Breathe and Count Back from Ten

Seventeen-year-old Veró, whose family immigrated from Peru, lives with hip dysplasia and wants more information and independence than her protective parents allow. She is troubled by sexist expectations and by how others sometimes treat her parents. Having dreamed of becoming a mermaid since childhood, Veró secretly takes a job at Mermaid Cove, her town’s tourist attraction, knowing her father may object. As the secret becomes harder to keep, she reshapes a Peruvian story of Huacachina for a performance that expresses her truth and speaks up for others.