How Rosario Star Emeraude Toubia Embraces Spirituality as Self-Care

Get the Full Story"Rosario," a new horror movie now in theaters from Mucho Mas Productions and starring Emeraude Toubia, couldn't have arrived at a more relevant time. The film delves into themes familiar to children of immigrants - from the real-life horror that is the journey to America as an undocumented migrant to the sacrifices made for better opportunities and the pressure to assimilate. Directed by Felipe Vargas and written by Alan Trezza, the film highlights how faith and spirituality have historically served as resilience tools for communities facing trauma.

In the film, Toubia portrays Rose, whose full name is Rosario Fuentes, a finance professional who discovers her recently deceased abuela's deep ties to Palo, a religious tradition blending African and Catholic roots that originated in Cuba and eventually made its way to Mexico. As Rose waits for an ambulance to arrive at her grandmother's apartment during a blizzard in NYC, she confronts unsettling revelations she discovers about her family's past and her own disconnection from her heritage.

"I grew up in a border town where the cartel is present and is very dominant, and of course, you just hear about all these rituals and all these sacrifices they have to make in order to succeed," Toubia says in a recent interview with PS.

Toubia is referring to the misuse of the Palo religion by the Mexican cartel, a crucial point in a film that, while gory and filled with typical horror elements, strives to educate viewers. It highlights how all faiths, including those rooted in African and Indigenous spirituality, can be used for both good and bad. Unlike most films that demonize African-rooted religions like Santer a and Voodoo, "Rosario" explores what individuals are willing to sacrifice for their loved ones and the resulting consequences.

"In order to get, you have to give in order to receive. You have to sacrifice something in order to get it," Toubia says of how the Palo religion works.

Though the actress doesn't practice Palo or identify as religious, she relates to the theme as a spiritual person who uses prayer as a tool for navigating life.

"I believe in God. I pray every time I go to bed. I give thanks. I pray for my family. I pray for what I have," she shares.

In fact, Toubia credits meditation and prayer for being practices and rituals that she uses as forms of self-care every day.

"I believe in God. I pray every time I go to bed. I give thanks. I pray for my family. I pray for what I have."

"I don't go to bed before giving thanks and praying and asking for things... but I also feel that family really grounds me. I feel that's like my self-care," she says. "I'm currently in South Korea filming a movie, but before I came here, I was like, I need to go home. I need to see my mom. I need to see my grandma. I need to feel that hug again."

The film is resonating deeply with Latine communities. With many Latine immigrants in the states currently facing deportation, this story - which presents spirituality as a tool for survival - couldn't be timelier.

The representation the film puts on display - which was created by an entirely Latine crew - is also essential. "It's authentic. We are speaking to it because we all know where it comes from, and I feel that is what we need to do," Toubia says. "Other people can tell stories about us. But we can't tell our stories and if we want to tell our stories, we have to tell them in a way that the big executives think should be told, so it was really nice to have full control with Mucho Mas, who were the producers, Felipe Vargas as director, Alan the writer and myself as the lead. It's kind of putting our best foot forward to tell an authentic story, and we need to be telling these authentic stories from the source." "

Indeed, we need more stories that highlight our collective resilience as a community, the way that "Rosario" beautifully does.

Johanna Ferreira is the content director for PS Juntos. With more than 10 years of experience, Johanna focuses on how intersectional identities are a central part of Latine culture. Previously, she spent close to three years as the deputy editor at HipLatina, and she has freelanced for numerous outlets including Refinery29, Oprah magazine, Allure, InStyle, and Well Good. She has also moderated and spoken on numerous panels on Latine identity.

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