Real Women Have Curves
Encyclopedia
Real Women Have Curves is a 2002
American movie starring America Ferrera
. Directed by Patricia Cardoso
and produced by George LaVoo
from a screenplay by LaVoo and Josefina Lopez
(based on Lopez' play), it debuted at the Sundance Film Festival
, where it won the Audience Award in addition to Special Jury Prizes for both Ferrera and Lupe Ontiveros
. The screenplay won the coveted Humanitas Prize
and the movie was selected by the National Board of Review for Special Recognition For Excellence In Filmmaking. The independent film earned over five million dollars and brought the previously-unknown Ferrera to the public's attention.
The coming-of-age plot revolves around Ana Garcia, a Mexican-American teenager living in an East Los Angeles
barrio
. While attending Beverly Hills High School
, where she is an accomplished student, she works in near-sweatshop
conditions in her sister's dress factory alongside her mother, Carmen (Ontiveros), who considers this to be her younger daughter's vocation. But Ana, encouraged by her teacher Mr. Guzman (George Lopez
), has dreams of attending Columbia
. Before achieving her goal, she must try to balance her mother's traditional view of women with her own contemporary ideas while dealing with self-image issues and exploring a new romantic relationship.
2002 in film
The year 2002 in film involved some significant events. The first significant releases of sequels took place between The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, Men in Black II, Analyze That, Spy Kids 2: The Island of...
American movie starring America Ferrera
America Ferrera
America Georgina Ferrera is an American actress, best known for playing the lead role in the television comedy series Ugly Betty...
. Directed by Patricia Cardoso
Patricia Cardoso
Patricia Cardoso is a Colombian-American film director. Her latest film, Real Women Have Curves debuted on HBO and was the breakthrough performance for actress America Ferrera.-External links:*...
and produced by George LaVoo
George LaVoo
George LaVoo is a U.S. film director, producer, and screenwriter. Real Women Have Curves, for which he was both producer and screenwriter, won the 2002 Sundance Film Festival Dramatic Audience Award. In 2006, he wrote Blood Monkey, and his 2008 film A Dog Year was shown at the Tribeca Film...
from a screenplay by LaVoo and Josefina Lopez
Josefina Lopez
Josefina Lopez is a Chicana playwright, perhaps best known as the author of the play Real Women Have Curves.-Early life:...
(based on Lopez' play), it debuted at the Sundance Film Festival
Sundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival is a film festival that takes place annually in Utah, in the United States. It is the largest independent cinema festival in the United States. Held in January in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, as well as at the Sundance Resort, the festival is a showcase for new...
, where it won the Audience Award in addition to Special Jury Prizes for both Ferrera and Lupe Ontiveros
Lupe Ontiveros
Lupe Ontiveros is an American film and television actress. Ontiveros has acted in numerous films and television shows, most often playing a maid or, more recently, an all-knowing grandmother; she estimates she has played a maid between 150 and 300 times on screen.-Early life:Ontiveros was born...
. The screenplay won the coveted Humanitas Prize
Humanitas Prize
The Humanitas Prize is an award for film and television writing intended to promote human dignity, meaning, and freedom. It began in 1974 with Father Ellwood "Bud" Kieser — also the founder of Paulist Productions — but is generally not seen as specifically directed toward religious...
and the movie was selected by the National Board of Review for Special Recognition For Excellence In Filmmaking. The independent film earned over five million dollars and brought the previously-unknown Ferrera to the public's attention.
The coming-of-age plot revolves around Ana Garcia, a Mexican-American teenager living in an East Los Angeles
East Los Angeles, California
East Los Angeles is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Los Angeles County, California, United States...
barrio
Barrio
Barrio is a Spanish word meaning district or neighborhood.-Usage:In its formal usage in English, barrios are generally considered cohesive places, sharing, for example, a church and traditions such as feast days...
. While attending Beverly Hills High School
Beverly Hills High School
Beverly Hills High School is the only major public high school in Beverly Hills, California. Beverly is part of the Beverly Hills Unified School District and located on on the west side of Beverly Hills, at the...
, where she is an accomplished student, she works in near-sweatshop
Sweatshop
Sweatshop is a negatively connoted term for any working environment considered to be unacceptably difficult or dangerous. Sweatshop workers often work long hours for very low pay, regardless of laws mandating overtime pay or a minimum wage. Child labour laws may be violated. Sweatshops may have...
conditions in her sister's dress factory alongside her mother, Carmen (Ontiveros), who considers this to be her younger daughter's vocation. But Ana, encouraged by her teacher Mr. Guzman (George Lopez
George Lopez
George Lopez is an American comedian, actor, and talk show host. He is mostly known for starring in his self-produced ABC sitcom George Lopez. His stand-up comedy examines race and ethnic relations, including the Mexican American culture...
), has dreams of attending Columbia
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
. Before achieving her goal, she must try to balance her mother's traditional view of women with her own contemporary ideas while dealing with self-image issues and exploring a new romantic relationship.