The Dominican Republic continued its rise on the international film stage as Sugar Island, directed by Johanné Gómez Terrero, won Best Latin American Film of the Year at the 16th Annual Cinema Tropical Awards. The honors were announced during a ceremony hosted by Film at Lincoln Center in New York City on Jan. 7, celebrating standout achievements in Latin American and U.S. Latinx cinema.
The win marks a major milestone for Gómez Terrero, whose film explores identity, labor, and social realities through a visually rich narrative rooted in Caribbean culture. The award positions Sugar Island among the most significant Latin American films of the year and highlights the Dominican film industry’s growing global presence.
Brazilian filmmaker Marcelo Caetano received Best Director honors for Baby, while Cuban director Miguel Coyula won Best Non-Fiction Film for Chronicles of the Absurd (Crónicas del absurdo). The Best First Film award went to Mexican director Ernesto Martínez Bucio for The Devil Smokes [El diablo fuma (y guarda las cabezas de los cerillos quemados en la misma caja)], recognizing emerging talent in the region.
In the U.S. Latinx category, Asco: Without Permission, directed by Travis Gutiérrez Senger, was named Best Film. A Special Mention went to Mad Bills to Pay (or Destiny, dile que no soy malo) by Joel Alfonso Vargas, underscoring the strength and diversity of Latinx storytelling in the United States.
The ceremony was emceed by Spectrum Noticias anchor Philip Klint, with acclaimed Brazilian filmmaker Kleber Mendonça Filho presenting the awards for Best Director and Best Film. Winners were selected by juries composed of international film programmers, producers, and festival leaders, reflecting a broad range of industry perspectives.
Eligible films for this year’s awards were feature-length works — at least 60 minutes — that premiered between May 1, 2024, and April 30, 2025. The awards continue Cinema Tropical’s mission of promoting and elevating Latin American cinema in the United States while connecting filmmakers with new audiences.
Cinema Tropical programs are supported through public funding from the New York State Council on the Arts, the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, the Color Congress, and the Vilcek Foundation, with the awards reception sponsored by Mezcales de Leyenda.
As Latin American cinema continues to gain recognition worldwide, this year’s winners demonstrate the creative power and cultural impact emerging from the region and its diaspora.