The Busan film festival’s Asian project market will be held online this year on Oct. 12-14. Some 22 projects from around Asia will vie for production funds during the market.
These include “Love Life,” from Japanese filmmaker Koji Fukada who won the Un Certain Regard jury prize at Cannes in 2016 for “Harmonium,” and “A Burning Question” from Bangladesh’s Mostofa Sarwar Farooki, who closed Busan in 2012 with “Television.”
Other selections include “Tick It” from Vietnamese director Tran Thanh Huy, who won Busan’s New Currents award in 2019 winner for “Rom,” and “A River in the Mirror,” by Tashi Gyeltshen, Fipresci International Critics’ Award 2018 winner for “The Red Phallus.”
From the Philippines, Sheron Dayoc, winner of Busan’s Mecenat Award in 2016 with “The Crescent Rising,” will participate in the market with “6th Finger.” From Kazakhstan, Elzat Eskendir, who won Busan’s Sonje Award in the same year for “Off-season,” will present “Abel.
These include “Love Life,” from Japanese filmmaker Koji Fukada who won the Un Certain Regard jury prize at Cannes in 2016 for “Harmonium,” and “A Burning Question” from Bangladesh’s Mostofa Sarwar Farooki, who closed Busan in 2012 with “Television.”
Other selections include “Tick It” from Vietnamese director Tran Thanh Huy, who won Busan’s New Currents award in 2019 winner for “Rom,” and “A River in the Mirror,” by Tashi Gyeltshen, Fipresci International Critics’ Award 2018 winner for “The Red Phallus.”
From the Philippines, Sheron Dayoc, winner of Busan’s Mecenat Award in 2016 with “The Crescent Rising,” will participate in the market with “6th Finger.” From Kazakhstan, Elzat Eskendir, who won Busan’s Sonje Award in the same year for “Off-season,” will present “Abel.
- 9/1/2020
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Los Cabos, Mexico — Paula Amor, the former head of communications of Mexico’s Morelia Festival, now has one of the most exciting jobs in Mexico, running La Corriente del Golfo, the new film-tv production shingle launched by Gael García Bernal and Diego Luna in April.
An inevitable major production force, it also marks a pivot in a film-tv company’s range and focus of operations.
At Canana, Luna and García Bernal leveraged their fame as actors to ensure movies got made at a budgetary level which their directors required. Think Pablo Larraín’s “No.” García Bernal once remarked that launching Ambulante, the touring documentary festival, was one of his proudest achievements. They have now applied this leverage in a different sphere with the launch of The Day After.
“The idea is to provide a base for their projects in film, TV, theater, projects with a social impact,” she explained to...
An inevitable major production force, it also marks a pivot in a film-tv company’s range and focus of operations.
At Canana, Luna and García Bernal leveraged their fame as actors to ensure movies got made at a budgetary level which their directors required. Think Pablo Larraín’s “No.” García Bernal once remarked that launching Ambulante, the touring documentary festival, was one of his proudest achievements. They have now applied this leverage in a different sphere with the launch of The Day After.
“The idea is to provide a base for their projects in film, TV, theater, projects with a social impact,” she explained to...
- 11/12/2018
- by John Hopewell and Jamie Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Cinepolis Distribution, the distribution arm of Mexican exhibition giant Cinepolis, has picked up all Latin American rights to “Chicuarotes,” the second feature helmed by award-winning multi hyphenate Gael Garcia Bernal.
The film, described as a dark comedy, is produced by Garcia Bernal via his new shingle with partner Diego Luna, La Corriente del Golfo, along with Marta Núñez Puerto of Cinematográfica Amaranto.
Thomas Benski for Pulse Films and Isaac Lee for Televisa Alternative Originals (Tao) serve as co-producers. (Lee has since left his position as chief content officer of Televisa-Univision to start his own company, Exile Content)
Penned by Augusto Mendoza who also wrote Luna’s “Mr. Pig and “Abel,” “Chicuarotes” tracks two teens from Mexico City who, in their desperation to improve their lives, end up entangled in the criminal underworld.
The film stars Benny Emmanuel, Leidi Gutiérrez, Dolores Heredia and Daniel Giménez Cacho, along with a cast of non-professional actors.
