The award was given to its director, Ana Endara Mislov, by a jury of Spanish-speaking migrants living in that country. This film introduces us to an intimate Panama, where the relationship between Ana María, a Colombian immigrant working as a caregiver who guards a secret, and Mercedes, a wealthy Panamanian woman facing incipient dementia, becomes a mirror of what many experience: loneliness, migration, care, motherhood, and that human fragility that we sometimes do not want to admit. The story moves between strong emotions and Mercedes' lush garden, which serves as a refuge and a reminder of how alive the city is.
Panamanian cinema is on a roll, and it's no joke. While many believe that only comedies and separate documentaries are made here, two productions born from the neighborhoods and told with a Panamanian soul have just left their mark abroad.
The film "They Call Me the Panzer" revved up engines in Miami, where it won the award for Best Film - Latin American Panorama at the Ibero American Film Festival Miami (IAFFM). Directed by Rodrigo Quintero Arauz, the film pays homage to the eternal Rommel Fernández, that warrior from El Chorrillo who conquered Spain with goals and courage. This biographical film tells the life of "The Panzer," a nickname given to him for his strong and determined play, like a tank that doesn't stop. The story goes from his humble beginnings to becoming a symbol of Panamanian football in European lands.
Meanwhile, "Dear Tropics" traveled further and won the "Our Voice" award at the FILMAR festival in Switzerland.
