‘Beloved Tropic’ Trailer: Paulina Garcia Leads Moving Generational Caregiver Saga

What is the meaning of life if one forgets their whole existence?

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TIFF favorite “Beloved Tropic” upends the generational tropes of a dying person imparting wisdom to the youth. Instead, this feature doesn’t shy away from the darker questions asked only when facing the afterlife.

The official logline reads: “A Colombian immigrant (Jenny Navarrete) employed as a home health aide harbors a secret while developing an unexpected bond with a wealthy businesswoman (Paulina Garcia) struggling with dementia.”

The film takes place in Panama City .

Ana Endara directs the feature from a script she co-wrote with Pilar Moreno. Isabella Galvez and Joan Gomez Endara produce. Nicolas Wong Diaz is the cinemaographer.

“The film explores the need to care for the parents who took care of us and the possibility of seeing them turn into children while reflecting our own difficulty in taking care of ourselves as we age,” Endara said in a press statement. “The film also addresses the various experiences of motherhood, including the longing for an un-conceived motherhood, in a context where, especially in Latin America, a woman without children is considered by many to be ‘incomplete.'”

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Endara credited Celine Sciamma’s filmography as an inspiration for “Beloved Tropic,” as well as auteur Paul Thomas Anderson. Endara previously has directed four feature documentaries, with “Beloved Tropic” marking her debut narrative film.

Endara pointed to how her background with documentaries allowed for “unexpected things to creep in” to her narrative premiere, which also was her first time collaborating with actors.

“In documentaries, you prepare a lot and then leave room for reality to surprise you,” Endara said. “Here, that ‘surprise’ is provided by the actresses. I am referring to, for example, the rewriting that arises from the work they contributed to the joint readings, rehearsals, and even at the time of filming. We were always open to exploring other paths if what was in the script was not working. […] I knew that the chemistry between the two actresses was essential to the story we wanted to tell.”

“Beloved Tropic” premiered at TIFF. The film is looking for distribution, with FiGA Films handling sales. Check out the trailer below.