The Decision
After eight years of trying to start a family, a couple faces the heartbreaking decision of whether to continue with a pregnancy that could change their lives forever, after discovering their baby has severe congenital and cardiac problems.
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Susibel EspaillatDirector
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Susibel EspaillatWriter
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Susibel EspaillatProducer
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César HernándezProducer
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Baleyda BallKey Cast"Valentina"Lilly Ball
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Miguel HernándezKey Cast"Justo"
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Abraham VásquezKey Cast"Dr. Díaz"
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Project Title (Original Language):La Decisión
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Project Type:Short
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Runtime:16 minutes 17 seconds
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Completion Date:January 12, 2025
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Production Budget:15,000 USD
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Country of Origin:Dominican Republic
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Country of Filming:United States, United States
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Language:Spanish
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Shooting Format:Digital
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Aspect Ratio:16:9
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Film Color:Color
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First-time Filmmaker:No
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Student Project:No
Susibel Espaillat
Director, screenwriter, and audiovisual producer with over 10 years of experience in the film industry, commercials, TV series, and music videos.
Born in Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic, Susibel graduated in Telematics Technology from the Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra. She also specialized in Audiovisual Production and Filmmaking at the Instituto de Cine de Santiago (INCINES) and is currently completing a specialization in Film, TV, and Video Directing and Production at the Universidad Europea del Atlántico (Spain).
She is a founding member of the Dominican Association of Documentary Filmmakers (ACÚ), where she served as treasurer (2016-2020), and an active member of the Dominican Association of Film Industry Professionals (ADOCINE), where she served as secretary (2018-2020). Since 2015, she has been the founder and CEO of the production company Soleil Luna Star Films, SRL. Among her notable achievements is leading communications for the Sparring Partners project for the Italian NGO Gruppo di Volontariato Civile (GVC), which developed over 15 documentaries in partnership with Cuba and Haiti.
Throughout her career, Susibel has produced and directed acclaimed works such as:
“Inseparables” (Special Mention at the I Dominican Global Film Festival and winner of the 2009 Green Woman Film Award for Best Short Film).
“Coco con Leche” (Honorable Mention at the “Women and Work” Short Film Competition by Intermón Oxfam).
“Chino-Dominicano” (Official Selection at festivals including Mujeres en Corto, RDOC, FIC Libélula Dorada, Almacén de la Imagen in Camagüey, Dominican Film Fest NY, and 21 Island Film Fest NY).
She has also produced short films such as “Ópera Prima” and “Un Pacto con la Soledad”, and served as field producer for the documentary “Stateless” (USA/Canada). In feature films, she has collaborated on productions such as:
“La Soga” (USA/DR)
“Dinosaurier” (Germany)
“Ponchao,” “Oro y Polvo,” “Patricia,” and “La Maravilla” (DR)
“Vacanze ai Caribi” (Italy/DR)
TV series such as “Tropical Cop Tales” (USA).
Between 2019 and 2021, she produced and directed “New Horizons Radio,” an innovative multimedia production broadcast live on radio, YouTube, and Instagram, which later evolved into a podcast. During this period, she also began sharing her expertise as a teacher, offering film and audiovisual classes to middle and high school students at the New Horizons Bilingual School, a passion she continues today through private photography lessons.
A lover of nature and the sea, in 2021 she became a certified diver and began exploring underwater photography, a discipline that complements her artistic sensibilities.
Susibel was also the winner of the 2016 National Fonprocine Competition in the Marca País Short Film category, a project that has been adapted into an animated film and is set to premiere this year.
As a director, my passion lies in exploring difficult topics—those raw and profound conversations that are often avoided but are essential to our humanity. My work confronts reality and pain with honesty, acknowledging that while suffering is inevitable, it is also a catalyst for finding hope and rediscovering joy. This balance between the rawness of life and an optimistic perspective defines my narrative approach.
I am a lover of details, convinced that every visual element serves a narrative purpose. I use the tones of my characters’ costumes to reflect their essence and emotions, while the lighting in my work is closely tied to the central emotion of the main theme. My cinematic language is deeply visual, always striving to build atmospheres that immerse the audience in the story in a sensory and intimate way.
As a filmmaker, I am decisive, clear, and determined in my vision. I have a very personal style, with a feminine perspective that informs every creative decision, from composition to storytelling. While I remain open to suggestions and collaboration, my approach is defined and focused on doing justice to the stories I tell, giving them an authentic and emotionally resonant voice.
My ultimate goal is for my work to inspire deep reflections and emotions, guiding the audience to confront both the shadows and the light of life, with the certainty that both are necessary for growth and moving forward.