NATIONAL CITY — The romantic comedy “El Tamaño Sí Importa” starring Ximena Ayala, Vadhir Derbez and Eugenio Derbez made a huge splash during its U.S. debut screening Friday night.

It’s one of the most hyped movies of the Éxito del Cine Film Festival, being held at Plaza Bonita through Sept. 1. The reception the film received was overwhelmingly positive.

“El Tamaño Sí Importa” follows Vivi, played by Ayala, a relatively normal girl who becomes involved with a wealthy womanizing socialite.

Touching on the fabricated nature of social media and its superficiality, the film unwinds what seems like a typical ugly duckling turned swan story into a very empowering film about the struggles of confidence and self-discovery.

“It’s a very powerful movie for women, it represents a very positive Mexico. A Mexico with hope, a Mexico that exists,” said Ayala, interviewed at the film festival.

A “chick flick” as film director Rafa Lara calls it, the movie eschews the typical humor Mexican comedies are known for, forgoing low-brow comedy for something more refined.

“Most of the time … Latin comedies are vulgar, they are movies with very low-level aesthetic and artistry. I think we come with a very different perspective,” said Lara.

Unpredictable and very charming, the film displays a modern everyday Mexican Jane, warts and all, without romanticizing her. This is what makes the film so relatable.

The struggle in the film feels real, the reason being that with have all been in that situation and what follows drives it straight home.

“It’s a film, that even though it happens in Mexico, it’s very universal,” said Ayala. “Some Japanese attendees indentified with it because it follows a theme that every human being goes through, and that is falling in love.”

Yet to be released worldwide, the film has garnered so much buzz before even picking up a distribution deal. Currently “El Tamaño Sí Importa” is in the middle of festival circuit screenings. The expected release date is early 2017.

“El Tamaño Sí Importa” will screen for a second and final time on Thursday, Sept. 1, at Westfield Plaza Bonita shopping center.

For more information on show times and film festival passes visit http://sdlatinofilm.com/exitosdelcinelatino/