Most Beautiful Island 2017

There’s little in the first half of Most Beautiful Island, directed by Ana Asensio, that hints at the shocking events of its latter part, aside from the involvement of indie-horror distributor Glass Eye Pix. Initially, the film appears to be a typical Sundance selection focusing on multicultural strivers in New York City. At its heart is Luciana (Ana Asensio), an immigrant from Spain trying to escape her past as she navigates Brooklyn—often taking the F line—while juggling menial jobs to survive.

The narrative follows Luciana through a seemingly ordinary day, which includes visits to a doctor she cannot afford due to the lack of insurance and returning to her cramped apartment filled with items clearly tagged with “Not Yours” by her roommate. We witness her as she picks up disrespectful children from school and walks them home, and even dressing up in a playful yet provocative outfit to hand out flyers. Her world is further complicated when her friend Olga (Natasha Romanova), who works with her on the flyering job, requests Luciana to take her place at another gig. The offer sounds remarkably enticing: a chance to earn $2,000 for merely attending a cocktail party, requiring nothing more than a black dress and high heels—no other obligations involved.

Up to this point, Most Beautiful Island unfolds like an ethnographic quasi-documentary, vividly portraying Luciana’s experiences amidst the diverse immigrant hustle in New York City. Each woman depicted is fueled by personal aspirations amidst seemingly endless yet elusive economic opportunities. Luciana often receives support from fellow immigrants, like benevolent shopkeepers who allow her to defer payment, and taxi drivers who dismiss her financial constraints. Yet, some remind her about the harsh reality of self-made luck and the consequences of fate—a theme that becomes painfully evident in the latter half of the film.

The job offer from Olga leads Luciana to a dimly lit basement near the West Side Highway, which proves to be a trap. It soon becomes clear that the glamorous cocktail party is shrouded in darkness as women, marked by numbers in chalk, are subjected to the gaze of well-dressed attendees sipping champagne, while stern men in black stand guard to prevent any escape. The atmosphere grows thick with tension and foreboding as the women are led, one by one, into a “party room.” When Luciana is finally summoned, she is confronted with a surreal yet harrowing reality—a cruel situation that is stomach-churning in its horror, compounded by the realization that many of these women, desperate for money, have willingly put themselves in peril. The experience is disturbingly reminiscent of sexual assault.

In a departure from typical genre expectations, where victims may ultimately rise to confront their tormentors, the women here react in a more realistic manner—they take the cash and flee, devoid of any grand climactic moments or vengeful justice. The film closes with a haunting shot of a stretch of New York City highway, where a dilapidated sign reads: “BIG APPLE BIG DREAMS.” Its grotesque irony resonates more deeply when recalling the film’s introductory note: “Inspired by true events.” This stark reality serves as a chilling reminder of how many vulnerable individuals navigate life today.