Esta Isla

Visually evocative and uniquely conceived, Cristian Carretero and Lorraine Jones’s “Esta Isla” (“This Island”) is a lovers-on-the-run narrative unafraid to pause for emotional and thematic effect.

These larger sociopolitical preoccupations remain just under the surface, never stepping fully into the foreground to take over the spotlight. Yet, they enter the narrative by way of the characters’ emotional connection to those before them.

The gorgeous scenery paired with the urgency of the plot deftly show the light and dark sides of Puerto Rican life.

"Watching this film reminded me of those projects that, when I was younger, opened my eyes to what cinema could be: a window into the emotional intimacy of 'real' people." [Full review in spanish].