For as long as she can remember, Bronx teenager Lena has watched her young man-crazy single mom Lucy waste her time on a series of less-than-perfect boyfriends. And even though she should be paying attention to the neighborhood boys’ flirtations herself, Lena has been spending most of her time being the mother Lucy forgets to be. But when Mom’s latest boy toy Victor quickly proves to be her worst suitor yet, Lena sets up a trap to expose him for the creep she thinks he is. Set in the uneasy but rhythmic streets of the Bronx, this unassuming story of a passionate Puerto Rican family comes to life with authenticity and just the right amount of restraint and naturalism. Irish-born director Macdara Vallely captures a vivid portrait of a young mother and her daughter both coming of age while crafting a likeable yet shifty character in Victor, the kind of guy who always keeps one guessing. Newcomer Yainis Ynoa gives a standout performance as the strong but clearly still innocent Lena in this finely tuned urban drama.

Macdara Vallely - Babygirl

Macdara Vallely was born in Ireland. His first feature film, Peacefire, was adapted from his Edinburgh Fringe First award-winning play and won several international awards, including at Galway Film Fleadh, the European First Feature Festival at Angers, and the Annonay Film Festival.