‘This Film Is Urgent,’ Says the Panamanian Director of ‘Culebra Cut’ as the U.S. Military Conducts Exercises on Bases It Left Decades Ago (EXCLUSIVE)

Why It Matters

The film spotlights Panama’s unresolved sovereignty narrative amid renewed U.S. military presence, offering cultural insight that could shape regional discourse and attract global audiences.

Key Takeaways

• Film revisits Panama Canal Zone handover, 2000 setting.
• US resumes training at former bases, raising sovereignty concerns.
• International co‑production brings Panama’s story to global screens.
• Director ties personal trauma to national identity crisis.
• Exhibition “1.432 km² of Humiliation” travels to Taiwan.

Pulse Analysis

The Canal’s return to Panamanian control in 1999 marked a historic shift, yet the physical and psychological scars of a century‑long U.S. presence linger. “Culebra Cut” uses a 2000 backdrop to explore how displaced families and soldiers still navigate a landscape scarred by checkpoints, fences, and abandoned military infrastructure. By weaving personal memory with collective trauma, the film offers a rare cinematic lens on a geopolitical wound that remains largely undocumented in mainstream media.

Concurrently, the United States has expanded its partnership with Panama, staging joint exercises at former bases like Cristóbal Colón, Rodman Naval Station, and Howard Air Force Base. These drills, the most robust since the 2025 agreement, signal a strategic pivot that rekindles debates over sovereignty and regional security. The timing of Tejera’s production—amid renewed U.S. naval transits and Venezuelan oil shipments—amplifies the urgency she describes, positioning the film as both artistic expression and political commentary.

From an industry perspective, “Culebra Cut” benefits from a robust European co‑production framework, drawing financing from France’s CNC, Belgium’s Tarantula, Italy’s Intra Movies, and the Netherlands’ GROM, among others. This cross‑border backing not only elevates production values but also ensures the story reaches festivals and markets beyond Latin America. As the 14th IFF Panama approaches, the film is poised to raise Panama’s cinematic profile, attract distribution deals, and spark conversations about post‑colonial identity in a region where historical grievances intersect with contemporary geopolitics.