Malena Roncayolo's captivating coming-of-age story follows the tumultuous life of 12-year-old Maria Antonia (April Scheiber), who makes the inevitable transition from adolescence to adulthood in the face of family crisis and political and social upheaval. With her father unjustly imprisoned by a local dictator, Maria watches as her mother (Mimi Lazo) struggles to provide for their family in the midst of oppression.