The film, described as a dark comedy, is produced by Garcia Bernal via his new shingle with partner Diego Luna, La Corriente del Golfo, along with Marta Núñez Puerto of Cinematográfica Amaranto.
Thomas Benski for Pulse Films and Isaac Lee for Televisa Alternative Originals (Tao) serve as co-producers. (Lee has since left his position as chief content officer of Televisa-Univision to start his own company, Exile Content)
Penned by Augusto Mendoza who also wrote Luna’s “Mr. Pig and “Abel,” “Chicuarotes” tracks two teens from Mexico City who, in their desperation to improve their lives, end up entangled in the criminal underworld.
The film stars Benny Emmanuel, Leidi Gutiérrez, Dolores Heredia and Daniel Giménez Cacho, along with a cast of non-professional actors.
- 10/19/2018
- by Anna Marie de la Fuente
- Variety Film + TV
Selena Gomez is puckering up, but The Weeknd is nowhere in sight.
But there’s no need to panic — the “Hands to Myself” singer was on the job.
Gomez was spotted passionately kissing Timothée Chalamet in the rain while shooting Woody Allen’s latest film New York City’s Central Park. The actress, 25, sported a white t-shirt for the steamy scene where she locked lips with Chalamet as they got drenched.
Details have yet to emerge about the plot of the untitled film — which also stars Jude Law, Diego Luna, Liev Schreiber and Elle Fanning — but Gomez has been seen...
But there’s no need to panic — the “Hands to Myself” singer was on the job.
Gomez was spotted passionately kissing Timothée Chalamet in the rain while shooting Woody Allen’s latest film New York City’s Central Park. The actress, 25, sported a white t-shirt for the steamy scene where she locked lips with Chalamet as they got drenched.
Details have yet to emerge about the plot of the untitled film — which also stars Jude Law, Diego Luna, Liev Schreiber and Elle Fanning — but Gomez has been seen...
- 9/27/2017
- by Stephanie Petit
- PEOPLE.com
It’s rare to see someone on the verge of action-figure metamorphosis. Until now, Diego Luna was a well-respected actor (“Milk” and “Mister Lonely,” among many others) as well as a producer of TV and film, including his own directorial efforts “Mr. Pig,” “Cesar Chavez,” and “Abel.” He’s better known in his native Mexico than in the U.S.
However, as the male lead of Gareth Edwards’ “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” the first standalone feature in the rapidly expanding “Star Wars” universe, all of that will change as of December 16.
He’s giddy, if not geeky, about this turn of events. A naturally generous and fast talker, Luna punctuates his points with big hand motions and bigger smiles as he shares the same refrain that seems to be programmed into all newly minted “Star Wars” actors: They were fans first. Being cast in this cinematic universe is...
However, as the male lead of Gareth Edwards’ “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” the first standalone feature in the rapidly expanding “Star Wars” universe, all of that will change as of December 16.
He’s giddy, if not geeky, about this turn of events. A naturally generous and fast talker, Luna punctuates his points with big hand motions and bigger smiles as he shares the same refrain that seems to be programmed into all newly minted “Star Wars” actors: They were fans first. Being cast in this cinematic universe is...
- 12/15/2016
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
Diego Luna has quietly been carving out a directorial career, with a body of work that’s slowly but surely growing larger in size. The actor dropped his debut feature, “Abel,” in 2010 and it was followed by biopic “Cesar Chavez” in 2014. And this year, he hit the Sundance Film Festival with his latest and […]
The post Danny Glover & Maya Rudolph Hit The Road In First Trailer For Diego Luna’s ‘Mr. Pig’ appeared first on The Playlist.
The post Danny Glover & Maya Rudolph Hit The Road In First Trailer For Diego Luna’s ‘Mr. Pig’ appeared first on The Playlist.
- 7/5/2016
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
Best known for his acting in films like "Y Tu Mama Tambien" and the upcoming "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story," Diego Luna has also been building a career as a director with "Abel" in 2010 and "Cesar Chavez" in 2014.
