Some movie experiences are not necessarily about the film itself, but rather where and with whom you watch it. For me, Patricia Cardoso’s Real Women Have Curves is one of those deeply special films, entirely shaped by the context of how I experienced it.
First and foremost, this is a quintessential Los Angeles movie. Set in East LA, it is a brilliant coming-of-age story about Ana Garcia (played by a young America Ferrera), a first-generation Mexican-American girl. The heart of the film lies in her central conflict: her deep desire to leave for college versus the heavy pressure to please her traditional mother, who wants to keep her close to home. Yet beneath this generational clash, the movie is equally rich in its exploration of body image, self-acceptance, and the rigid expectations placed on a woman’s role in society.
If you were to watch this at home on your couch, it might just feel like a perfectly fine or good movie. But I have seen it twice now, and in both instances, the unique surroundings transformed it into something unforgettable.
Screening Numero Uno
My first visit to Los Angeles was back in October 2017, during a much-needed break from my first semester working as a professor in Florida. I stayed with a dear college friend who worked at the Academy (yes, the Oscars) at the time. She managed to get us tickets to watch Real Women Have Curves at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater.
I remember my friend mentioning the significance of the venue: the Samuel Goldwyn Theater is the exact location where the Academy announces the nominations for the Academy Awards each year. My jaw dropped. As an LA tourist rather than a resident, I was incredibly easy to impress.
In addition to seeing director Patricia Cardoso and America Ferrera in person, we were treated to a live performance by Mariachi Lindas Mexicanas, an incredible all-female mariachi band. You can catch a glimpse of their performance in this video I found on YouTube:
Screening Numero Dos
The movie is very femme, very LA, and very Latina. I got to watch it a second time with my LA bestie, my Latina queen, and my feminist comrade, none other than Paloma.
Paloma and I are coming to the end of our time in LA, and we have been trying to spend as much quality time together as possible, away from our busy academic lives. As soon as I saw that Vidiots was hosting a special screening with director Patricia Cardoso in April, I didn’t even ask Paloma if she wanted to go; I just immediately bought two tickets. She and I had discussed the film before, but I certainly wasn’t expecting a random screening of it to pop up.
We were so excited that we even sat all the way in the front row.
I know that there will be a third time that I will get to see this movie. I believe that it will be in LA, again. I look forward to it.