Film screening at the Eibenhof cultural barn
Festival Preview
Rico lives with his family in the Bronx. Summer seems carefree: he sells Nutcracker drinks on the street, flirts, and drifts through the days. But when his girlfriend Destiny temporarily moves in with him, family dynamics begin to shift. Between cramped living quarters, responsibility, and escalating conflicts, a quiet coming-of-age story begins—faster than anyone involved would like.
In his debut film, director Joel Alfonso Vargas takes a loving, unhurried look at youthful exuberance, family pressure, and the tough hopes for advancement in a precarious New York. Mad Pills to Pay is a milieu study that doesn’t take control of its characters, but gives them space—with energy, warmth, and a local flavor. Awarded with the NEXT Special Jury Award.