Beloved Tropic

Pregnant immigrant and wealthy matriarch form unexpected friendship in gem from Panama.

Ana María (Jenny Navarrete) is a pregnant Colombian woman without a visa or money, living in Panama City. She dutifully works in elder care but remains isolated from the outside world. One day, she is hired to care for the well-off, dementia-stricken matriarch Mercedes (Paulina García from Gloria) in her home. Initially, their relationship is strained, but as the older woman’s health deteriorates, she opens her heart. The two seemingly different souls find a shared understanding of each other’s feelings of alienation and loneliness—and a shared secret. Ana Endara’s marvelous feature debut is as tender and life-affirming as Panama’s warm breezes.

• Niclas Goldberg