UNDER THE SAME SUN
[BAJO EL MISMO SOL]
Lázaro (David Castillo), a thin-skinned Spanish colonialist, arrives to the Caribbean island of Hispaniola in 1819 with plans to make good on his family’s dream of producing silk in the Americas. To ensure high-quality production, he has brought with him Mei (Valentina Shen Wu), an expert from China, and a box of silkworms. When they arrive at Lázaro’s inherited property, he is startled to find Baptiste (Jean Jean), a deserter from the Haitian army, squatting in his father’s home. But despite their differences in language and culture, the trio find a way forward. Baptiste helps them navigate the dense jungle, while Mei makes progress with the silkworms, but the encroaching French colonialists threaten to destroy everything. Spanish filmmaker Ulises Porra (CARAJITA, TIGRE) makes his solo directorial debut with this lush tale of jealousy and desire set against the swirling colonial backdrop of a pre-independence Dominican Republic. –Josh Gardner
Official Selection, 2025 Toronto Film Festival. DIR/SCR/PROD Ulises Porra; SCR/PROD Ulla Prida; PROD Alexandra Santana. Dominican Republic/Spain, 2025, color, 103 min. In Spanish, Mandarin and French with English subtitles. NOT RATED
Run Time: 103 Minutes
Opening Date: Sunday, September 20, 2026
Genre: Historical drama
