On the Road by David Pablos
The Miami Film Festival recently concluded its 43rd edition, announcing a slate of winners that highlights the continued vital influence of Latin American and U.S. Latinx filmmakers.
Taking home the festival’s top prize, the Marimbas Award, accompanied by a $10,000 prize, David Pablos’ On the Road / En el camino was recognized as the narrative feature that most profoundly reflects "richness and resonance for cinema’s future." Produced by Diego Luna and Inna Payán, the film features striking performances by Victor Prieto and Osvaldo Sánchez, and follows Veneno, a rebellious young drifter who frequents roadside diners, weaving a complex portrait of transient life and desire.
Regional storytelling was also celebrated through the Made in MIA Feature Film Award, which went to Gabriel de Varona’s The Old Man and the Parrot, as well as a $15,000 award. The film centers on Praxi, a 77-year-old Cuban exile and former comedian. In a poignant exploration of grief and memory, Praxi roams Little Havana with a taxidermy parrot that he believes holds the soul of his late partner, Yoelvis, a charismatic vegetarian chef.
In the audience categories, Cuban filmmaker Pavel Giroud's Comandante Fritz scored the Feature Film Audience Award. Starring Cuban actor Carlos Enrique Almirante as Fidel Castro, the film unfolds in a Havana nostalgic for the glory days of its vibrant nightlife yet forced to confront the Castro-era debacle.
Meanwhile, Augusto Zegarra's heartwarming portrait of resilience Runa Simi won the Documentary Feature Audience Award. The film follows a father and son’s mission to dub The Lion King into Quechua, an effort to preserve their endangered language and culture. Also in the documentary category, TheyDream by William D. Caballero won the Documentary Achievement Award. This deeply personal autobiographical documentary uses 3D-printed miniatures to explore his family's Puerto Rican heritage and the preservation of cultural memory.
The festival’s short film categories further showcased the breadth of Ibero-American talent. Colada, directed by Cuban filmmaker Carmen Pelaez, was named first runner-up for the Made in MIA Short Film Award, earning praise for its textured depiction of a single day at a Miami Cuban lunch counter. Additionally, the Reel South Short Award was presented to If You Really Love Me, Outlive Me, a collaboration between directors Saskia d’Altena and Argentine filmmaker Alejandro Ruax.
The 43rd Miami Film Festival ran from April 9–19, 2026.
