Quinceañera (2006)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Directors:

Richard Glatzer
Wash Westmoreland

Writers:

Richard Glatzer (writer)
Wash Westmoreland (writer)

Release Date:

5 July 2006 (France)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

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.

Plot Keywords:

Gay | Trio | Limousine | Preacher | Infidelity

Awards:

7 wins & 10 nominations

Cast

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

Also Known As:

Echo Park, L.A. (UK)
Sweet Fifteen (Australia) (TV title)

MPAA:

Rated R for language, some sexual content and drug use.

Runtime:

90 min | UK:90 min (uncut)

Country:

USA

Language:

Spanish | English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | Singapore:M18 | Sweden:Btl | Argentina:16 | South Korea:15

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

Cinetic Media

Trivia:

Because of time constraints, the producers had still not found an actor to play James just before shooting was set to start, so they asked the casting director, Jason L. Wood, to play the part, because they liked how he had read the part as the other side of dialogue during actors' auditions. Wood was hesitant to take an acting part because he was worried that it might be a conflict of interest with his career as a casting agent, but he finally relented when the producers assured him he wouldn't have to cry in the film.

Goofs:

Continuity: 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.

Quotes:

Herman: My sperm must be pretty strong swimmers, huh?

Movie Connections:

Features "America's Next Top Model" (2003)

Soundtrack:

Bailar Merengue

By far the best movie so far this year.

A friend and I saw Quinceanera this afternoon - during its first weekend in general release - with a mixed audience that included numerous latins. It was interesting to note that some of the humor in the film went untranslated - but not unmissed by that audience.

My friend and I have been obsessively talking about this gem of a movie ever since leaving the theater. The most remarkable thing to me about the film is that there are no "wincible" moments anywhere. The characterizations are dead-on, and you never feel preached to, even though there are some clear messages here about tolerance, faith, family and love.

I am urging everyone I know to see this film.