Juanita

Juanita (Cheddy García) is a Dominican immigrant who has been living illegally in Madrid for some years, but as trouble closes in on her, she flees into hiding in the countryside. There she meets Mariano (played by the always-popular Tito Valverde), a lonely Spanish farmer. One thing leads to another, and Mariano soon brings Juanita out of the shadows as his new life partner! Soon, Juanita pressures Mariano to bring her home for a long overdue trip to Santo Domingo for Christmas. Not only is Mariano visiting a country and culture that is new to him, he is about to experience the adventure of having Dominican in-laws, beginning with Juanita’s skeptical mother (played by La Reina de Bachata, Milly Quezada). With Juanita, a poignant dramedy on immigration, love and survival, director Leticia Tonos rewards us with a beautifully modulated combination of pathos and laughter. (Miami Film Festival)