Mountains

Monica Sorelle’s breathtaking first feature sneaks up on you. Unfolding as a hypnotic slow burn of one family’s struggles, the story focuses on a Haitian demolition worker witnessing the gentrification of his Miami neighborhood. Xavier is a father and husband becoming tired of days spent tearing down properties for future mansions. His wife, Esperance, works as a crossing guard and dressmaker, while their Americanized son, Junior, dreams of a life in show business. As the family navigates a world that is not overtly welcoming, cracks open in their psyches and in the strength of their connection. Sorelle communicates so much with intimate character moments and beautiful camera work, focused on the mesmerizing streets, people, and colors of Miami. A deeply powerful, brilliantly subtle exploration of a family finding its way in a complex time and place, the drama presents an eye-opening observation of the attraction and challenge of the American dream.