From top to bottom: A Strange Path by Guto Parente, Fairytales by Daniela Soria Gutiérrez, and Boca Chica by Gabriella A. Moses
Latin American and Latinx talent, from Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, and the United States, were among the top winners announced last Friday at the 22nd edition of the Tribeca Festival.
The Brazilian film A Strange Path / Estranho Camino by Guto Parente swept the international competition, winning all of the awards in the category: for Best International Narrative Feature, Best Performance, Best Screenplay and Best Cinematography.
Starring Carlos Francisco, A Strange Path is set in mid-March 2020 and at the heart of the pandemic. The film follows David, a young filmmaker who returns home to Brazil to quarantine. Seeing no other living alternative, he reaches out to his father, Gerardo, an eccentric man with whom he has not spoken to for over ten years. When David arrives at Gerardo's apartment, strange things start to happen.
In the U.S. Narrative competition, Mexican director of photography Carolina Costa was the winner of the Best Cinematography Award for her work in Hannaj Peterson’s The Graduates. “From the very first frame, it was clear the cinematographer was someone in complete command of their craft. From their naturalistic approach to lighting to tight compositions, the cinematographer supported the emotional journey of the film at every turn” said the jury.
Additionally, Haitian-American director Monica Sorelle received a Special Jury Mention in the U.S. Narrative competition for her debut feature Mountains. The drama tells the story of Xavier, a Haitian demolition worker living in Florida, who dreams of buying a bigger house for his family. Meanwhile, his adult son, caught between two cultures, struggles to find a place for himself. What results is a loving portrait of the immigrant Haitian community in Miami. In a statement, the jury decided to give the film the special mention “for its authentic, specific portrayal of a culture we had not seen on screen. A deeply emotional and empathetic portrait of a family in a changing world with brilliant leading performances.”
Director Gabriella A. Moses was the winner of the Nora Ephron Award for her debut feature, the Dominican film Boca Chica, a lively coming-of-age drama that follows twelve-year-old Desi in her pursuit of becoming a famous singer. As she braces to leave her hometown, she's met with deep-seated secrets that have long tormented her family and their coastal Dominican community.
“With strong visual language that drew us in, lived in performances and original magnetic storytelling, this movie fearlessly confronted family dynamics. The filmmaker expertly portrays the disparity between how the American dream is perceived outside of the U.S. versus the experience of immigrants freshly arriving on American soil. Honoring the chaos of puberty while introducing its exploitation” said the jury.
Mexican director Daniela Soria Gutiérrez was the winner of the Student Visionary Award for her short film Fairytales / Cuentos de hadas, about Lidia, who befriends Arantxa with a fabricated tale at a religious retreat. But after discovering a dead fairy, Lidia questions her lies and the true essence of friendship. “This director brought a naturalistic style to a child’s imagination with uncanny and nuanced hints of revulsion woven into a greater story of friendship,” wrote the jury.
The Best Documentary Short award was presented to Black Girls Play by Afro-Latina director Michèle Stephenson and Joe Brewster. “A story that has yet to be told about a vital driving force in music, culture, and society spanning multiple generations” expressed the jury. Latino director Rudy Valdez won the Tribeca X Award for Best Short for Translators, which follows Harye, Densel, and Virginia, a few of the over 11 million child translators in the United States, as they translate for their parents in everyday situations.
Additionally, Ecuadorian soccer game Despelote by Julián Cordero and Sebastian Valbuena received a Special Mention in the Tribeca Games competition.
The 22nd edition of the Tribeca Festival took place June 7-18, 2023 in New York City. Select films, including some the award-winning titles will be available on Tribeca at Home, beginning June 19 through July 2.
