Puerto Rican filmmaker Gabriela Díaz Arp and producer Karla Claudio are celebrating the world premiere of their first feature film, 'Matininó', which explores the aftermath of gender violence through the story of a multi-generational Puerto Rican family. The film debuted at the Tribeca Festival in New York, competing in the experimental Viewpoints category as a hybrid documentary.
The project follows the Villanueva-Rodríguez-Ramos family as they convert memories of abuse, family silences, and inherited traumas into a fantastical epic inspired by the legendary Taino island of Matininó. Díaz Arp, who comes from a Puerto Rican family marked by stories of abuse and mental health issues, sought to address conversations that often remain hidden between generations.
The production team worked with the Villanueva-Rodríguez-Ramos family, residents of Toa Baja, through a creative and therapeutic process that spanned several years. The film's creators now hope to premiere the film in Puerto Rico, where they consider their 'most important audience' to be.