Twenty-three years and one Broadway musical later, and “Real Women Have Curves” is finally getting its sequel… kind of. “20 Pounds to Happiness,” which is billed as being the “companion piece” to the iconic 2002 Sundance feature led by breakout star America Ferrera, hails from Josefina López, who wrote both the film and Broadway versions of “Real Women Have Curves.”
López collaborates with actress/director Yelyna De León for “20 Pounds to Happiness,” which centers on a “full-figured Latina in a Real Women Have Curves Support Group who must decide between staying loyal to her girlfriends and risk losing the man of her dreams.” Carlo Mendez, Riley Shanahan, Christiana Leucas, Soledad St. Hilaire, Iyari Limon, Rafael Sigler, and Tricia Cruz co-star.
“20 Pounds to Happiness” will screen at the Cannes marketplace with MultiVisionnaire Pictures handling worldwide sales. The feature will debut at the Marché du Film at Cannes with a market screening on Tuesday, May 14 in Screening Room Palais C.
Screenwriter López and director De León serve as producers. This is De León’s directorial debut.
“Real Women Have Curves” began as a play prior to its 2002 feature adaptation. The musical version was released in 2025 with Grammy-winning musician Joy Huerta of Jesse & Joy fame and musical theater songwriter Benjamin Velez penning the songs.
López told Broadway World that she based the lead character of Ana García on herself, and that the story is still timely more than three decades later.
“I truly believe the best way to fight hatred and prejudice is to first love yourself for who you are,” she said. “Unfortunately, my play is as relevant today as it was back when I wrote it in 1988 to 1990. Immigrants are still being ‘scapegoated’ and persecuted and it seems to be getting worse. […] My original play and screenplay are a microcosm of the Latina immigrant experience, celebrating real women’s bodies, the power of women, and the incredible bond that happens when women work together, all of which I feel are topical in our world today. The women I worked with in a small sewing factory in Boyle Heights taught me many valuable life lessons, which I still carry with me to this day. I am so grateful to have my story told on a Broadway stage bringing positive worldwide attention to my beautiful community of Boyle Heights which I am so proud to be a part of with my CASA 0101 Theater where we champion women’s and Latinx voices and storytelling. My motto is: Create, Elevate, Celebrate.”
López is also developing a new musical with composer Jaime Lozano, and working on her autobiography, “Real Women Have Courage.”
“20 Pounds to Happiness” will have its U.S. premiere May 31 at the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival. MultiVisionnaire Pictures is handling worldwide sales. Check out the trailer below.
