Querido Trópico (Beloved Tropic), the subtle and atmospheric debut narrative film by documentarian Ana Endara (For Your Peace of Mind, Make Your Own Museum), will have its world premiere in the Centrepiece section of the 49th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), taking place September 5-15, 2024. It will then make its European premiere in the Horizontes Latinos competition at the San Sebastián Film Festival, running September 20-28, 2024.
Set in Panama City and starring acclaimed Chilean actress Paulina García (Gloria), Querido Trópico explores the evolving relationship between two dissimilar lonely souls who form a touching and unexpected bond. Ana María (played by Jenny Navarrete, The Other Son) is a Colombian immigrant facing status and financial challenges while harboring a secret. She is hired as a home caregiver for Mercedes, a high-class woman struggling with encroaching dementia that is slowly erasing her identity and past.
As their lives intertwine, Ana María and Mercedes embark on a journey of mutual discovery and support, delving into the fraught complexities of mother-daughter relationships. They navigate the challenges of caregiving and the profound need for connection, learning to care for one another amid their personal struggles. After a rocky start, Mercedes begins to rely on her caregiver as her health deteriorates, while Ana María confides in her things she has never told anyone.
Under the skilled direction of Ana Endara, an accomplished documentarian making her first foray into feature fiction, the simple premise of Querido Trópico provides a window into the carefully observed relationship between two seemingly disparate women. Much like the unpredictable and rapidly changing Panamanian weather, Querido Trópico is a luminous drama with a tropical texture, full of unexpected moments.
