his birthday while facing a terminal diagnosis that will change his life forever. Encouraged by his wife, Digna, he decides to write a story inspired by their relationship, shifting from his usual dark themes to something more personal and romantic. As he works on this final story, he receives a devastating update on his condition, leaving him only a few months to live. Together, Willian and Digna navigate this painful reality, finding solace in love and shared memories, as he leaves his legacy in her hands, feeling like the luckiest man in the world.

¿QUÉ IMPORTA ESA M*****?

Isaac Morantus
Director
- Q&A with the director
- 2023
- 16m 50s
After a disastrous first impression introducing Miguel, her boyfriend, Brenda, in a desperate attempt to sleep with him, convinces him to stay over at her house that same night without her parents finding out. Everything goes smoothly until a conveniently timed stomach ache forces Miguel to use the only bathroom available, right next to Brenda’s parents’ bedroom.

BAÑO DE SANGRE

Jensson Cruz
Director
- Q&A with the director
- 2023
- 10m
Two people wake up in a bathroom, trying to understand what happened to them in what appears to be their last minutes of life.

BESTIA

Elian Abreu
Director
- Q&A with the director
- 2024
- 10m 32s
Man is constantly confronted by the one eyed beast. When peeking through the hole in his box, he discovers a truth that transforms his life. Every time the beast observes him and the darkness approaches his box, he becomes an embarrassed being.

MISTERIO OCULTO / HIDDEN MYSTERY

Jhon E. Díaz
Director
- Q&A with the director
- 2020
- 6m 53s
Alicia, a young woman of 28 years old, with mulatto skin, curly black hair, and brown eyes, is a journalist who lives in the town of Bonao, a small countryside in the Dominican Republic, where she is looking for a story for the media outlet she works for. And she finds herself involved in a great mystery that could cost her her life.’

JOSELO
Josías Domínguez
Director
- Q&A with the director
- 2024
- 4m 54s
Joselo Contreras is a young man in a wheelchair who lives in extreme poverty on the Dominican-Haitian border. Despite his challenges, he has chosen to dedicate his time to training the children in his community, inspiring them to pursue their dreams of becoming football players. His passion and determination not only teach them sports skills but also convey the importance of perseverance and hope.

MAREA

Adrian Díaz
Director
- Q&A with the director
- 2024
- 7m 15s
While Alondra is doing laundry at home, her friend Nataly arrives with news that will forever dirty their lives and those of half a dozen other people.

LIMPIA BOTAS

Yen Romero
Director
- 2023
- 19m 27s
Julio, a prodigious shoeshiner and passionate rapper, fights tirelessly to earn enough and keep his family afloat. Desperate, he clings to the last chance he has, one that can completely change his life. Will Julio overcome his dreams, or will he succumb under the pressure of adversity?

LA NAGUERA
Luis Camilo
Director
- 2024
- 6m 30s
La Naguera is yet another victim of poverty, lack of access to education, and a dysfunctional family.

RELOJ ANTIGUO

Yorjina Moran
Director
- Q&A with the director
- 2024
- 6m
A poem from the book ONE AT A TIME by the writer Yorjina Moran. A conversation between life and death, a mother stops death in order to save her son, causing an unusual debate between them.
DOMINICAN IN THE DIASPORA: SHORT FILM

VASTI: EASY PREY

David Pollock
Director
- Q&A with the producer and actresses
- 2024
- 7m 49s
Two young women face danger on the way home at night when targeted by thugs, and their only hope to escape is in one of them revealing an unbelievable secret.

IN FOUR YEARS

Hedi B. Asencio
Director
- 2023
- 13m 07s
A man, Jesus Armando Cruz, reflects on a special bond he shares with his uncle Jonny and the game of soccer. After the passing of a family member, he makes a promise to fulfill his uncle’s last wish of attending a World Cup final.

A NIGHT IN THE HEIGHTS

Henlee De Jesús
Director
- 2024
- 16m
What was supposed to be a quiet night turns into a chaotic quest through Washington Heights to find the girl of his dreams, all because he might have heard her say his name in the background of a social media post.

