NEW YORK, NY — Sugar Island, directed by Johanné Gómez Terrero and distributed by ArtMattan Films, continues its strong award run across the United States. On January 7, 2026, the film was namedBest Latin American Film at the 16th Annual Cinema Tropical Awards, held at Film at Lincoln Center. The honor positions the film as one of the most acclaimed independent releases of the year as it returns to New York for the Best of ADIFF series.
This latest recognition adds to a growing list of major U.S. accolades:
• Best Latin American Film — 16th Annual Cinema Tropical Awards (New York, NY, 2026)
• Best Film Directed by a Woman of Color — ADIFF 2025 Public Award (New York, NY, 2025)
• Best Feature Narrative — 14th Annual BlackStar Film Festival (Philadelphia, PA, 2025)
The film will be celebrated during an encore screening on Sunday, January 18, 2026, at 5:30 PM at Teachers College, Columbia University, as part of Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend programming.
“The Cinema Tropical and BlackStar awards confirm what audiences have consistently responded to — Johanné Gómez Terrero brings a distinct, necessary voice to contemporary cinema.” said Dr. Reinaldo Barroso-Spech, Co-Director of ADIFF and Principal at ArtMattan Films.
About the Film
Sugar Island follows Makenya, a Dominican-Haitian teenager living in a batey in the Dominican Republic, as she navigates an unwanted pregnancy alongside the physical demands of sugarcane labor. Blending social realism with ritual, performance, and myth, the film offers a powerful meditation on inheritance, survival, and self-determination. The screening will be accompanied by Candombe, a short film by Rafael Deugenio (Uruguay).
Event Details
Screening Date: Sunday, January 18, 2026
Time: 5:30 PM
Location: Teachers College, Columbia University
Special Guest
Director Johanné Gómez Terrero will be present to receive her ADIFF Public Award and participate in a post-screening conversation with the audience.
Tickets and Information
www.nyadiff.org
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