1. Quinceañera
By Fernanda and Trevor

2. Background
- Made in 2006
- Directed by Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland
- Set in Echo Park, Los Angeles
- First shown in Sundance Film Festival
-The Sundance Film Festival, a program of the Sundance
Institute, is an American film festival that takes place annually in
Utah. With 46,731 attendees in 2012, it is one of the largest
independent film festivals in the United States.
- Won Grand Jury prize and The Audience Award in the 'Independent
Film Competition: Dramatic' Category

3. Characters
What do you think the different characters represent?
Magdalena
- La Virgen y La Puta
Carlos
- Queer Macho/Latin Lover
Tio Thomas
- Outsider taking in outsiders, Saviour
James and Gary
- Gentrification
Can you think of what other characters might represent? Herman,
Magdalena's father & mother?

4. Themes
Religion - Uncle's Garden Altar, Father is a pastor, Wearing a
rosary, Do the sign of the cross before ceremonies, etc.
Culture - Quinceañera, family is involved in everything, Father is head
of the home, Mother is the caretaker
Family - Family is everything... as long as you fit/follow their
beliefs, values, morals, etc.
Inner City- lower class prevents openness of identity and less
independence
Loss of innocence - Quinceañera (leaving childhood), Teen
pregnancy, First time (Carlos), Death

5. Racial Class and Sexual Tension
- similar to D.R and being gay in previous reading on
Tues how to identify with two different identities, although this story
focuses on two different paths and identities one of Magdalena a
virgin, and Carlos the "homosexual"
social class is explained in Tio Thomas' example of love lost when he
was younger and would have gotten married but was too poor to
stay local
Tio Thomas is a bank of wisdom and experience- and offers his
wisdom to Carlos and Magdalena when he talks about when he tried
to commit suicide at a young age.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHdVRShrNHc

6. - Patriarchal machismo excommunicates
them from the family, similar values/beliefs
if not you are an outsider
Ex - father believes there is one way to get
pregnant and doesn't believe Magdalena or
how Carlos' father found a 'gay website' he
would visit
- Even when Carlos hooks up with Gary, and
doesn't wait for James, he breaks the bond of
his relationship and new culture by hooking
up with Gary when James isn't around

7. Questions/Thoughts
Why do you think Tio Thomas has the altar in his greenhouse? What is it supposed to
be/represent?
Do you think Herman's parents purposely sent him away to visit relatives or was he really
just visiting them for fun?
Why do you think Magdalena's parents never mentioned the idea of marrying Herman?
Did you think it was strange that Magdalena only had one brother, instead of the
traditionally large Mexican family? Why do you think this is?
Do you think Magdalena's parents were angrier because she 'shamed' them or because
they feel like they 'failed' as parents?
Do you think Magdalena is naive when saying to her cousin Carlos that she'll still do
everything she was planning on doing (finish high school, go to college, travel, etc) or
do you think she was trying to stay optimistic for herself?

8. Questions Continued…
- What does she mean when Magdalena asks "Are you the peanut butter in the
Sandwich?"
-How did Walter find out about Carlos?
-Why do you think it's okay he covered up his sexuality to the family by telling
Magdalena's side of the family he caught him with another man?
-Why do you think Tio and the kids were evicted? ...traditional yet unclear
structures of relationships broken
Final message in the movie is that Death brings Families together but it is the
life that connects them. Appreciate your loved ones because life is too
short...