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 & 12 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 quinceañera. Her world starts to crumble when she discovers her pregnancy after not being able to fit in her gown for her quinceañera. 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:

Spanish English

Release Date:

5 July 2006 (France)

Also Known As:

Echo Park, L.A.

Filming Locations:

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

Box Office

Budget:

$400,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$95,400, 6 August 2006

Gross USA:

$1,692,693

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$2,522,787

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 film was shot in the same neighborhood that Wash Westmoreland and Richard Glatzer (the film's writers and directors) live in, and the community turned up to help out by loaning their houses, providing technical advice, supplying clothing and acting.

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Goofs

When Herman describes his busy weekend, he states that he is taking his AP History exam on Saturday. AP exams are only given on weekdays.

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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

References House of Wax (2005)

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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

Universal story with sincere acting

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.

The 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.

I 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.

Directors Wash Westmoreland and Richard Glatzer said they began writing the story on New Year'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.

I think it's specific enough to interest people, and universal enough to keep them watching.