He returns with the much more quirky "Mr. Pig" this year, a dramedy about an old school Georgian pig farmer (Danny Glover) who, on the brink of losing everything, hits the road with this daughter (Maya Rudolph) to find a final resting place for his beloved swine Howie.
Luna's friend Gael Garcia Bernal executive producers the film which has yet to receive U.S. distribution.
He returns with the much more quirky "Mr. Pig" this year, a dramedy about an old school Georgian pig farmer (Danny Glover) who, on the brink of losing everything, hits the road with this daughter (Maya Rudolph) to find a final resting place for his beloved swine Howie.
Luna's friend Gael Garcia Bernal executive producers the film which has yet to receive U.S. distribution.
- 7/5/2016
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
Danny Glover and Maya Rudolph have been cast in Diego Luna's Mr Pig, an English-language road movie set in Mexico.
The film focuses on a farm-worker, played by Lethal Weapon actor Glover, who travels from the Us to Mexico accompanied by a pig, with which he strikes up a type of friendship.
Bridesmaids actress Rudolph's role is not yet known, reports Variety.
The film is written by Luna and Augusto Mendoza, who worked together on Luna's previous project Abel. It will be produced by Canana, the Mexico City/La production house which Luna founded with Gael Garcia Bernal and Pablo Cruz.
Producer Cruz said: "Mr Pig is a beautiful road movie, and a chance to talk about love for Mexico through the eyes of an American.
"It has a Us appeal because of Danny and its English language. It obviously has a Mexican appeal because of Diego and other Mexican actors involved.
The film focuses on a farm-worker, played by Lethal Weapon actor Glover, who travels from the Us to Mexico accompanied by a pig, with which he strikes up a type of friendship.
Bridesmaids actress Rudolph's role is not yet known, reports Variety.
The film is written by Luna and Augusto Mendoza, who worked together on Luna's previous project Abel. It will be produced by Canana, the Mexico City/La production house which Luna founded with Gael Garcia Bernal and Pablo Cruz.
Producer Cruz said: "Mr Pig is a beautiful road movie, and a chance to talk about love for Mexico through the eyes of an American.
"It has a Us appeal because of Danny and its English language. It obviously has a Mexican appeal because of Diego and other Mexican actors involved.
- 9/30/2014
- Digital Spy
From those that focus on singular defining events in a subject’s life, to those that aim to encompass an entire existence from birth to death in a matter of a couple hours, biopics are tricky feats to carry out successfully. After all, the life of a prominent individual is anything but ordinary, thus merits being translated into film. The chosen approach will determine whether the work serves as respectful homage or if it falls short. Unfortunately, Diego Luna’s Cesar Chavez fits in the second category, and not because of inadequate direction or issues with casting. Its problems are deeply rooted in the screenplay and the way in which it quickly summarizes Chavez’s struggle to deliver a satisfactory conclusion by Hollywood standards.
Structured like a bullet point-driven school presentation, the film appears as a succession of crucial events that in the end amount to a significant victory, but which also dismiss the darkness experienced by the Mexican-American leader throughout his fight. Chavez served as the voice of thousands of farm workers whose conditions were below acceptable, and for whom he felt great appreciation and respect. He felt for their suffering as he had been one of them growing up in Arizona. In the film, this is rapidly covered via voice over and the viewer is thrown into the history class-worthy facts forgetting to really give depth to Chavez as a man.
Played by Michael Peña, the Chavez portrayed here appears genuine, assertive, and honest, but it is rarely shown with the emotional complexity that person in his position must have felt. Having said this, this in no way diminishes Peña’s heartfelt performance. He is on point, and because of his great talent and commitment it is a shame the material did not provide him the challenging character that it should have. There is no denying Chavez deserves endless praise for his relentless labor, but in a film like this, straightforward glorification leaves no room for exploring the man and not simply the icon. Trying to make up for the lack of nuance written in the screenplay, the film makes a point of Chavez distant relationship with his oldest son Fernando (Eli Vargas). This never fully works with sufficient emotional weight.
