This documentary feature film profiles America’s first all-female mariachi band, Mariachi Reyna de Los Angeles. Founded in 1994, the 12 members of Reyna shatter age-old stereotypes while expanding the popularity of mariachi music. In a culture and a musical tradition that has always been male-dominated, these women are true pioneers, literally giving voice to Latinas.
Beginning with a brief history of mariachi and the founding of Mariachi Reyna, the film then alternates between heart-stirring performances and behind-the-scenes band drama. Interwoven throughout are the stories of two women: 19-year-old Angelica, a devoted groupie of Reyna, who comes to Los Angeles to fulfill her dream of auditioning for the group, and Cindy, the group’s leader and the only non-Latina, who struggles to assert her authority over the other members without alienating everyone.
As the stories of Cindy and Angelica unfold over the course of the film, portraits of various other members of the group reveal how personal lives often conflict with the women’s desire to be full-time musicians. The issues raised are universal to women everywhere: how to balance family life with career, how to achieve equal pay, how to deal with emotional conflict, how to balance competing priorities.
Musically stunning and emotionally compelling, this intimate film sheds light not only on a unique and fascinating Mexican tradition, but also on larger issues of gender and culture in American society.