Directed by Joel Alfonso Vargas • 2025 • United States
Starring Juan Collado, Destiny Checo, Yohanna Florentino

In a tight-knit Dominican American community in the Bronx, Rico (Juan Collado) is hustling his way through the summer, selling bootleg “nutcracker” cocktails out of a beach cooler while chasing girls. But when his girlfriend, Destiny (Destiny Checo), begins crashing at his family’s place, their small apartment becomes a stage for their messy, complicated relationship—and soon they must reckon with the sobering reality of growing up too fast in a city that waits for no one. Channeling the electrifying naturalism of John Cassavetes, writer-director Joel Alfonso Vargas turns his hometown into the heartbeat of his crackling debut feature, teaming up with street-cast acting talent to deliver a deeply authentic look at the tapestry of urban life and the ups and downs of young love.