Before Barbie, Ugly Betty, and The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, there was Real Women Have Curves. In her breakthrough performance, America Ferrera stars as Ana García, a first-generation Mexican American teenager navigating family expectations, cultural identity, body image, and dreams of college. Set in East Los Angeles, the film balances humor and heart while exploring the realities of growing up between two worlds. Lupe Ontiveros delivers a memorable performance as Ana’s strong-willed mother and may be familiar to audiences for her portrayal of Yolanda Saldívar in Selena (1997), which also is in this year’s Plaza Classic. More than 20 years after its release, Real Women Have Curves remains a refreshing and empowering coming-of-age story that celebrates authenticity, ambition, and the beauty of being comfortable in your own skin. — Rebecca Mendez
