Film shot entirely in Haiti, ‘The Tropic Sun and His Eyes,’ to debut at Tribeca Festival

His Eyes, will make its world premiere at the 2026 Tribeca Festival on June 5. The film has been selected for the festival’s International Narrative Competition which makes it the first narrative feature shot entirely in Haiti to premiere at the festival.

The 80-minute drama follows Ruben (Stevenson Jean), a Haitian American man who returns from the United States to his native Cap-Haïtien to reconnect with his estranged father. As he makes his way on foot to his family home, a 12-year-old street kid (Blangue Machiny) won’t stop following him. Ruben, who gets more and more irritated with him, strikes a deal: the young boy can tag along if he helps him find a shortcut and keeps at least 2 meters of distance at all times.

The Haitian Times previewed the film ahead of its Tribeca debut. Particularly striking is the warmth and serenity of the cinematography, which evokes an old photograph — slightly faded and almost dreamlike, yet firmly grounded in realism. The visuals are crisp, and the immersive sound design is rich with details that place viewers squarely in Cap-Haïtien.

Filming in situ was a deliberate choice for St. Preux who told The Haitian Times in a previous interview, “You cannot get that Haiti backdrop, that Haiti rust on the walls, the architecture — you cannot get that anywhere else but Haiti.”

Both lead performances are strong. Jean carries much of the film’s weight through a sort of stillness, which is emphasized by St. Preux throughout with long and lingering close-ups. Machiny brings a lightheartedness that balances Jean’s sternness, and the dynamic between the two works great. The film also weaves in beautifully-shot flashbacks from Ruben’s past as well as footage shot from the young boy’s point of view, through an old camera he carries with him.

As the viewer follows them through their travel, the two characters push each other in ways neither expected. The boy, who has no family of his own, and Ruben, who has spent years avoiding his, gradually let their guards down. 

St. Preux said he wanted the film to challenge how Haitian men relate to vulnerability. “Haitian men are taught to be rock hard, financial providers, and not vulnerable. Some won’t talk very much” he told The Haitian Times. “I want to show something we either dream of or feel like is not possible.”

That extends to how the film paint Haiti, which becomes a character in its own right. St. Preux has said he wanted viewers to see the country directly, without explanation, and to see what he hopes it can become.

St. Preux, who is largely self-taught, began writing the script in December 2020 and spent two years developing it before traveling to Cap-Haïtien to shoot with a crew made up predominantly of Haitian students and recent graduates. The film was shot en cachet in 2023.

The Tropic Sun and His Eyes screens as part of the 2026 Tribeca Festival, running June 3 to 14 in New York City. The first screening is on Friday, June 5 at 5:30 p.m. at AMC 19th St. East 6. The film is 80 minutes and presented in Haitian Creole with English subtitles. Tickets are available at tribecafilm.com.

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