Beloved Tropic

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Note of intent

Querido Trópico was born out of a news story about a woman in Panama who stole a baby and was caught. It was revealed that she had faked a pregnancy, even deceiving her own partner, in order to carry out her plan. I still ponder the motivations behind such an act: could she be motivated by the need to love? by loneliness? to satisfy the desire imposed by society on every woman? Querido Trópico addresses these questions with the clear intention of not judging this woman for what she did.

Synopsis

Ana María is an illegal Colombian migrant in Panama. She has just turned 40, has no family and is alone. She faked a pregnancy so that they would take pity on her and give her a job in a nursing home. Jimena arrives at the nursing home desperately looking to hire someone to take care of her mother Mercedes, who has already fired four girls in a month. Ana Maria starts working at Mercedes’ house, a sullen aristocrat who is aware of how Alzheimer’s is devouring her. Mercedes does not fire her immediately and Ana Maria gradually begins to win her sympathy. As time goes by, Ana Maria finds it harder to get out of her own lie. Or maybe she wishes her pregnancy was real? In a tropical garden, these two women share a friendship and for a time save each other from isolation and loneliness.

© Tova Katzman

Visual concept

This an intimate film, with few locations where Ana Maria’s character is always present. The heart of this film is the relationship built by the two actresses. I imagine a drama film with a realistic tone and tropical texture. With unexpected moments like those that the Panamanian weather can give; on a sunny day we are surprised by a downpour or in the middle of the rain the sun comes out. Although this film speaks of loneliness, in the midst of a sad situation a smile can shine through.