Beloved Tropic

In director Ana Endara’s powerful narrative feature debut, a pregnant Colombian woman arrives in Panama City desperate for work as she copes with her precarious immigration status. Ana Maria (Jenny Navarrete) finds a job as a caregiver for aging matriarch Mercedes (Paulina García), who is in the early stages of dementia. Ana Maria is patient and kind with the older woman, and they form a sweet bond that fuels this tender tale. Navarrete and García share remarkable chemistry, their masterful performances revealing a deepening connection between the characters that allows both to evolve into stronger women. Nicolás Wong Díaz’s gorgeous cinematography captures Panama City’s lush environment, along with the warmth between these very different women facing great change in their respective lives.