Carlos is Magdalena’s cousin in the 2006 film Quinceañera, and he is forced out of his home after his family learns he is gay.
The film follows Carlos alongside Magdalena as both teenagers face family conflict and social judgment. Their parallel stories give the movie a broader coming-of-age focus than the title alone suggests.
Jesse Garcia plays Carlos, while Emily Rios plays Magdalena. The cousins eventually find support with their older relative Auntie Lupe, whose home becomes a refuge for them.
The film’s plot is sometimes reduced to a story about a party, but its central subjects include family belonging, sexuality, pregnancy, religion, and Mexican American community life. It was made by filmmakers Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland.