“THE TROPIC SUN AND HIS EYES” // TRIBECA 2026

BY MATEO MORENO

Ruben (Stevenson Jean) is a 26-year-old man who hasn’t been back to Haiti since he was 15 years old. He’s returned now to try and reconnect with his father, who he’s been estranged with since he left. He’s unsure of his footing here, unsure of how his family will react when he returns. He’s constantly haunted by memories of the past, memories of him and his father and his guilt of leaving and not being there for him. As he’s trekking his way to his father, a young street kid (Blangue Manchiny) becomes fascinated with him and starts to tag along, refusing to leave his side. The Young boy is full of energy and life, even though he has no family and only has the clothes on his back and a small camcorder. Ruben wants nothing to do with him at first, but soon the two begin to bond and find out they have much more in common than he thought and this young boy might be the thing he needs in his life to truly find his way back home.

Written and Directed by Elisee Junior St Preux (with gorgeous cinematography by Dawit Adera), THE TROPIC SUN AND HIS EYES is a beautiful and moving meditation on the anxiety to face your past head on. It’s a loving tribute from the director himself, who wrote the film based on a similar family experience. It feels personal and real, raw and dynamic like only the truth can feel. The director himself stated that, “Till this day, the vast majority of Haitian men believe that the primary role of the father is to provide financial support for the family and male dominance. But many times, the son just wants to be loved.” That’s what this film is, two characters who don’t want anything from anyone except just to be loved. It’s a beautifully simply statement, one that shines bright throughout the short running time (it clocks in a bit under 80 minutes). Stevenson Jean is wonderfully here. There’s so many sequences that simply have no dialogue and rely solely on his emotions to tell the story. And he tells it with a rich stroke of grace. As the young boy, Blangue Machiny is a true ray of sunshine. To find out that Machiny is among the youngest Haitian comedians comes as no surprise. His smile could warm the coldest of days and he radiates joy. He’s also full of a quiet depth that’s impressive to see at such a young age. Most importantly, their connection is very strong throughout, making this a journey to remember. Sometimes the simplest things are the most heart tugging things to experience.

GRADE: A

WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY Elisee Junior St Preux STARRING Stevenson Jean, Blangue Machiny, Ulrick Remy SELECTED AS PART OF THE 2026 TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL. FOR MORE INFO: https://tribecafilm.com/films/tropic-sun-and-his-eyes-2026