Sundance Film “La Pecera” Uses Metaphor to Represent American Colonialism in Puerto Rico

January 29, 2023 – 1:05 p.m. Director Jessica Marrero has used an innovative approach to portray the devastating effects of American colonialism in Puerto Rico in her recent movie, “La Pecera”. This film was among the international fiction selection of the this week’s Sundance Festival in Park City, Utah.

“La Pecera” follows the story of Noelia, a visual artist played by Isel Rodríguez, who battles a metastasized form of cancer. While Noelia’s family and her supportive boyfriend try to get her to start a treatment, she opts to go back to her hometown, Vieques, in Puerto Rico, to resume activist work against US military activity related to cleaning up toxic waste in the region.

The film serves as a form of activism to spread awareness of the issue of colonialism, while Marrero drew on her own experience of her mother’s death in 2013 due to cancer to paint a powerful story. Marrero sought out stories from women who suffered similarly to her mother, to understand her character’s pain better.

In addition, Marrero made a conscious choice to represent the story with an all-female cast and crew, to bring strength to the female filmmaking community. The movie was part of the Göteborg Film Festival in Sweden and will be included in other European festivals, to be announced later. The director is also working on another Spanish co-production that is currently in production.