Alicia Was Fainting

Alicia was fainting, a bittersweet coming-of-age featurette from Spanish/choreographer Núria Olivé-Bellés, tells the story of a fourteen year-old girl dealing with her mother's death, the onset of womanhood and with her own awakening sexuality. Preparing to graduate from elementary school, Alicia must now part with her best friend and blood-sister Margarite. Resistant to the idea of traditional women's roles. Alicia works in a butcher shop where, admits the hanging meat and bones, she daydreams about her mother and writes letters to Margarite.

Directed by Núria Olivé Bellés, Alicia Was Fainting leans on a strong ensemble — Maggie Thom, Maya Morales — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about screen titles of 1995.