Mosquita y Mari

Official synopsis: Set in a predominately Mexican, immigrant neighborhood in Los Angeles, Mosquita y Mari tells the story of two 15 year old Chicanas growing up in H.P. —Huntington Park. When Yolanda Olveros (“Mosquita”) meets her new neighbor, Mari Rodriguez, all they see in each other are their differences. As a sheltered, only-child to her older, immigrant parents, Yolanda’s sole concern is securing her college-bound future. Street-wise Mari hustles to help her undocumented family stay above water. But despite Yolanda and Mari’s contrasting approach to survival, Yolanda and Mari are soon brought together when Mari is threatened with expulsion after saving Yolanda from an incident at school involving Yolanda’s boy-crazed friends. Determined to call it even, Yolanda convinces Mari to let her tutor her after school to prove to the administrators that she’s more than a delinquent. Mari and Yolanda forge a friendship that soon proves more complex and sensual than anticipated. Pushed to the edge, Yolanda and Mari are faced with taking hold of their own lives.

Director Bio: Aurora Guerrero has over 10 years of filmmaking experience. She directed award-winning short narrative films, including PURA LENGUA (official selection 2005 Sundance Film Festival) and VIERNES GIRL (winner of the 2005 HBO/NYLIFF short film competition). Based on the strength of her first feature length script, MOSQUITA Y MARI, Aurora was awarded the 2005 Sundance/Ford Fellowship, the 2005 Paul Robeson Development Grant, was selected to participate in the 2005 Sundance Native/Indigenous Lab; 2006 Tribeca All Access Filmmaker Program; 2009 Film Independent Producer’s Lab. Most recently, MOSQUITA Y MARI was awarded the 2011 SFFS/KRF grant, LG Cinema 3D Fellowship, and the Sundance Institute/Time Warner Foundation Fellowship for post production.

Official selection: Sundance, San Francisco International Film Festival, OutFest

Trailer