A French woman of African descent (strong performance by Clarisse Albrecht) manages to escape after being arrested for smuggling drugs in the Dominican Republic. She finds shelter in the most dangerous district of Santo Domingo, where she is taken in by a group of children growing up without their parents. By becoming their protégée and maternal figure, she will see her destiny change inexorably. This film from the Dominican Republic is a special event first and foremost for the simple fact that only an extremely small number of films are shot there annually. It scores high not only for the strength of the acting, but also on the visual level. Although the camerawork is confined to a fairly modest setting within the narrow streets of Santo Domingo, the film never becomes boring.

Ivan Herrera, born in 1977 and raised in Santo Domingo/Dominican Republic, works as a director, producer, and screenwriter. He is passionate about photography; it is by observing the world through the lens of his camera that he finds inspiration and interprets humanity. His short film LA PASIÓN ORIGINAL, received the Judge’s Choice Awards at TIFFxInstagram Shorts Festival in 2016.

Filmography (selection): 2012 THE BIRD OF PARADISE (short film), 2015 PUETO PA’ MI, 2016 LA PASIÓN ORIGINAL (short film), 2021 BANTU MAMA