The Puerto Rico Film Festival runs from August 19 to 23, 2026, in selected theaters in southwestern Puerto Rico. Summer of Three, directed and written by Carlitos Ruíz-Ruíz (with Marcel Ruiz and Mariana S. Belaval) will open the festival on Wednesday, August 19, at 7:00pm (AST) at Teatro Yagüez, Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. Synopsis: “Returning home to his native Puerto Rico after years away, 17-year-old Javi meets Luife and Kiki, two social misfits who flip his entire world upside down.” Here’s a description by Nadia Dalimonte for Next Best Picture (NBP).
Description (NBP): When faced with unimaginable grief, it’s not uncommon to impulsively want a change of scenery. A new setting can provide tangible escapes from the people, places, and things that remind us of lost loved ones. It can also bury painful memories, blurring how we reflect on key moments in life. Sometimes, a return to our roots helps lift some of the fog. Confronting the past through a familiar lens is echoed in Carlitos Ruíz-Ruíz’s sophomore feature, “Summer of Three,” an intimate coming-of-age drama that chronicles summertime sadness in Puerto Rico. The film shines as a nuanced portrayal of youth and the messy, spontaneous adventures that unwittingly put life’s mysteries into crystal clear perspective.
Hazy images of a tragic childhood memory and lively snapshots of a car ride set a bittersweet tone in the film’s opening scenes. After moving to Los Angeles following his father’s sudden death, 17-year-old Javi (an excellent Marcel Ruiz) returns home to Puerto Rico for his grandfather’s funeral. Javi’s uncle picks him up at the airport with open arms, and their drive makes for an instantly charming introduction. The summery car ride views, captured through frenetic camera movements, give way to a vibrant, energetic showcase of the setting. Javi’s mother sent him to Puerto Rico for three weeks to help him remember his father, but all he can piece together is the feeling that he’s missing something. Javi is haunted by a heartache he doesn’t quite know how to deal with, a sentiment that rings achingly true whilst in the throes of grief. The film communicates this internal wrestling with emotions subtly, notably through a haunting scene in which Javi arrives at his father’s old room, left exactly as it was when he left. The camera pans across cherished framed family photos, one of which Javi notices and then flips over to conceal its memory.
In a fragmented frame of mind, Javi becomes drawn to a messy love triangle. Enter Luife (Paolo Schoene) and Kiki (Kiki Montilla), two misfits who turn Javi’s world upside down and make this summer a genuinely transformative one. As Javi gets lost in their impulsive, at times volatile company, they ultimately find pieces of themselves that help them sift through the emotional fog of grief. Luife and Kiki ultimately broaden his horizons, and their characterizations speak to those formative youthful years, where specific social encounters can change the course of your life. The film chronicles a nuanced journey of self-discovery through Javi’s character, culminating in an inner shift by the film’s conclusion. It’s a subtle transformation that feels intimate and rooted in realism.
The story embodies a familiar idea that the more specific you are as a filmmaker, the more universal your story feels. “Summer of Three” is loosely based on the personal experiences of Puerto Rican writer/director Carlitos Ruíz-Ruíz, who, much like his protagonist, lived in Los Angeles for a time before visiting back home. [. . .]Much of this energy is enhanced visually by Pablo Ascanio’s excellent cinematography, which captures a vibrant rhythm and terrain. Additionally, the film’s soundtrack features a mix of established and emerging Puerto Rican artists, underlining intergenerational family elements of the story.
There’s an abundance of personality that shines through across the board, from the overall ensemble to the visual and musical elements. Adding emotional resonance to the story, Paolo Schoene and Kiki Montilla excel at depicting the unpredictable ups and downs of Luife and Kiki’s relationship. They each bring fun charisma and spontaneity to their respective roles, while also landing the escalating dramatic beats. [. . .] A tragic chain of events build to an extremely rushed conclusion. However, thanks to a very talented trio at the film’s core, “Summer of Three” ultimately lands on a memorable coming-of-age montage of friendship.
For full description, see https://nextbestpicture.com/summer-of-three/
For more information, schedule, and tickets, see https://www.prfilmfest.com/ and https://prff2026.eventive.org/welcome