(Watched in Toronto)
This year's Sundance favourite "Quinceanera" is an American film, reflecting some of the aspects of the lives of Latin Americans in the Echo Park area of L.A. It is tastefully understated and convincingly realistic. The young cast, quite unknown, is simply marvelous.
Quinceanera is a Latin custom of celebration of the coming-of-age of a girl at 15, a custom found also in many other cultures, although the designated age varies. The movie starts with some very familiar music, first the majestic march from "Aida", then the enchanting "Fascination", played during the ceremony for, not the protagonist Magdalena (Emily Rios), but her cousin lovely Eileen (Alicia Sixtos). Magdalena's is next.
The other of the two key characters is Carlos (Jesse Garcia), Eileen's brother, a delinquent son (in the eyes of the traditional Catholic family) who tries to come home to wish his sister well at the party but ends up being thrown out.
The somewhat fragmented story evolves around these two cousins, Magdalena and Carlos, who start out apparently not caring much for each other, and, through their respective vicissitudes, find mutual trust, affection and support, ending the movie in a heartwarming upbeat note.
Very briefly, the plot is that Magdalena, approaching her own Quinceanera, finds herself pregnant as a virgin, not a miracle, but a rare phenomenon that can be scientifically explained as "pregnancy without penetration", as a result of romantic activities with her boyfriend that is technically not sexual intercourse. But before she can secure conclusive medical proof, the not unexpected violent (not physical) reaction form her father results in her leaving home to stay with her great-grand uncle, a wonderful, 83-year-old man Tio Thomas (Chalo Gonzalez) who is described as "a saint", and in whose humble abode Carlo also finds refuge. The story evolves around this temporary household of 3.
While Magdalena's pregnancy and her relationship with boyfriend and family takes various turns, Carlos develops a gay relationship with one of the pair of yuppie neighbours who are also their landlord.
As I said, the story is somewhat fragmented. It's the characters that drive the movie and eventually win your empathy. We often see in movies characters that are initially presented in very unfavourable lights and turned, in the end, into someone that the audience completely roots for. This is not always done successfully, such as in Ozon's "Time to leave". The transformation of Carlos here however is completely successful. Truly captivating however is Magdalena, presented in refreshing, realistic minimalism. Much credit is due to the two young actors, Garcia and Rios. Completely free from over-dramatization, this movie gives an honest account of the problems facing these two young people, and how they handle them. There are brief moments that are truly touching and a wonderfully uplifting ending.
Winner of both Audience Award and Grand July Prize at this year's Sundance, "Quinceanera" is highly recommended to those who to do not restrict themselves to Hollywood main stream flicks.
This year's Sundance favourite "Quinceanera" is an American film, reflecting some of the aspects of the lives of Latin Americans in the Echo Park area of L.A. It is tastefully understated and convincingly realistic. The young cast, quite unknown, is simply marvelous.
Quinceanera is a Latin custom of celebration of the coming-of-age of a girl at 15, a custom found also in many other cultures, although the designated age varies. The movie starts with some very familiar music, first the majestic march from "Aida", then the enchanting "Fascination", played during the ceremony for, not the protagonist Magdalena (Emily Rios), but her cousin lovely Eileen (Alicia Sixtos). Magdalena's is next.
The other of the two key characters is Carlos (Jesse Garcia), Eileen's brother, a delinquent son (in the eyes of the traditional Catholic family) who tries to come home to wish his sister well at the party but ends up being thrown out.
The somewhat fragmented story evolves around these two cousins, Magdalena and Carlos, who start out apparently not caring much for each other, and, through their respective vicissitudes, find mutual trust, affection and support, ending the movie in a heartwarming upbeat note.
Very briefly, the plot is that Magdalena, approaching her own Quinceanera, finds herself pregnant as a virgin, not a miracle, but a rare phenomenon that can be scientifically explained as "pregnancy without penetration", as a result of romantic activities with her boyfriend that is technically not sexual intercourse. But before she can secure conclusive medical proof, the not unexpected violent (not physical) reaction form her father results in her leaving home to stay with her great-grand uncle, a wonderful, 83-year-old man Tio Thomas (Chalo Gonzalez) who is described as "a saint", and in whose humble abode Carlo also finds refuge. The story evolves around this temporary household of 3.
While Magdalena's pregnancy and her relationship with boyfriend and family takes various turns, Carlos develops a gay relationship with one of the pair of yuppie neighbours who are also their landlord.
As I said, the story is somewhat fragmented. It's the characters that drive the movie and eventually win your empathy. We often see in movies characters that are initially presented in very unfavourable lights and turned, in the end, into someone that the audience completely roots for. This is not always done successfully, such as in Ozon's "Time to leave". The transformation of Carlos here however is completely successful. Truly captivating however is Magdalena, presented in refreshing, realistic minimalism. Much credit is due to the two young actors, Garcia and Rios. Completely free from over-dramatization, this movie gives an honest account of the problems facing these two young people, and how they handle them. There are brief moments that are truly touching and a wonderfully uplifting ending.
Winner of both Audience Award and Grand July Prize at this year's Sundance, "Quinceanera" is highly recommended to those who to do not restrict themselves to Hollywood main stream flicks.