Mosquita y Mari is the story of Yolanda and Mari, two Mexican-American Chicana teens growing up in LA's Huntington Park in immigrant households where both are expected to put their families first. Yolanda is a straight A student with the hope of the American Dream while Mari, the eldest, helps her undocumented mother support her family. What happens when Mari moves in across the street and a school incident thrusts them into a friendship that stirs unspeakable desires?

"To try and get people to invest in a film with two young bilingual Chicanas as the leads was extremely difficult. But obviously that didn't stop me!" says writer/director Aurora Guerrero, who grew up in the San Francisco bay area and studied film in Los Angeles. Mosquita y Mari premiered at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival to a sold out crowd and will play through this weekend.

"I think deep down I had faith that a film like Mosquita y Mari, which centers the lives of a marginalized community, would rally people behind it — especially the younger generations who are ready to see a broader scope of representation,"Guerrero says. Mosquita y Mari is her first feature film.

Mosquita y Mari Trailer from Augie Robles on Vimeo.