Patra Spanou Film has acquired international sales rights to Johanny Gomes Terrero’s Sugar Island, which will have its world premiere at Venice Days, an independent side program of the Venice Film Festival. The first trailer (above) has been released.
In the film, an unplanned pregnancy thrusts Makinya into adulthood, forcing her to take on the responsibilities of her body and her life prematurely, expanding her boundaries and allowing her to open up new levels of understanding about the society she lives in, as well as her spirituality.
“When my teenage niece became pregnant as a result of rape, I witnessed how her environment humiliated her instead of supporting and protecting her,” Gomez Terrero said in a statement. “At the time, I was immersed in research in the Batíes, sugarcane workers’ communities. I extrapolated this family situation in the context of Batíes, and realized how common early pregnancy is in the peripheries. In the process of creating the film, I delved into my own experiences and the territory, as well as the national archives, and created connections between the private and the public, highlighting how the society that contains us also imprisons us.”
“At the heart of the film is a story of a Gen Z teen, where the director creates a new vision of the Sugar Island community, a young, modern, diverse, creative and politically aware community,” said Patra Spano, President of Patra Spano Films. “McKenya’s story conveys messages about immigration, human rights, and economic and social injustice in a modern, accessible style, rich with powerful imagery, whether it be art performances, fashion shows, religious celebrations or magical realism. It is a film that will appeal to audiences of all generations, all over the world.”
The film is produced by Fernando Santos Díaz, with co-producer David Botti. It is a co-production between Guasabara Cine from the Dominican Republic and Tinglado Film from Spain. It is produced with the support of DGcine, Fonprocine, ICAA, Programa Ibermedia, Primera Mirada and Television Canaria.
