Year of the Nail

Molly, an American college student, travels to Mexico to study Spanish and pursue photography. She hopes to explore ancient ruins and capture the landscape between lessons, but quickly finds herself pulled into a party-focused crowd. The journey sets up a quiet, personal project that competes with the chaos around her.

Diego secretly falls in love with his cousin Jero García, a crush that fuels awkward bravado and self-consciousness. In one moment of trying to impress her, he injures a toenail during a local soccer game. The scene underscores the gap between yearning and maturity.

During a school break, Molly returns to Mexico to photograph ruins she previously missed. She ends up renting a room from Mariana Elizondo, Diego's mother, to help raise money for an operation for Diego's grandfather. This close living arrangement begins to bridge the distance between her world and Diego's.

As they share space, Molly and Diego begin to spend more time together and a quiet bond forms. Much of their time unfolds at the beach near Diego's grandmother's ranch, where the landscape mirrors their growing connection. The contrast between Molly's growing curiosity and Diego's guarded feelings gently deepens the tension.

Diego's feelings deepen, but he keeps them guarded and unspoken, while Molly's worldview continues to widen. The two navigate their different ages and life stages, letting the connection linger with unspoken possibilities. Their days together hint at something larger simmering beneath the surface.

When Molly eventually leaves, Diego secretly buys a plane ticket to New York City to visit her. He tells his parents he's going camping with friends for the weekend to keep the trip secret. The gesture reveals his willingness to bridge their worlds, despite the age difference.

In New York, Diego calls Molly and arrives to accompany his father on a business trip, but his true purpose emerges. Molly invites him to Coney Island, and they spend a day together navigating the divide between their different lives. The outing becomes a test of whether their bond can survive real-world gaps.

Before returning home, Diego reveals his trip wasn't with his father, and his visit was a sincere, if ill-judged, attempt to see her. Molly responds with warmth but notes the age difference and changes her phone number to prevent easy contact. The moment marks a clear boundary between their worlds.

Months after the NYC visit, Molly returns to Mexico for a third time, still having never photographed the ruins she sought. She travels there alone, without her camera, and debates whether to reach out to Diego but senses he has likely moved on.

Back in Mexico, Diego is already pursuing a new romance, talking with Jero García about girls. He carries on with his life, clearly moving on from Molly's departure. The film sets up a world where their paths may never cross again.

Molly decides not to initiate contact, preserving the distance between their separate lives. She accepts that Diego may have moved on and chooses to focus on her own journey instead. The decision seals the emotional arc of their divergent paths.

The film closes with Diego chatting casually with Jero about girls, already pursuing a new romance and offering no mention of Molly. The spark between Molly and Diego remains unresolved, replaced by new love interests and onward lives.