The Projectionist

Eliseo cuts a solitary figure, surrounded by ageing 35mm celluloid film, which he watches and re-watches obsessively. His particular infatuation is with an enticing and mysterious woman in a series of home movies. But when fire damages the precious reels, Eliseo plunges into a desperate search for the object of his desire, travelling to the poorest and most remote corners of the Dominican Republic, and peering into the darker sides of love, life and relationships.

El Proyeccionista simultaneously pays homage to the golden era of cinema and celebrates human connection, through twin lenses of nostalgia and obsession. As the filmmaker’s second film selected to represent the Dominican Republic at the Oscars, this is a clever combination of drama, road movie and noir, with universal appeal.