BELLA (FILM)

'''Bella''' is a 2006 film directed by Alejandro Gomez Monteverde starring Mexican actor Eduardo Verastegui (who acted in Chasing Papi) and Emmy award winning Tammy Blanchard (who acted in The Good Shepherd). The film is about one day in New York City changed two peoples lives forever. Bella took top prize at the 2006 Toronto International Film Festival by winning the “People's Choice Award”, an award that is frequently won by films that go on to win Oscar awards.^[1] Other films that have won the People's Choice Award include such Oscar-winning films as Chariots of Fire; American Beauty; Life Is Beautiful; Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon; and Hotel Rwanda. Last year's winner of the “People’s Choice" Award, Tsotsi, won an Oscar for best foreign-language film.
Bella marks the feature directorial debut for Alejandro Gomez Monteverde, who also co-wrote its original screenplay with Patrick Million. Bella features Manuel Perez, Angelica Aragon, Jaime Terelli and Ali Landry. Bella was produced by Sean Wolfington, Eduardo Verastegui, Leo Severino, Alejandro Gomez Monteverde and Denise Pinckley and executive produced by J. Eustace Wolfington, Ana Wolfington and Stephen McEveety. The film was financed by producers Sean Wolfington and Eustace Wolfington. McEveety (whose credits include Braveheart, We Were Soldiers, Passion of the Christ) consulted on the script and signed on as an Executive Producer to help market the movie. Bella is McEveety's first release under his nascent Mpower Films moniker and marks his first feature since ankling Mel Gibson's Icon productions.
''Bella's '' filmmakers received honors from the Smithsonian and the Whitehouse. The Smithsonian Latino Center honored Eduardo Verástegui and ''Bella's '' filmmakers with their "Legacy Award" at a private screening in Miami hosted by Florida Governor Jeb Bush and his wife Columba Bush, a native Mexican.^[2] "This movie depicts the culture but also transcends it," said Pilar O'Leary, exec director of the Smithsonian Institute's Latino Center. "It has universal appeal." Which is why the Latino Center is presenting Verastegui and helmer Alejandro Monteverde with its award this year. ^[3]
The director of the Department of Citizenship gave the director of ''Bella'', Alejandro Monteverde, the "American by Choice" award for ''Bella's'' posotive contribution to Latino art and culture in the U.S.^[4] The president and first lady saw the film and invited Bella's director to sit with Laura Bush in her private box during the annual "State of the Union" speech in 2007.^[5][6]
The Mexican Embassy honored Bella and it's filmmakers during a special screening at their annual Cinco De Mayo celebration."Because of the increasing buzz, the Mexican Embassy wanted to sponsor a private screening as part of its Cinco de Mayo bash." -William Triplett, Variety.com. ^[3]

Contents

Reviews of Bella

Cast

References

External links

Reviews of Bella

According to the ''Hollywood Reporter'',

Winning in Toronto can be the first step on the road to Oscar and Golden Globes success. ''Bella'' could wind up following in the footsteps of such past Toronto winners as: "American Beauty," which won five Oscars in 2000, including best picture and director, and three Globes, including best picture and director; "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," which won four Oscars in 2001, including best foreign language film, was a best picture Oscar nominee and won two Globes, including best director for Ang Lee.^[8]

According to ''ABC News'', ''Bella'' is:

A romantic drama... Mexican director Alejandro Gomez Monteverde's ''Bella'' tells the story of two people whose lives converge and turn upside down on a single day in New York. It has won the People's Choice Award, which is often an indicator of future Academy Award nominations.

Gerard Kennedy of InContention.com, wrote:

''Bella'' marks the debut feature of Alejandro Gomez Monteverde, a truly humble man in awe of the fact that he's actually made it here. It's better to know as little as possible about this film before going into it but let me tell you that it feels both sincere and loving. It's great to see a film that legitimately moves the viewer without being drowned in sap. And it does this in just 90 minutes.^[9]

Fox News said that ''Bella'' is:

incredibly charming, with terrific performances by Tammy Blanchard and Mexican star Eduardo Verastegui and Manny Perez. It's directed by Alejandro Gomez Monteverde. It's too easy to say this is the "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" of this season, because "Bella" is far more complex and sophisticated while losing none of the humor. Whoever decides to release ''Bella'' will have a nice little hit on their hands. The freshness and lack of affectation in ''Bella'' must have appealed to audiences who had to endure a number of big-name films that seemed contrived, stale or calculated.^[10]

VARIETY
"This movie depicts the culture but also transcends it," said Pilar O'Leary, exec director of the Smithsonian Institute's Latino Center. "It has universal appeal."Which is why the Latino Center is presenting Verastegui and helmer Alejandro Monteverde with its award for emerging talent. Pic doesn't see release until August, but because of the increasing buzz, the Mexican Embassy wanted to sponsor a private screening as part of its Cinco de Mayo bash. -William Triplett, Variety.com .^[3]
AFI (American Film Institute) - Dallas
Life is really, really hard; thank god it's so beautiful - it's one of those rare films that catches you by the emotional short hairs and refuses to let go. By the time the final reel plays, you're going to be weeping tears of commingled sadness and joy - unless you happen to have blocked tear ducts. (And, if you do, you might consider a viewing of this movie as a possible cure.) Bella is really not so much a love story (in the sense of two people falling head over heels) as it is a story about love and how it can heal psychic wounds and enrich our lives. -John P. Meyer, AFI Dallas. .^[12]

Cast

★ Eduardo Verástegui as Jose

★ Tammy Blanchard as Nina

★ Mannie Perez as Manny

★ Ali Landry as Celia

★ Ramon Rodriguez as Eduardo

References

1. ''ABC News''
2. SmithsonianHonorsBella Aaron Glickman
3. ''VARIETY''
4. Bella Producer Sean Wolfington Aaron Glickman
5. PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH INVITED MEXICAN FILM DIRECTOR ALEJANDRO MONTEVERDE TO SIT IN THE FIRST LADY’S BOX DURING HIS STATE OF UNION ADDRESS, AS AN EXAMPLE OF THE POSITIVE CONTRIBUTIONS OF IMMIGRANTS TO AMERICAN SOCIETY Tomas C.
6. White House Honors Family Film Zenit
7. ''VARIETY''
8. ''Hollywood Reporter''
9. ''Incontention website''
10. ''Fox News''
11. ''VARIETY''
12. Review''

Manny Perez

External links

★

★ www.bellathemovie.com, the official ''Bella'' website