MAD BILLS TO PAY
Special Features: Q&A with filmmaker Joel Alfonso Vargas and actors Juan Collado and Destiny Checo on Sept. 20
(or DESTINY, DILE QUE NO SOY MALO)
In the sweltering heat of the Bronx summer, 19-year-old Rico (Juan Collado) sells his homemade alcoholic concoctions, affectionately called “nutties,” down at the beach. His carefree days turn into endless nights until his exasperated Dominican mother (Yohanna Florentino) and pugnacious sister (Nathaly Navarro) harsh his vibe when he finally makes it home. But when Rico invites his pregnant girlfriend, Destiny (Destiny Checo), to move into their house, he will be forced to face adulthood head-on. Desperate to be the father he never had, Rico finds his endless charm wearing thin as he struggles to live up to the expectations of those around him. Bronx native Joel Alfonso Vargas’ brilliant meditation on masculinity is affectionately crafted, filled with moments of humor, brutal realities and the endless love of family. Vargas’ debut feature premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival where it deservedly won the NEXT Special Jury Award for Ensemble Cast. –Josh Gardner
DIR/SCR Joel Alfonso Vargas; PROD Paolo Maria Pedullà. U.S., 2025, color, 101 min. NOT RATED
Run Time: 101 Minutes
Opening Date: Saturday, September 20, 2025
Genre: Drama
Q&A