Asterion: or, (if you mess with the bull...) (2024)

The Rum Diary

Tired of the noise and madness of New York and the crushing conventions of late Eisenhower-era America, itinerant journalist Paul Kemp travels to the pristine island of Puerto Rico to write for a local San Juan newspaper run by the downtrodden editor Lotterman. Adopting the rum-soaked lifestyle of the late ‘50s version of Hemingway’s 'The Lost Generation', Paul soon becomes entangled with a very attractive American woman and her fiancée, a businessman involved in shady property development deals.  It is within this world that Kemp ultimately discovers his true voice as a writer and integrity as a man.

Carlito's Way

A Puerto-Rican ex-con, just released from prison, pledges to stay away from drugs and violence despite the pressure around him, and lead a better life outside NYC.

Ábreme

The collision between two cultures explodes in one household as all three wait for Javier's immigration papers. A dark comedy that explores immigration, mental health and the magnetism hiding as aversion.

Carlito's Way: Rise to Power

Jay Hernandez (Friday Night Lights), Mario Van Peebles (Ali), Luis Guzmán (Carlito's Way) and Sean Combs (Monster's Ball) star in the gripping tale of the early years of gangster legend Carlito Brigante. Seduced by the power of the brutal New York underworld, he enters a deadly circle of greed and retribution. Assisted by his two brothers-in-crime, Carlito is on the fast track to becoming Spanish Harlem's ultimate kingpin. He quickly learns, however, that the only way to survive at the top is through loyalty to his friends and respect for the rules of the street. (FILMAFFINITY)

12 Angry Men

The defense and the prosecution have rested and the jury is filing into the jury room to decide if a young Spanish-American is guilty or innocent of murdering his father. What begins as an open and shut case soon becomes a mini-drama of each of the jurors' prejudices and preconceptions about the trial, the accused, and each other.

West Side Story

In the slums of the upper West Side of Manhattan, tensions are high as a gang of Polish-Americans compete against a gang of recently immigrated Puerto Ricans, but this doesn't stop two romantics from each gang falling in love.

I Like It Like That

After her husband is arrested for looting, Lisette struggles for independence while dealing with her gender-confused sibling, her critical mother-in-law and assorted neighborhood eccentrics.

Tres Leches

Tres Leches" unfolds the poignant story of a family at the brink of collapse. Daniel, a devoted single father in his 40s, grapples with the weight of caring for his father, Alejandro, who battles Alzheimer's. The narrative unfolds on a pivotal day – his daughter's 18th birthday. Daniel, yearning for perfection, experiences fleeting validation when his father briefly reconnects with his past. However, the cruel nature of Alzheimer's becomes evident as a panic attack ensues, leading to an unfortunate incident. As tensions rise, Daniel and Vanessa embark on a frantic search when Alejandro goes missing. Amid the chaos, Vanessa's heart-to-heart conversation with Daniel becomes a pivotal moment of realization. Ultimately, when they locate Alejandro, Daniel faces the dreaded decision as his father's final memories slip away.

Feel The Noise

After a run-in with local thugs, aspiring Harlem rapper Rob flees to a place and father he never knew, and finds his salvation in Reggaeton, a spicy blend of hip-hop, reggae and Latin beats. Puerto Rico, the spiritual home of Reggaeton, inspires Rob and his step-brother Javi to pursue their dream of becoming Reggaeton stars. Together with a dancer named C.C., they learn what it means to stay true to themselves and each other, while overcoming obstacles in love, greed and pride, all culminating in an explosive performance at New York’s Puerto Rican Day Parade.

Peccadillo

Peccadillo tells the story of Lorenzo. An 18- year-old boy struggling to come out to his religious family of female tailors, who work day and night sewing the dresses he only dreams to wear. Unfortunately, the dream of fitting into one of these sparkly beauties and explore his sexuality lingers in the air, as through his Family’s eyes, being gay and wearing clothes opposite to someone’s sex, is a sin.

Paging Emma

An operator at a mobile pager company has her life turned upside down by a seemingly senseless abduction. Currently considered to be a lost film (never released to the general public, after its theatrical premiere in Puerto Rico).