As the marches, the boycotts, and other landmark protests against the greedy California growers roll out one after another, everything increasingly seems like a list of items being checked off to reach a happy ending. At the same time, the supporting characters fail to add any type of edge or interesting conflict to the story. America Ferrera as Helen Chavez only has a couple scenes where she gets to give life to the activist’s wife. A role that could have turned out enthralling settles for being generic, once again not for lack of talent from the performer but because of the genesis of the project. Rosario Dawson, as fellow activist Dolores Huerta, is equally forgettable and tragically underexploited. There is no point in expanding on the film's plot since all major occurrences are included and easily resolved, it is the lack of humanity that it is troublesome. It is sad to see such a lukewarm depiction of a passionate figure.
Cesar Chavez is Mexican superstar Diego Luna’s second feature in the director's chair - his first being the small scale Spanish-language drama Abel – and it is overall well-crafted and well-intentioned, but it certainly looks like it could have been directed by anybody else. Luna's voice as an artist has no resonance given that the screenplay by Keir Pearson forcefully wants to package all the societal and internal struggles into a formulaic piece. One that would be better suited to help teachers introduce students to the Ufw movement than to be an artistic interpretation of a man conflicted between his cause and his family. Hopefully both Luna and Peña will get a better chance in the future to create valuable work instead of didactic classroom material.
Structured like a bullet point-driven school presentation, the film appears as a succession of crucial events that in the end amount to a significant victory, but which also dismiss the darkness experienced by the Mexican-American leader throughout his fight. Chavez served as the voice of thousands of farm workers whose conditions were below acceptable, and for whom he felt great appreciation and respect. He felt for their suffering as he had been one of them growing up in Arizona. In the film, this is rapidly covered via voice over and the viewer is thrown into the history class-worthy facts forgetting to really give depth to Chavez as a man.
Played by Michael Peña, the Chavez portrayed here appears genuine, assertive, and honest, but it is rarely shown with the emotional complexity that person in his position must have felt. Having said this, this in no way diminishes Peña’s heartfelt performance. He is on point, and because of his great talent and commitment it is a shame the material did not provide him the challenging character that it should have. There is no denying Chavez deserves endless praise for his relentless labor, but in a film like this, straightforward glorification leaves no room for exploring the man and not simply the icon. Trying to make up for the lack of nuance written in the screenplay, the film makes a point of Chavez distant relationship with his oldest son Fernando (Eli Vargas). This never fully works with sufficient emotional weight.
As the marches, the boycotts, and other landmark protests against the greedy California growers roll out one after another, everything increasingly seems like a list of items being checked off to reach a happy ending. At the same time, the supporting characters fail to add any type of edge or interesting conflict to the story. America Ferrera as Helen Chavez only has a couple scenes where she gets to give life to the activist’s wife. A role that could have turned out enthralling settles for being generic, once again not for lack of talent from the performer but because of the genesis of the project. Rosario Dawson, as fellow activist Dolores Huerta, is equally forgettable and tragically underexploited. There is no point in expanding on the film's plot since all major occurrences are included and easily resolved, it is the lack of humanity that it is troublesome. It is sad to see such a lukewarm depiction of a passionate figure.
Cesar Chavez is Mexican superstar Diego Luna’s second feature in the director's chair - his first being the small scale Spanish-language drama Abel – and it is overall well-crafted and well-intentioned, but it certainly looks like it could have been directed by anybody else. Luna's voice as an artist has no resonance given that the screenplay by Keir Pearson forcefully wants to package all the societal and internal struggles into a formulaic piece. One that would be better suited to help teachers introduce students to the Ufw movement than to be an artistic interpretation of a man conflicted between his cause and his family. Hopefully both Luna and Peña will get a better chance in the future to create valuable work instead of didactic classroom material.
- 3/29/2014
- by Carlos Aguilar
- Sydney's Buzz
An intermittently compelling overview of a movement, but only a cursory portrait of a man, “Cesar Chavez,” directed by Diego Luna, is a well-intentioned, respectable and respectful biopic. But the conservative format of the film, that never goes beyond the kind of paint-by-numbers approach that stultifies so many entries in this genre, was a disappointment, as Luna’s first directorial feature, the small-scale but affectingly odd “Abel” promised better things to come, and at the very least, showed that Luna had a knack for creating characters who were lovable as much for their flaws as for their strengths. But the Chavez we get here has no flaws, unless his choice to nobly sacrifice time with his family on the altar of a higher cause is a flaw. And of course it’s not. Chavez was a true hero, spearheading the campaign to extend union rights to the exploited migrant worker class in 1960s California,...
