Set amidst the sugarcane fields of the Dominican Republic, Sugar Island follows Makenya, a young Dominican-Haitian woman facing an unwanted pregnancy while navigating a legacy of colonial violence, racial discrimination, and labor exploitation.
Through Makenya’s eyes, the film unfolds a complex story about the intersections of ethnicity, gender, immigration, and class—echoing the lived experiences of many in the Afro-Caribbean diaspora. Gómez Terrero’s unique "kaleidoscopic aesthetic"—which blends documentary realism, spiritual symbolism, and theatricality—elevates this coming-of-age drama into a visually rich, emotionally layered exploration of identity and resistance.
Spain/Dominican Republic, 2024, 91 mins, drama in Haitian and Spanish (with English subtitles), Johanne Gomez Terrero, dir.
“Johanné Gómez Terrero blends tradition and spirituality, the literal and the allegorical, in a beautifully made and deeply touching fiction feature debut. The themes of labour rights, protests against the mechanisation of the sugar industry, and decolonial thought make Sugar Islanda syncretic, politically engaged work that avoids all traces of didacticism. On the contrary, the film’s gorgeous look, thanks to lensing by Alván Prado, alludes to the many layers of reality and beyond"~ Savina Petkova, Cineuropa
