When engineer Manolo uncovers a mysterious medallion at an archaeological site once believed to be an ancient Taíno village, he’s catapulted into alternate realities of Puerto Rico. Guided by Lorena, a gatekeeper who safeguards the integrity of these parallel worlds, Manolo learns the artifact is one of four objects needed to return him home.
Directed by Bruno Irizarry, 23 Hours delves deep into Puerto Rican folklore—drawing on Taíno heritage, ancestral rituals, and indigenous cosmologies—to create surreal yet culturally rooted environments. These alternate realities both celebrate and warn of the fragility of Taino culture, especially when modern development threatens to erase archaeological sites and ancestral memory.
Through sci-fi adventure infused with local legends, vibrant folk beliefs (like spirits of the hupia), and the haunting presence of Taíno petroglyphs and ceremonial spaces, 23 Hours offers a layered exploration of cultural preservation. As Manolo and Lorena journey across familiar and fantastical Puerto Rican landscapes, the film underscores the urgency of protecting indigenous roots against environmental and infrastructural encroachment.
Blending comedy, road movie, and speculative fantasy, 23 Hours is a richly imaginative tribute to identity, folklore, and homeland—asking whether one man’s search for home can also become a larger plea to preserve a disappearing legacy.