- 3/25/2014
- by Jessica Kiang
- The Playlist
We may think we know about the late great activist Cesar Chavez, founder of the United Farm Workers. We may remember their long strike and call for a grape boycott in the 60s, and his 1969 Time Magazine cover as Man of the Year, among other things. Mexican actor-producer-director Diego Luna, who co-starred with his Canana partner Gael Garcia Bernal in Alfonso Cuaron's "Y Tu Mama Tambien," grew up in the theater, raised by his single art director dad. Luna has made some 40 films in his 34 years, mentored by Cuaron and Luis Mandoki. Luna, who made his directorial debut with fest-circuit fave "Abel" (my Sundance flipcam interview here), took on the daunting task of turning the life of Cesar Chavez into a film. In some ways movie star Garcia Bernal ("No") is the Mexican Matt Damon to Luna's Ben Affleck, in the sense that Luna has figured out his true calling: filmmaker.
- 3/15/2014
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
An intermittently compelling overview of a movement, but only a cursory portrait of a man, “Cesar Chavez,” directed by Diego Luna and premiering at the Berlin International Film Festival this week, is a well-intentioned, respectable and respectful biopic. But the conservative format of the film, that never goes beyond the kind of paint-by-numbers approach that stultifies so many entries in this genre, was a disappointment, as Luna’s first directorial feature, the small-scale but affectingly odd “Abel” promised better things to come, and at the very least, showed that Luna had a knack for creating characters who were lovable as much for their flaws as for their strengths. But the Chavez we get here has no flaws, unless his choice to nobly sacrifice time with his family on the altar of a higher cause is a flaw. And of course it’s not. Chavez was a true hero, spearheading the...
- 2/13/2014
- by Jessica Kiang
- The Playlist
Recently during the latest Sundance Film Festival, Ambulante, the non-profit aimed to promote documentary as a tool for social change and cultural transformation, celebrated its upcoming U.S. launch with an Ambulante California reception. Founded by Diego Luna, Gael Garcia Bernal, and Pablo Cruz as part of Canana Films in 2005, this traveling documentary film organization presented two films during the festival Cesar's Last Fast by Richard Ray Perez and Lorena Parlee (Read Carlos Aguilar' Review) and The Measure of All Things by Sam Green and yMusic.
Both Luna and Bernal have had several films played at Sundance in diverse roles as actors, producers, and even directors. Their titles include Who Is Dayani Cristal?, Abel, Sin Nombre, and the breakthrough hit directed by Alfonso Cuaron Y Tu Mama Tambien. "Ambulante was born out of a need to create spaces for cinema in Mexico like those we encountered while traveling to other countries presenting our films" said Diego Lune about the Ambulante initiative. "Throughout the years Sundance has undoubtedly been one of the most significant platforms for me as a filmmaker, and a vital meeting point to connect with the public and artist community. It is a source of inspiration for what we have conceived up until now with Ambulante, and it is very exciting to finally realize our dream of introducing Ambulante California at Park City" concluded the multifaceted Mexican filmmaker.
Executive Director, Elena Fortes said, “We are thrilled to be here representing Ambulante for the first time at the festival. Sundance Institute is the leading champion of supporting urgent non-fiction stories and developing the independent and courageous filmmakers of our time. Through our traveling platform, Ambulante strengthens that shared mission of broadening documentary culture by bringing these films directly to the general public to develop a diverse audience for the non-fiction narrative."
