Bridges

Maria Cecilia is the valedictorian of her class and her impending speech needs crafting. But what could she say? She could get a free ride to any university but behind closed doors she is forging work permits, enduring the routine ache of long distance calls with her dad in Venezuela and trying to shake this constant feeling inadequate and alienated. Her mother, Violeta, veers dangerously close to her ex-husband, who she married for true love (and papers) but had to leave because of his constant abusive behavior. Her grandfather, Ignacio, has nothing but "dichos" (famous sayings) to offer. And her younger sister, Gaby, thinks she's got the answer to sparing the family of all their troubles: winning the lottery. As graduation day approaches, Maria Cecilia grapples with just how much of her truth to expose, her fate and her identity.