The film is set in Puerto Rico in the aftermath of the devastating 2017 Hurricane Maria, and stars Andy García as struggling used car salesman Rafael "Rafa" Rodriguez and Dafne Keen as Ana, an 11-year-old girl placed in Rafa's care as the two embark on a road trip across Puerto Rico.
Jose Maria Vega runs for Governor of Puerto Rico, despite allegations of illegal campaign financing.
In San Juan, Rafael "Rafa" Rodriguez is a struggling car salesman who moved from Florida after becoming estranged from his children.
Initially planning to take Ana to social services, Rafa feels guilty at the prospect of negligent foster parents.
During the trip, Ana attempts illegal forms of raising money, from not paying for petrol and buying moonshine to resell.
The film also features supporting roles by Blas Sien Diaz as Diego's henchman Miguel, Johnathan Dwayne as corrupt political candidate Jose Maria Vega, Aris Mejias as Ana's mother, and Maria Coral Otero Soto as the leader of a church summer camp which Ana attends.
Dafne Keen made her film debut in 2017, playing the supporting role of Laura / X-23 in Logan, a standalone installment of the X-Men franchise.
[8] Despite not having a talent agent at the time, Keen was quickly signed on to star the title character in Ana, a road trip drama written by Cris Cole, directed by Charles McDougall, and produced by Luillo Ruiz through his production company Pimienta.
Of this decision, producer Luillo Ruiz said "This is a very dear project for us about an island, a girl, a father figure and this amazing journey of self-discovery.
[2] By that time, Keen had begun starring in the BBC/HBO television series His Dark Materials, based on the trilogy of fantasy novels of the same name by English novelist Philip Pullman.
[13] Of the film, Gravitas Ventures vice-president of acquisitions Tony Piantedosi said "[Director] Charles [McDougall] has crafted a vibrant road movie, bolstered by the lively rapport between Dafne [Keen] and Andy [García], that the whole family can enjoy.
[2] In the United States, the film was made available for purchase or rental on Amazon Prime Video, iTunes, Vudu, and other similar services.
[14] Ana received mixed reviews, with praise for García and Keen's performances, the Puerto Rican setting, and the film's avoidance of the "trappings of a road trip movie".
Writing for Cinema Babel, Garrett Eberhardt wrote that "Ana is a charming, funny, and socially relevant surprise", praising the performances as the "heartbeat of the film and what gives it its power and purpose."
Eberhardt praised the "heartfelt" relationship between the leads and the cinematography by Sonnel Velázquez (comparing it to Vittorio Storaro's cinematography for the 1979 film Apocalypse Now) which he believed "show[ed] off the lush, colorful locales of the Puerto Rican island along with some eye-popping shots and camera work."
"[15] Keith & the Movies' review echoed these thoughts, describing the Puerto Rican setting as "compelling... and... a key player throughout the film", particularly praising the depiction of Hurricane Maria's economic aftermath.