Newly appointed Director of Ambulante California, Christine Davila confirmed the documentary Cesar's Last Fast will be the very first film to be presented at the Ambulante California Film Festival at a special free community screening in Los Angeles in May. "It really could not be more fitting and representative of the programming vision and local context we have in mind for Ambulante California than to inaugurate our California launch with this insightful look at one of our iconic bi-cultural American political leaders.Cesar's Last Fast epitomizes the type of film we deem is crucial to support by bringing it directly to the communities to carve out a space for engagement and the dialogue it sparks. We are looking forward to co-representing the film and creating and inspiring social cinema intervention with the public at large"
Ambulante California is made possible in part through the Ford Foundation. The organization is currently seeking the rest of their funding through their fiscal sponsorship with the International Documentary Association (Ida). Fortes adds, "We are extremely grateful to the Ford Foundation and the Ida for their support in this critical development phase." We also want to thank the Consulate of Mexico in Utah for their support.
The Ambulante California Film Festival tour will run from September 21 to October 4 across the Greater Los Angeles area and each day it will offer a free screening at a different venue, from universities, high schools, and museums, to community centers, parks, and makeshift outdoor spaces. Expanding on Ambulante's global mission, Ambulante California is the first official attempt to establish a long-term presence of Ambulante outside of Latin America. A crowd-funding campaign will be launched in the spring, along with an open submissions call for California-produced documentary short films, a selection of which will be presented as a highlight of the festival. The overall strategy is to make the development of the festival highly interactive by inviting the public to take part in the shaping of the festival. One of the ways to get involved is to vote on which places the Ambulante tour should consider stopping at to put on a screening event.
Ambulante
Ambulante is a non-profit organization that focuses on supporting and promoting documentary film as a tool for social and cultural transformation. Founded in Mexico in 2005 by Gael García Bernal, Diego Luna, and Pablo Cruz, Ambulante brings documentary films and training programs to places where they are rarely available in order to create a participative, informed and critical public, cultivate new forms of expression, and encourage debate in Mexico and abroad.
Each year, Ambulante organizes an international film festival that tours Mexico for three months. Ambulante presents over 100 documentaries, invites more than 100 guests from Mexico and abroad, and holds screenings in over 150 venues. Ambulante’s objective is to promote documentary film within Mexico and reach a broader audience by screening films in a wide array of venues.
Ambulante is currently the largest documentary film festival in Mexico. It includes film screenings, workshops, talks, seminars, symposiums, networking panels, documentary theater, drive-in cinema, and a showcase of documentaries at the Ibero-American Music Festival Vive Latino held in Mexico City. Ambulante opens up different ways of experiencing and understanding documentary film. It is a non-competitive film festival, and over 60% of its program is free.
Additionally, Ambulante Beyond aims to train new filmmakers from Latin America who have limited access to the resources that would allow them to share their stories with a wider audience. Through modular workshops designed to meet the specific needs of its participants, Ambulante Beyond fosters independent production and alternative forms of aesthetic expression so that stories can be told from a unique cultural perspective without being constrained by conventional storytelling models.
To learn more about Ambulante and their different traveling programs visit Here...
Both Luna and Bernal have had several films played at Sundance in diverse roles as actors, producers, and even directors. Their titles include Who Is Dayani Cristal?, Abel, Sin Nombre, and the breakthrough hit directed by Alfonso Cuaron Y Tu Mama Tambien. "Ambulante was born out of a need to create spaces for cinema in Mexico like those we encountered while traveling to other countries presenting our films" said Diego Lune about the Ambulante initiative. "Throughout the years Sundance has undoubtedly been one of the most significant platforms for me as a filmmaker, and a vital meeting point to connect with the public and artist community. It is a source of inspiration for what we have conceived up until now with Ambulante, and it is very exciting to finally realize our dream of introducing Ambulante California at Park City" concluded the multifaceted Mexican filmmaker.
Executive Director, Elena Fortes said, “We are thrilled to be here representing Ambulante for the first time at the festival. Sundance Institute is the leading champion of supporting urgent non-fiction stories and developing the independent and courageous filmmakers of our time. Through our traveling platform, Ambulante strengthens that shared mission of broadening documentary culture by bringing these films directly to the general public to develop a diverse audience for the non-fiction narrative."
