Mosquita y Mari (2012)

Directed by: Aurora Guerrero | 85 minutes | drama | Actors: Fenessa Pineda, Venecia Troncoso, Joaquín Garrido, Laura Patalano, Dulce Maria Solis, Marisela Uscanga, Melissa Uscanga, Omar Leyva, Armando Cosio, Tonita Castro, Paul Alayo, Virginia Montero, Samy Zaragoza, Johnny Rios, Annie McKnight, Violet Fernandez , Ezequiel Jimenez, Gabriela Jacqueline Flores

‘Mosquita y Mari’, the first full-length film by director Aurora Guerrero, tells the humble story of two young chicanas, teenage daughters of Mexican immigrants, in Los Angeles’ Huntington Park, largely inhabited by Mexican immigrants.

Director Guerrero grew up in a similar neighborhood herself, and has been active for years as a community worker in similar neighbourhoods. She’s trying to get the sound out of the Chicana community; not by showing stereotypes such as youth gangs or violence, but precisely by depicting the everyday, not immediately spectacular existence that so many immigrants lead. Hardworking, trying to create a better life for their children, but also often silent, blind to what the next generation is up to. Guerrero remembers this from her own childhood; there was hardly any real talking within the family, no matter how close, as in the families of both Yolanda and Mari. There is all the more talk and gossip within the community, resulting in an even greater urge to keep up appearances.

Yolanda’s (Fenessa Pineda) parents are humble, righteous immigrants who have pinned their hopes on their only daughter. Her education is paramount and Yolanda’s future unites all the lost dreams of both parents. Distractions should be kept to a minimum and therefore prefer not to be discussed. Mari (Venecia Troncoso) has moved into the house opposite Yolanda and her parents with her young single mother and little sister, where they can barely get by. In order to pay the rent, Mari also has to contribute, which she tries by handing out flyers on the street. When the financial situation worsens, the hardened Mari does not shy away from less obvious solutions.

Yolanda, affectionately called Mosquita by Mari because she is so innocent and looks like a ‘little fly’, officially meets her new girl next door for the first time at school, where they are more or less forced to work together because Mari doesn’t have any textbooks yet. . At first glance they seem completely different: Yolanda friendly, restrained and reserved and Mari hard, sassy and sensual. Yolanda decides to share with Mari her belief that education is a great good, not only for the brave, but also for a type like Mari, so that she can give a middle finger to anyone who doesn’t expect a great future for her. The two develop a close friendship, which at least awakens more intense feelings for Yolanda than she dares to admit or discuss with anyone.

Despite the fact that the images at times – for example when the two girls are sitting on a bicycle together and their hands and hair are fluttering in the wind in slow motion – seem a bit cliché, the lilting camerawork also contributes to the atmospheric character of the film, which is mainly has been successful in that regard. For an hour and a half you imagine yourself in the barrio latino of Mosquita and Mari, their world where everything is ‘chicana’, where Spanish and English are alternated with unsuspecting ease and where the sounds of cumbia, norteño and mariachi quietly mix with ska, reggae and North American pop. Music is clearly an important ingredient for Guerrero, and gives the film the necessary extra weight.

A small story like this doesn’t need a grand plot or ending to succeed. As a viewer you don’t have to immediately get a lot of feelings for the two main characters to believe them. The film offers the outsider a realistic glimpse into their lives, and will mean a lot of recognition for Latino communities in the US that Guerrero mainly focuses on.