Amanda Valle is an artist who is now based in the US but was born in the city of Santo Domingo. Back in the Island (2020) is a dream-like vision of her return to the place of her birth. She suggests it was a journey of spiritual and emotional healing. The film is not a narrative but rather a meditation on identity, wellness, and connecting with nature.
Back in the Island is a montage of visual images with snippets of a conversation between a man and his uncle. The uncle is clearly a folk healer of sorts as he advises his nephew on various potions and herbal remedies. These are obviously part of the culture of the Dominican Republic that Valle is embracing as she returns home for a journey of self-discovery. The voice of the uncle becomes the voice of the island itself, reaching out to the artist to guide her in her renewal of inspiration.
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Valle gives us intriguing clues throughout the brief runtime of the film about her experiences. We see her in a simple, loose yellow dress walking through various locations on the island. She then appears beside a man who we may assume is the uncle of the overheard conversation about folk remedies.
Valle carries various bottles of potions as if she is accepting them as the cure she needs for the various issues she is facing. It is a beautiful metaphor for allowing oneself to become vulnerable and acknowledging one’s need of help.
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According to the artist, this film became the inspiration for a new series of paintings, so perhaps it is fair to say that the island did indeed offer a kind of remedy to her. She works in abstractions and the paintings are as bold and colorful as the scenery in the background of her film.
Back in the Island offers an intriguing invitation to explore the art of Amanda Valle further. Her visit was obviously transformative for her, and that is reflected in her work.