Newly appointed Director of Ambulante California, Christine Davila confirmed the documentary Cesar's Last Fast will be the very first film to be presented at the Ambulante California Film Festival at a special free community screening in Los Angeles in May. "It really could not be more fitting and representative of the programming vision and local context we have in mind for Ambulante California than to inaugurate our California launch with this insightful look at one of our iconic bi-cultural American political leaders.Cesar's Last Fast epitomizes the type of film we deem is crucial to support by bringing it directly to the communities to carve out a space for engagement and the dialogue it sparks. We are looking forward to co-representing the film and creating and inspiring social cinema intervention with the public at large"
Ambulante California is made possible in part through the Ford Foundation. The organization is currently seeking the rest of their funding through their fiscal sponsorship with the International Documentary Association (Ida). Fortes adds, "We are extremely grateful to the Ford Foundation and the Ida for their support in this critical development phase." We also want to thank the Consulate of Mexico in Utah for their support.
The Ambulante California Film Festival tour will run from September 21 to October 4 across the Greater Los Angeles area and each day it will offer a free screening at a different venue, from universities, high schools, and museums, to community centers, parks, and makeshift outdoor spaces. Expanding on Ambulante's global mission, Ambulante California is the first official attempt to establish a long-term presence of Ambulante outside of Latin America. A crowd-funding campaign will be launched in the spring, along with an open submissions call for California-produced documentary short films, a selection of which will be presented as a highlight of the festival. The overall strategy is to make the development of the festival highly interactive by inviting the public to take part in the shaping of the festival. One of the ways to get involved is to vote on which places the Ambulante tour should consider stopping at to put on a screening event.
Ambulante
Ambulante is a non-profit organization that focuses on supporting and promoting documentary film as a tool for social and cultural transformation. Founded in Mexico in 2005 by Gael García Bernal, Diego Luna, and Pablo Cruz, Ambulante brings documentary films and training programs to places where they are rarely available in order to create a participative, informed and critical public, cultivate new forms of expression, and encourage debate in Mexico and abroad.
Each year, Ambulante organizes an international film festival that tours Mexico for three months. Ambulante presents over 100 documentaries, invites more than 100 guests from Mexico and abroad, and holds screenings in over 150 venues. Ambulante’s objective is to promote documentary film within Mexico and reach a broader audience by screening films in a wide array of venues.
Ambulante is currently the largest documentary film festival in Mexico. It includes film screenings, workshops, talks, seminars, symposiums, networking panels, documentary theater, drive-in cinema, and a showcase of documentaries at the Ibero-American Music Festival Vive Latino held in Mexico City. Ambulante opens up different ways of experiencing and understanding documentary film. It is a non-competitive film festival, and over 60% of its program is free.
Additionally, Ambulante Beyond aims to train new filmmakers from Latin America who have limited access to the resources that would allow them to share their stories with a wider audience. Through modular workshops designed to meet the specific needs of its participants, Ambulante Beyond fosters independent production and alternative forms of aesthetic expression so that stories can be told from a unique cultural perspective without being constrained by conventional storytelling models.
To learn more about Ambulante and their different traveling programs visit Here...
- 2/3/2014
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
We've seen an initial trailer for the biopic on labor activist Cesar Chavez, and the film was given the somewhat self-important title of Cesar Chavez: An American Hero. However, it seems the marketing department found out that title was doing too well, because the film is now just going by Cesar Chavez in the new trailer. It's Crash and American Hustle star Michael Pena in the lead as the famed civil rights leader and labor organizer torn between life as a husband and father and a commitment to getting a living wage for farm workers. John Malkovich, America Ferrera and Rosario Dawson also star in the film. Here's the new trailer for Diego Luna's Cesar Chavez, originally from Yahoo: Cesar Chavez is directed by Diego Luna (director of Abel, star of The Terminal, Y Tu Mamá También) and written by Keir Pearson (Hotel Rwanda). Michael Peña (Crash) leads the...
- 1/18/2014
- by Ethan Anderton
- firstshowing.net
World premieres include A Long Way down, starring Breaking Bad’s Aaron Paul and Pierce Brosnan, and The Two Faces of January, the directorial debut of Drive screenwriter Hossein Amini starring Viggo Mortensen, Kirsten Dunst and Oscar Isaac.
The Berlin International Film Festival (Feb 6-16) has unveiled the 18-strong line-up for its Berlinale Special strand, including nine world premieres.
