Kevin Smokler on 'Real Women Have Curves'

For his latest book, BREAK THE FRAME, culture writer Kevin Smokler interviewed 24 prominent female filmmakers about their rich and varied careers. One of those filmmakers, Patricia Cardoso, directed the 2002 movie that introduced the world to a 17-year-old America Ferrera: REAL WOMEN HAVE CURVES. Despite their surface differences (to state the obvious, Kevin is not a young Latina child of immigrants from the barrio of Los Angeles), the movie has spoken to Kevin since it first came out, and has become the film he's most likely to recommend. It's a perfect example of how you never know just where or how you'll feel seen in cinema. Then, Jordan has one quick thing about Variety's new list of the 100 Best Comedy Movies. *** BREAK THE FRAME: THE COMPANION PODCAST List of books by past guests of the show Feeling Seen is hosted by Jordan Crucchiola and is a production Maximum Fun. Need more Feeling Seen? Keep up with the show on Instagram and Bluesky.