Traveling on foot, Ruben (a commanding Stevenson Jean) returns to Haiti to reconnect with his estranged father. When a persistent street kid (a charismatic Blangue Machiny) starts following him, he makes a deal with the boy: help Ruben find a shortcut, keep some distance, and the boy can stay. Shot en cachet in Cap-Haïtien in 2023, Elisee Junior St. Preux’s debut feature is both a melancholic and refreshing portrayal of "The Pearl of the Antilles," as well as a phenomenal example of economical narrative filmmaking in the Global South. The production is a collaboration between students and artists with a majority local crew.

As their journey continues and they meet others along the way, viewers are exposed to the beautiful tapestry of both the country and its people. But ultimately, this is a story of intergenerational healing for Black men. With Jean’s quiet strength and Machiny’s laughter, moments of vulnerability show as a brotherhood forms, and Ruben understands that this boy needs the same thing he does from his father: love and understanding. The film is a testament to how you can view a man and an island with optimism, if you truly lean in and look.—Nora Bernard