Dominican filmmaker Farrah La Ronde-Hutchison is celebrating international recognition for her directorial debut, Women of Dominica, after the documentary was named Best International Documentary at the 11th annual Urban Film Festival in Miami.
The 64-minute film, which was also nominated for Best Feature Documentary, explores the lives and experiences of 10 Dominican women from different generations. Through interviews, observational footage, and scenes of Dominica, the documentary examines mentorship, matriarchal wisdom, cultural identity, and the role of women in shaping their communities.
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The documentary screened in Miami on September 6, 2026, as part of the Urban Film Festival, which is held annually in the city. La Ronde-Hutchison described the award as recognition of the six-year journey behind the project and dedicated the achievement to the women featured in the film and to Dominica.
“Winning Best International Documentary at Urban Film Festival validates the six year journey of bringing these women’s stories to life,” La Ronde-Hutchison said, adding that the honor represented recognition for the 10 women whose stories of resilience and cultural heritage are at the center of the documentary.
Women of Dominica is La Ronde-Hutchison’s first film as a director. She is an environmental scientist and educator whose professional work has focused on coastal restoration, sustainability and community engagement. Her filmmaking brings together those interests with a focus on cultural memory and the relationship between people, land and heritage.
The project also has a personal connection for the filmmaker. According to her director statement, the documentary began as a tribute to her mother, a seamstress and cultural guardian who received Dominica’s Golden Drum Award in 2019 for her contribution to safeguarding the island’s traditional wear.
Following its Miami screening, the documentary has continued its international festival journey. It was selected for the Caribbean Film Festival in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, and for ScreenShare/CaribbeanTales International Film Festival in Toronto. Additional festival appearances are also being developed.
For La Ronde-Hutchison, the growing international audience gives Women of Dominica an opportunity to bring stories of Dominican women and Caribbean cultural heritage to viewers beyond the island. The Miami award adds another milestone to a project built around preserving intergenerational stories and highlighting the women who help carry Dominica’s cultural identity forward.
