by Sherahan Tahiri. Feature, Drama/Romance

Logline:

In small-town Mexico in 1999, a 21 year old boy is sent to the United States to raise money for his sick father and is forced to leave behind his pregnant girlfriend at 19. They struggle with family, life, and maintaining their long distance relationship over the course of four years.

Summary:
Paco, 18, is a young boy with big dreams of providing for the love of his life Jimena,18.

The year is 1999 and they live in a small beach town on the southwestern coast of Mexico, called Pico del Monte. Paco has big dreams for his life with Jimena. This all changes when overhears his mother talking to his cousin, Rafael, about taking Paco to the US to raise money for his sick father. At the same time, Jimena discovers that she is pregnant with Paco’s baby. Paco is forced to leave home, and leave Jimena behind with only two days to say goodbye.

When he arrives in Chicago his world is very different. He works as a dishwasher and makes friends with a cook named Eric, who isn’t the best company. Paco struggles to communicate with Jimena. Jimena is back at home, she gives birth and is almost immediately kicked out of the house. She moves in with one of her father’s drunk friends, Alfonso. He speaks with his mother over the phone. Hearing about Jimena’s circumstances back home, Paco becomes angry at his mother. Jimena’s circumstances get worse with Alfonso becoming more angry and threatening. At our midpoint, Paco finds out that his father has passed away suddenly due to his illness. This sends Paco into a depression. Paco is finally able to speak with Jimena over the phone. Jimena flees Alfonso’s house and her mother will not take her and her baby in. Paco ends up getting into some trouble with the police. To get out of it he uses all of the money he had been saving up to bring Jimena over. This starts an argument between him and Jimena. He loses his job and Rafa steps in to help him out.

He’s saved up enough money and wants to bring Jimena and his son over. Jimena decides she’ll go. While crossing the border there is violence and Paco is not sure she will make it. When she finally arrives, he takes her to the Chicago beach. Even though it is snowy, and they haven’t seen each other in four years, their love feels like it hasn’t missed a beat.

To read the entire script, contact. Sherahan Tahiri, tahiri@chapman.edu