| Genre: | Telenovela |
| Creator: | René Muñoz |
| Story: | Jorge Durán Chávez |
| Opentheme: | "Quinceañera" performed by Timbiriche |
| Country: | Mexico |
| Language: | Spanish |
| Num Episodes: | 103 |
| Executive Producer: | Carla Estrada |
| Location: | Mexico City, Mexico |
| Cinematography: | Antonio Novaro |
| Camera: | Multi-camera |
| Network: | Canal de las Estrellas |
Quinceañera (English title: Sweet 15) is a Mexican telenovela produced by Carla Estrada for Televisa in 1987. Quinceañera was the first telenovela to talk about substance abuse, date rape and gangs, and is considered to be the first telenovela made in Mexico for teenagers.[1]
Quinceañera was named by the Associated Press as one of the 10 most influential telenovelas ever to air in Latin America,[1] and Univision tlnovelas viewers named it one of their all-time favorite Mexican telenovelas.[2] In 2010, Quinceañera was placed #7 on the People en Español's "20 Best Telenovelas" list,[3] and in 2012, Terra named it as one of the 50 best telenovelas of all-time.[4]
The telenovela stars Adela Noriega, Ernesto Laguardia, Thalía and Rafael Rojas.
Maricruz (Adela Noriega) and Beatriz (Thalía) are classmates and best friends. Maricruz is from a working-class family, while Beatriz's is very wealthy. They are both 14 and excited about their quinceañera parties and becoming women.
Mechanic's apprentice Pancho (Ernesto Laguardia) and gang tough Memo (Sebastian Ligarde) are attracted to Maricruz. Maricruz is immediately disgusted by Memo and eventually accepts Pancho's love. Memo attacks Maricruz; she faints before he can rape her, but he lets her believe he did rape her. She feels violated, defiled, and unworthy of Pancho and believes he won't want her now.
At the same time, Maricruz's brother Gerardo (Rafael Rojas) starts dating Beatriz when their mother pressures her children to raise their social class. When Beatriz becomes pregnant, her family supports her after their initial horror. Both girls realize that the passage to womanhood was not what they expected.[5]
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | rowspan=10 | |||
| Special Award for Best Young Antagonist | ||||
| El Heraldo de México Awards | Best Telenovela | Carla Estrada | ||
| Best Revelation Actress |