Quinceañera (2006)

Quinceañera: Directed by Richard Glatzer, Wash Westmoreland. With Jesus Castanos, Araceli Guzman-Rico, Emily Rios, J.R. Cruz. As Magdalena’s 15th birthday approaches, her simple, blissful life is complicated by the discovery that she’s pregnant. Kicked out of her house, she finds a new family with her great-granduncle and gay cousin.

“I think this movie will have universal appeal. This story of family learning to accept each other, along with coming of age, and changing urban centers will resonate with people around the country no matter whether they know what a quinceñera is or not. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe cast is mostly non-union, and the performances they give are brave and fresh. Three cheers for Emily Rios and Jesse Garcia, who played the leads, and cousins, who are struggling with acceptance from their parents, and take shelter with their elderly great-uncle. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eI also saw this at Sundance, and the film got a standing ovation. I was surprised it took both the Grand Jury and Audience Awards, but not surprised it resonated on such a fundamental level with the cast. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eDirectors Wash Westmoreland and Richard Glatzer said they began writing the story on New Yearu0026#39;s Day of 2005, and the entire thing came together fast – 3 weeks for financing, another three to film on their very own street of Echo Park.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eI think itu0026#39;s specific enough to interest people, and universal enough to keep them watching.”