Documentary looks into a long-standing Latin tradition

BENTONVILLE, Ark. (KNWA) – A quinceañera is a celebration symbolizing a girl’s transition from girlhood to womanhood when she turns 15. Director Fanny Veliz Grande’s recently released documentary “Our Quinceañera” is a film that honors that part of the Hispanic Heritage.

The documentary shares the story of a high school principal hosting yearly quinceañeras for students who can’t afford them in a Texas border town. The whole community bands together; dresses are donated, the church cooks the meals, and local kids DJ the party.

“Quiñceaneras are very important to the Mexican culture and all the other Latino cultures, and you get to see how these American girls get to be American but also celebrate their Heritage. The whole family comes together, and it’s a really magical moment,” director Fanny Veliz Grande says.

Filmed in San Benito, Texas, “Our Quinceañera” was a winner at the 2019 Bentonville Film Festival.