Exclusive Trailer for Tribeca Premiere "Esta Isla" Showcases Life in a Coastal Puerto Rican Town

      As the Tribeca Festival begins today, we are excited to exclusively unveil the first trailer for Esta Isla (This Island), the debut narrative feature from Puerto Rican filmmakers Lorraine Jones Molina and Cristian Carretero. The film will have its world premiere in the festival’s U.S. Narrative Competition and delves into the Puerto Rican experience and resilience through the story of an unexpected couple on the run.

      Here’s the synopsis: “Bebo, a teenager from a coastal town in Puerto Rico, shares a home with his brother in a public housing complex. They earn a living through fishing, but escalating desperation pushes them towards illegal activities that offer quick financial gain. After a job goes awry and violence ensues, Bebo escapes with Lola, a privileged girl looking to flee her troubled life. As they navigate the winding mountains, they come across traces of a diminishing way of life, juxtaposed with the violence that trails them. With hitmen closing in, Bebo must reevaluate his decisions and consider whether redemption is achievable, or if the sea will be their final refuge.”

      “Our film emerged from a tension we’ve experienced our entire lives: being from a place that is officially ‘American,’ yet perpetually marginalized, exploited, and overlooked. Puerto Rico occupies a peculiar middle ground—not fully a nation, nor entirely a state—with a history filled with resistance, creativity, and profound colonial trauma,” stated the directors. “This Island doesn’t just recount that history—it personifies it. Through characters who strive to escape, love, and resist, the film expresses the experience of growing up under the weight of an empire while still yearning for freedom. We created this film for Puerto Rico—for the neighborhoods that nurtured us, the music that inspired us, and the ancestors who refused to be silenced. But we also crafted it for anyone who understands living on the peripheries of visibility. We aimed to create a film that feels like memory, like something passed down. It’s about survival, the beauty found under pressure, and how colonialism transcends history books, manifesting in our relationships and in the way we navigate the world.”

      Check out the exclusive trailer below for the film featuring Zion Ortiz, Fabiola Brown, Xavier Morales, Teófilo Torres, and Audicio Robles. Secure your tickets for the premiere here.