.png)
Bronx Solstice Cinema Series Ends with Malpaso, a Dominican Borderland Drama by Héctor Valdez
- Damian Ali
- Jun 18
- 2 min read
Updated: 3 days ago
The Dominican Film Festival brings this striking borderland story to Poe Park for a special community screening.
(L to R) Ariel Díaz as Cándido and Luis Bryan Mesa as Braulio in Malpaso (Bad Step) 2019: Image Source via IMDb/Bou Group
The Bronx Solstice Cinema Series closes out its season with a special screening of Malpaso (Bad Step) on Friday, June 27 at 3 p.m. at the Poe Park Visitor Center (2640 Grand Concourse, Bronx, NY 10458). Hosted by The Bronx County Historical Society, the 2019 Dominican film, directed by Héctor Valdez, is presented in partnership with the Dominican Film Festival in New York City, with support from Council member Oswald Feliz.
Previous entries in the series have included Dueños del Tiempo (Owners of Time), directed by Luis Llosa and Andrea Bustamante, and La Tercera Edad (The Third Age), directed by Archie López, each offering different perspectives on Dominican identity, generational experience, and cultural change.
Shot in black and white and spoken in Spanish and Haitian Creole with English subtitles, Malpaso tells the story of fraternal twins growing up in the border town between Haiti and the Dominican Republic. One brother, Cándido (Ariel Díaz), has albinism and rarely leaves the house. The other, Braulio (Luis Bryan Mesa), shoulders the burden of survival after their grandfather dies. The film paints a stark and emotional picture of poverty, isolation, and hope in a divided place few stories dare to explore.
From Orchard Beach to Bainbridge Avenue, kick off the summer with rhythm, color, and real community history. The Bronx County Historical Society begins summer with a photo exhibit and a live street jam for Juneteenth.
Still and cover art from Malpaso and Bronx Solstice Cinema Series: Image Courtesy of BCHS
While the film’s runtime is just 80 minutes, it covers an emotional landscape as vast as the region it’s set in. The quiet heartbreak of Cándido’s dream to reunite with his father contrasts with the harsh reality Braulio faces daily at the market.
Valdez, known for his atmospheric storytelling, co-wrote the film alongside Jose Ramon Alama, David Maler, and José A. Pastor. While Malpaso may not be widely known in mainstream U.S. markets, it has quietly earned recognition in film circles for its intimate look at family, identity, and borders, literal and emotional.
This Bronx screening gives local audiences a rare chance to experience Malpaso on the big screen, right in the heart of the borough’s Grand Concourse corridor.
Stay Tuned — Subscribe below for more updates and sneak peeks! From TV shows and movie premieres to stories from the vibrant culture of The Bronx, TalkTeaV has you covered. Don’t forget to join the conversation on social media — links below!
Commentaires