Quinceañera (2006)

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.

Directors:

Richard Glatzer, Wash Westmoreland

Writers:

Richard Glatzer, Wash Westmoreland

Stars:

Emily Rios, Jesse Garcia, Chalo González

7 wins & 11 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jesus Castanos	...	Ernesto (as Jesus Castanos Chima)
Araceli Guzman-Rico	...	Maria
Emily Rios	...	Magdalena
J.R. Cruz	...	Herman
Listette Avila	...	Jessica
Alicia Sixtos	...	Eileen May Garcia
Hector Quevedo	...	Dancing Boy
Germán Campos	...	Chambelàn (as German Zavala)
Carlos Linares	...	Videographer
Johnny Chavez	...	Uncle Walter
Carmen Aguirre	...	Aunt Silvia
Margarita Lugo	...	Aunt Candy
Jorge Ortiz	...	DJ
Veronica Sixtos	...	Young Girl
Jesse Garcia	...	Carlos

Storyline

Magdalena is 14 and anxiously awaiting her 15th birthday where she'll celebrate her quinceanara. Her world starts to crumble when she discovers her pregnancy after not being able to fit in her gown for her quinceanara. Soon, she's kicked out of her home, abandoned by her family, and abandoned by her baby's father. Magdalena is then taken in by her great-granduncle, Tomas and her gay, often-in-trouble cousin, Carlos. There she finds a new family and life.

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Plot Keywords:

gay | 15th birthday | birthday | party | security guard | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language, some sexual content and drug use

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

5 July 2006 (France)

Also Known As:

Der 15. Geburtstag

Filming Locations:

Echo Park Lake, Echo Park, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$400,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$95,400 (USA) (4 August 2006)

Gross:

$1,689,999 (USA) (3 November 2006)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cinetic Media, Kitchen Sink Entertainment LLC

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min 90 min (uncut)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The character of Tio Tomas was based on writer/director Wash Westmoreland's great uncle.

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Goofs

In the scene where Magdalena deletes the pictures of Herman, she is shown using a Boost i860 phone. When the screen of the phone is shown, it is clearly a Samsung A670 she is using.

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Quotes

Carlos: [at Tio Tomas' funeral] Tomas Alvarez was born in Jalisco, Mexico in 1921. The 13th kid out of 22. When he was born, he was so small, the midwife said he wasn't worth washing. But he ended up outliving all of them. In his life, he was an office boy, a barber and a farm worker. Then in America, he sold champurrado. Everybody knew him. If you walk down the street, he would stop every two minutes to talk to someone. They were always happy to see him.
[pauses]
Carlos: He had a love inside him that was so ...

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Connections

Featured in 2006 Glitter Awards (2006)

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Soundtracks

Pica Pica
Performed by Mangana
Written by Edith Mesch
Courtesy of LoveCat Music
Published by Big Tiger Music (BMI)

User Reviews

Echo Park and Jesse Garcia

A slice of life from a very recognizable other planet. The Echo Park section of Los Angeles. It could be so many other places and at the same time it couldn't be anywhere else. New life and death co-mingling in almost perfect harmony. Love coming out of the most unexpected quarters, heroic gestures, prejudice and solitude. There is much to commend in this tiny tale with major implications. Two directors with a compassionate look and real affection. For me, personally, meant the introduction to a major talent: Jesse Garcia. He plays a character that seems to walk a permanent tight rope and yet he is so completely himself that you can't take your eyes of the guy because you know for certain he is going to surprise you in the best possible way. Excellent.