Director Gabriela Díaz Arp’s “Matininó” is a beautiful display of generational healing through storytelling and the embodiment of archetypal folklore heroes across its 88-minute runtime.
The Power of Radical Imagination: Matininó (Tribeca 2026) Film Review
In this hybrid science fiction and drama documentary that highlights a cinematic retelling of the Villanueva-Rodriguez family’s lives through hypnotic film vignettes, they are reimagined as fierce warriors capable of breaking the inherited bonds of generational trauma. The collective goal of the multigenerational family is to reach Matininó, a place of immense beauty that provides healing from accumulated lifetimes of trauma.
Mythic Reclamation: Taino Antiquity and Caribbean Folklore
“Matininó” draws heavily from Caribbean and American folklore and histories, with the name of the film itself drawn from the “Island of Women” stories present throughout antiquity, in a similar vein to the Amazonian Queen Califia and her island of all-female Amazonian Warriors in California. This ‘Amazonian’ tale concerning an island full of women is widely believed to be immortalized in the “Wonder Woman” comic saga.
The Cacique Anacaona and the Archetypes of Female Strength
The Villanueva-Rodriguez women also take inspiration from literary figures such as Genevieve (portrayed by Genesis Ramos Candelaria), (Cacique) Anacaona (portrayed by Désirée Rodríguez Villanueva), and even the Spider Woman tale is incorporated, casting the anthropomorphic figure as a villain who propels the women forward on their journey. The Spider Woman archetype provides catharsis by forcing the warrior women to confront their fears, before taking them away by devouring the negative memories and emotions, which aids the party’s quest to reach Matininó.
“In nature, life and death go hand in hand…”
Just as a spider, symbolic of the Spiderwoman’s influence, prompted Matriarch Idaliz Villanueva (“Hotu”) to confront her traumatic past with domestic violence while hiding from a male figure traversing through the forest toward Matininó, this mythical figure’s influence is even felt off the screen. The creation of this eight-year-long documentary journey began as an attempt toward emotional healing by filmmaker Gabriela Díaz Arp, to soothe her own inherited trauma.
Confronting the Shadow: Healing Generational Trauma Through Storytelling
Diaz Arp began developing the concept of the film in 2018, and connected virtually with the Villanueva-Rodriguez family in 2020. The film evolved alongside the family’s eagerness to embrace their healing process through creativity, and together they developed the film’s hybrid language between fantasy narrative and documentary with Diaz Arp. The core distinctions arose during the 2024 post-production phase of the project.
In her Filmmaker Statement, Diaz Arp noted her desire for what the audience should take away from the film:
“I want audiences to leave MATININÓ with a deeper understanding of how violence and trauma can move through generations, often in quiet and normalized ways. I hope the film illuminates how difficult it can be to interrupt these cycles, while also pointing to the expansive possibilities that emerge when we engage radical imagination as a tool to process pain, reclaim agency, and envision a new future for ourselves and our communities.”
Breaking the Inherited Cycle: The Final Sacrifice
The closing sequence of “Matininó” embodies this vision, as the elder generations of women choose what would be best to sacrifice for the youngest amongst their group. This leads to a vision of tranquility and a deep understanding of the warriors’ journey to reach the Island of Matininó, which culminates in “Red” bird, portrayed by the 9-year-old child, Gabriela Vázquez Ramos, arriving at a beautiful place.
“Matininó” will have an international premiere at Sheffield Doc Fest, following its World Premiere at Tribeca Festival. Would you be interested in watching this film?
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