DARK ROAST
Mark Marquez
Director
- 2024
- 9m
Sinopsis A small Queer/Trans-BIPOC café, built by and for the community, faces off against a monstrous franchise, leaving the baristas to fight for their space… by any means necessary.

FIRST THING I'M BUYING

Isaac Morantus
Director
- Q&A with the director
- 2024
- 9m 35s
Leo and Yulissa, a Dominican couple, won 511 million dollars in the New York lottery. Their lives change, but not as they expected, once they realize they lost the winning ticket because they are the most toxic couple ever.

THE REAL AMERICAN DREAM

Rita Damirón
Director

Isabella Bretón
Director
- 2024
- 1m 29s
While many leave their homeland to pursue the American dream, this artistic short film takes us through a brief conversation between two sisters separated by the Atlantic where one shares her personal American Dream.

AQUÍ Y ALLÁ

Isabella Bretón
Director
- 2024
- 9m 59s
Through a conversation with photographer Winston Vargas, we explore the evolution of the Dominican community that migrated from one island to another. We witness through his gaze the peculiar experience of the diaspora in Washington Heights, but most importantly the effect of the community on its new environment. Apart from addressing Dominican identity, Winston confronts the difficulties of adapting, their resilience and the value of documenting and visually expressing their presence over the years.

B FOR BACHATA

Ricky Rosario
Director
- 2024
- 13m
A young Dominican-American learns to dance Bachata at a family BBQ, where he discovers a long-lost family secret.

SOUL TIE

Maegan La Trese Philmore
Director
- 2023
- 16m 08s
Melrisa, a middle-aged Afro-Latina with a successful political podcast, finds herself seeking companionship during the Covid lockdown in Los Angeles. She rekindles a date with an old boyfriend, Saeed, a middle-aged African American who had previously cheated on her. Melrisa and Saeed form a mature, intimate, and temporary bond despite being in a world that grows increasingly dystopian and isolated as the days go by.

FLOWER OF MAY

Airham Almonte
Director
- 2024
- 6m 50s
In “Flor de Mayo,” Jocelyn tenderly cares for her mother, Francia, battling advanced Alzheimer’s. As Francia’s illness worsens, Jocelyn’s devotion is tested, revealing the profound bonds of love amidst the complexities of Alzheimer’s.

THE FOURTH

Johnny Kirk
Director
- 2022
- 12m
Eager to celebrate the 4th of July, Rey and his friends experience a police encounter that shatters the meaning of the holiday.

SHE SPRANG OUT RED
Ana Reyes Cid
Director
- 2024
- 6m 22s
An exploration of substantial transformation through the embodiment of monstrous feminine narratives in cross-cultural and Caribbean imaginaries and dialogues between movement and design

ATRAPADA

Wigner Duarte
Director
- Q&A with the director
- 2024
- 6m 36s
After waking up a woman discovers that she has been kidnapped by a mysterious man.
DOMINICAN CLASSIC

LA FIESTA DEL CHIVO

Luis Llosa
Director
- Q&A with the producer and actresses
- 2005
- 2h 12m
Two young women face danger on the way home at night when targeted by thugs, and their only hope to escape is in one of them revealing an unbelievable secret.
OUT OF COMPETITION

DUEÑOS DEL TIEMPO

Luis Llosa
Director
- Q&A with the producer and actresses
- 2020
- 2h 08m
Two young women face danger on the way home at night when targeted by thugs, and their only hope to escape is in one of them revealing an unbelievable secret.

SIEMPRE, LUIS

John Antonio James
Director
- Q&A with the producer and actresses
- 2020
- 1h 35m
An immigrant from Puerto Rico is determined to bring the musical ‘Hamilton’ to his island home.

WIFREDO, EL LEGADO DE UN GENIO DEL LENTE / WIFREDO, THE LEGACY OF A GENIUS WITH A LENS

José R. Soto Jiménez
Director
- 2024
- 1h
This feature-length documentary narrates the life, work and significance of Wifredo Garcia, who is the father of contemporary Dominican photography.