The Dominican Film Festival in New York 2026 crowns the best of Dominican cinema
The 2026 edition of the Dominican Film Festival in New York (DFFNYC) closed on a high note after a week dedicated to celebrating the creativity and talent of Dominican filmmakers, both from the island and the diaspora. The awards gala, held in New York City, culminated with the sold-out premiere of the film “Melodrama,” directed by Andrés Farías Cintrón, once again consolidating this event as the most relevant cinematic showcase for national cinema outside our borders.
Mastery of “Melodrama” and notable recognitions
The feature film “Melodrama” became the big star of the night by winning the award for Best Film, also adding the award for Best Director for Andrés Farías Cintrón. In the acting category, Mercedes Morales was recognized as Best Actress for this same film.
For his part, the male acting talent shone with Gerardo Mercedes, who was named Best Actor for his impeccable work in “La herencia de los Ramírez”. In the supporting categories, Héctor Then was awarded for “La herencia de los Ramírez”, while Pachy Méndez stood out for his performance in “Entiérrenlo Parao”.
Quality in documentaries and short films
The jury also recognized excellence in short-form and non-fiction formats:
- Best Documentary: “Kacimiro”, directed by Boynayel Mota, with an Honorable Mention for “Extraordinary Women” by Yildalina Tatem.
- Best Short Film: “A Tempo”, by Camila Del Carmen, and a Special Mention for “The Amulet” by Danny Camacho.
- Best University Short Film: “The Madman Who Paints”, by Mariam Rosario and Paul Limardo (INTEC).
Dominican talent abroad
The DFFNYC 2026 reaffirmed its commitment to the Dominican diaspora through the category dedicated to filmmakers based abroad. The production “One Guy, Too Many Dates” swept this section, taking home the awards for Best Feature Film, Best Director (Yisendry Trinidad), Best Actor (Robert Palmer Watkins), Best Actress (Jenny Tran), Best Supporting Actor (Johnny Rey Díaz), and Best Supporting Actress (Julissa Calderón). Likewise, “Mejor Sola” was distinguished as the Best Diaspora Short Film, and a special recognition was awarded to the documentary “La Fundación: Baseball’s Island”.
The festival continues to be the fundamental platform for making the growth, diversity, and cultural impact of Dominican cinema visible internationally, connecting our stories with global audiences.
The success of this edition was possible thanks to the joint effort of the Latin Film Festival Alliance (LAFFA), Cine Art Entertainment Production, and a wide network of collaborators who support the national film industry.
