fiction - 19 min. - 2020 - Mexico / Germany
Lola celebrates her 15th birthday, her Quinceañera. The night before, an unexpected encounter puts an end to her protected childhood.
PAOLA LARA
ALBERTO TRUJILLO
JULIO CESAR ALVAREZ
ARCELIA RAMIREZ
SAMANTHA OROZCO
ELLIOTT GONZALEZ
LISA REGINA

SCREENPLAY AND DIRECTOR - Ozan Mermer 
PRODUCER - Mariella Santibáñez
CO-PRODUCER - David Figueroa García, Mauro Mueller, Janeth Mora 
CASTING - María Álvarez 
CINEMATOGRAPHER - J. Daniel Zúñiga 
GAFFER - Francisco Morales
SOUND - Aurelio Cervantes
RE-RECORDING MIXER - Daniel Bautista

SOUND DESIGN - Julian Riegl 
PRODUCTION DESIGN - Tihui Arau Méndez, Edgar Laurrabaquio 
COSTUMES - Lissete Barrios
MAKE-UP - Amine Mazlum
EDITING - Sofía Angelina Machado
MUSIC - Ina Meredi Arakelian
in coproduction with Bayerischer Rundfunk & ARTE
funded by FilmFernsehFonds Bayern
SYNOPSIS
Lola is looking forward to her birthday tomorrow. The 15th is widely celebrated in Mexico as a rite of passage. At the so-called Quinceañera Lola is allowed to dress up, the pink princess dress and the golden shoes are already ready. But first she has to help her uncle out one evening as a waitress. The fact that she doesn't feel like it doesn't help Lola much, the uncle has paid for her upcoming party. Together with some other girls she is driven to the birthday party of the boss's son of the same age. In the dubious atmosphere of the event Lola soon has to realize that more is expected from the young girls here than just waiters.
DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT
In 2016 I was allowed to study for one year at the renowned film school CCC in Mexico-City with the support of the DAAD. This step opened up worlds of film and thought for me. In the summer of 2018, I started working as a volunteer for a Mexican NGO, which deals with the topic of "human trafficking". In several projects, the NGO helps, accompanies or saves minors and adults who have suffered slavery, torture or prostitution. One of the projects is the Casa Refugio, a home for underage girls who were often held as sex slaves in their childhood. Over time, the girls have opened up to me and told me their stories one after the other. The script of REINA is based on the story of one of the girls.
Lola finally wants to celebrate her 15th birthday, the traditional
Quinceañera. The transition to womanhood. But she has to learn painfully that adulthood also holds dark sides for her. And that she will be betrayed by her own family.
I've come to realize that the starting point of many of the hard fates is the girls' families. And the rigid gender roles that still dominate in the world and can lead to sexual exploitation, especially in destitute circles. Occasionally, underage girls are forced into prostitution by men in their families, often out of financial need. The mothers can rarely intervene.
When I returned to Germany, I suddenly looked at the special dynamics of gender roles in a completely different way. And on my own position as a man in society. All of us, women, but also men, are affected by the discrepancy between the sexes and the so-called patriarchy.
This movie is the very personal and moving story of the young Lola. She will take the viewer on a journey into the interior of a complex society. And possibly raise with it the same questions that I have raised.
Festivals - Awards
 

★ Nominated for the MEXICAN FILM AWARD 2022 (Ariel) ★ 


23rd Guanajuato International Film Festival 2020 (MX)
9th CineMA International Film Festival 2020 (MX)
21st Izmir International Short Film Festival 2020 (TR)
37th FAMUFEST International Film Festival 2021 (CZ)
27th International Short Film Week Regensburg 2021 (GER)
50th Sehsuechte International Student Film Festival 2021 (GER)
21st Trinational Student Film Festival Offenburg 2021 (GER)
7th Tlanchana Fest 2021 (MX) ★ WINNER: BEST FILM
5th Baja California International Film Festival 2021 (MX)
13th Shortynale Short Film Festival 2021 (AUT)
39th Flickers' Rhode Island International Film Festival 2021 (US)
4th FENACIR Festival 2021 (MX)
27th Nancy International Film Festival 2021 (FR)
16th Shorts Mexico International Film Festival 2021 (MX) 
★ WINNER: CRITICS CHOICE AWARD and ★ WINNER: BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
19th Münster Film Festival (GER)
14th filmzeit allgaeu International Film Festival 2021 (GER)
20th Rome Independent Film Festival 2021 (IT) ★ WINNER: BEST SHORT FILM
28th International Film Festival Etiuda&Anima 2021 (PL) ★ WINNER: SPECIAL MENTION
34th exground International Film Festival 2021 (GER)
39th Tous Courts International Short Film Festival 2021 (FR)
17th Early Bird International Student Film Festival 2021 (BG) ★ WINNER: BEST FOREIGN FILM
43th Biberach Film Festival 2021 (GER)
26th Filmfestival Turkey Germany 2022 (GER)

2nd Omovies@school Film Festival 2022 (IT) 
★ WINNER: BEST FILM
2nd MIC HUEYO International Film Festival 2022 (MEX)
17th International Human Rights Film Festival Albania 2022 (AL)
29th International Short Film Week Regensburg 2023 (GER)