Luna Azul

Two Venezuelans, Laura a catholic novice nun, and her Ex-Fiancé Carlos meet again, in order to resolve the traumatic past that separated them.

In This Moment

“In This Moment” is the story of a transwoman named Love, who is polyamorous and trying to navigate the world around her identities by coming to terms with how she deserves and needs to be loved in a world where her existence is an act of protest. “In This Moment" teaches us that love is like the ocean. It is different in every pattern and location it exists.

Cry Tough

After getting out of prison, a Latino criminal tries to go straight.

Once Upon a Time in the Caribbean

Juan Encarnación is a reserved jibaro with a violent past. When Pura, the woman he loves, disappears, Encarnación sets out on a path of revenge armed with his machete and his daughter, Patria, in his arms.

Return to the End

Follow the story of Esteban and Daniel as they navigate turbulent times in Chile. Will their relationship survive the pandemic and Esteban's family bringing in conflicts from the past? How can they get closer when they have to be apart?

Way Out

A story of two men who become heroin addicts, what they must do to support their habit and how it affects their lives.

Una mano bajo la nieve y otras historias

An anthology of 7 Mexican short films, all created by 5 up-and-coming independent filmmakers, with a common thread: to explore themes of human relationships. In order, A Hand Beneath the Snow (Una mano bajo la nieve), Friendship (Amistad), The View from Up Above (La vista desde arriba), The Short Film (El cortometraje), Silvestre (Silvestre), Cocktails For Two (Cóctel para dos) and When I Hear You Sing, I Forget (Cuando te escucho cantar, olvido).

Gun Hill Road

An ex-con returns home to the Bronx after three year in prison to discover his wife estranged and his teenage son exploring a sexual transformation that will put the fragile bonds of their family to the test.

Blue Miracle

To save their cash-strapped orphanage, a guardian and his kids partner with a washed-up boat captain for a chance to win a lucrative fishing competition.

Deformed

A young man is forced to eat constantly because of a strange condition that causes deformations on his body.

Desert Flower

Time is not linear, it is an infinite circle that surrounds us. -Andrei Tarkovsky

Eres tú

A WLW romance/drama about two girls torn apart by heartbreak, although all they have for one another is love.

Counterplot

Man hides out in Puerto Rico from the police and his double-crossing attorney.

Before the Rooster Crows

Teenager Carmín lives in a mountainous village in the center of Puerto Rico with her tough and conservative grandmother. Her mother left for the US without her. The arrival of her father, after long years in prison, eases Carmín’s profound sadness. The relationship with him, however, brings its own ambiguousness and complexities and as Carmín moves into womanhood this causes great confusion, mostly for her.

The Cruz Brothers and Miss Malloy

The adventures of three Puerto Rican brothers scraping by while contending with the ghost of their dead father. The three brothers are tasked with refurbishing the house of Miss Malloy, but undercurrents of the past keep resurfacing.

Entre el grito y la celda: Una historia sobre Lolita Lebrón

“Entre el grito y la celda” is a film adaptation of the theatrical monologue “Lolita", which has been performed locally and internationally for the past 11 years, with over 60 performances in 5 countries, 5 states in North America, and more than 40 municipalities in Puerto Rico. The story is set in late 1954, when political prisoner Lolita Lebrón had already been sentenced to 50 years in prison at the federal prison in Alderson, West Virginia, for leading an attack on the United States Congress. The film explores Lolita's life and patriotic thoughts through poetic language, intertwining her three most significant aspects: her fervent religiosity, her fight for justice from the perspective of a young woman and mother, and her patriotic bravery to risk her freedom for causes and values she firmly believed in. The movie highlights the themes of national identity and the struggles of a resilient woman who became, for many, the Mother of the Puerto Rican Nation.

Runner Runner

When a poor college student who cracks an online poker game goes bust, he arranges a face-to-face with the man he thinks cheated him, a sly offshore entrepreneur.

West Side Story

Two youngsters from rival New York City gangs fall in love, but tensions between their respective friends build toward tragedy.

Hijo

A teenage Mexican immigrant struggles with his identity as he slowly assimilates into American culture despite his mother’s growing disapproval of his change.