Stand-outs in the list include the world premiere of A Long Way Down, an adaptation of Nick Hornby’s bestseller about four people who meet on New Year’s Eve and form a surrogate family to help one another weather the difficulties of their lives. It stars Breaking Bad’s Aaron Paul, Pierce Brosnan, Toni Collette and Imogen Poots.
Also receiving its world premiere will be con artist thriller The Two Faces of January, the directorial debut of Drive screenwriter Hossein Amini, which stars Viggo Mortensen, Kirsten Dunst and Inside Llewyn Davis’ Oscar Isaac.
Mexican actor Diego Luna...
The Berlin International Film Festival (Feb 6-16) has unveiled the 18-strong line-up for its Berlinale Special strand, including nine world premieres.
Stand-outs in the list include the world premiere of A Long Way Down, an adaptation of Nick Hornby’s bestseller about four people who meet on New Year’s Eve and form a surrogate family to help one another weather the difficulties of their lives. It stars Breaking Bad’s Aaron Paul, Pierce Brosnan, Toni Collette and Imogen Poots.
Also receiving its world premiere will be con artist thriller The Two Faces of January, the directorial debut of Drive screenwriter Hossein Amini, which stars Viggo Mortensen, Kirsten Dunst and Inside Llewyn Davis’ Oscar Isaac.
Mexican actor Diego Luna...
- 1/17/2014
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
I originally included this in last year’s predictions’ list, but the team took their time in the post-production phase which might, in the end, make for some better packaging as with this pre-buzz NYTimes piece. During that time, Lionsgate nabbed the title, loaded this on their Pantelion Films label for a possible April rollout and gave the film a bulkier title (Cesar Chavez: An American Hero). While this no longer becomes a high value acquisition title, Luna’s association with the fest is strong (he presented his debut film Abel at the fest in 2010) and Participant Media’s has a strong rapport with Park City previously supplying the fest with socially conscious docs.
Gist: Written by Keir Pearson, the inspirational story of Cesar Chavez (played by Michael Peña), the celebrated Mexican American activist who, at great personal cost, put the shameful treatment of his fellow field workers on the map.
Gist: Written by Keir Pearson, the inspirational story of Cesar Chavez (played by Michael Peña), the celebrated Mexican American activist who, at great personal cost, put the shameful treatment of his fellow field workers on the map.
- 11/18/2013
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
Following supporting turns in films like Crash, End of Watch, The Lincoln Lawyer and Gangster Squad, Mexican-American actor Michael Peña is taking the lead in Cesar Chavez: An American Hero. As you might guess, in the film, Peña plays labor activist Cesar E. Chavez as he organizes the largest non-violent protest in U.S. history for farm workers' rights. Actor Diego Luna directs the film backed by Canana Films, the company behind Miss Bala (which was on our list of the 19 Best Movies You Didn't See in 2011). It looks like a great performance from Peña, but since it's arriving next spring, it isn't in the Oscar race. Watch it! Here's the first trailer for Diego Luna's Cesar Chavez: An American Hero from YouTube: Cesar Chavez: An American Hero is directed by Diego Luna (director of Abel, star of The Terminal, Y Tu Mamá También) and written by Keir Pearson...
- 11/4/2013
- by Ethan Anderton
- firstshowing.net
Participant was founded in 2004 by Jeff Skoll to focus on feature films, television, publishing and digital content that inspire social change. Participant's more than 40 films include Good Night, And Good Luck, Syriana, An Inconvenient Truth, Food, Inc., Waiting For Superman, The Help, Contagion and Lincoln. Participant’s social action campaigns and digital network TakePart.com continue the conversation and connect audiences to a wealth of content and actions. Its new millennial television network Pivot, this summer in 40 million-plus homes, is TV for The New Greatest Generation.
Launching earlier this year, Participant PanAmerica is an initiative to develop and finance 10-12 films over five years for and from Latin America with Mexico’s Canana (Sin Nombre, Miss Bala), Chile’s Fabula (Young and Wild, Gloria) and Colombia’s Dynamo (Undertow, The Hidden Face). Its first film, El Ardor starring Gael García Bernal and Alice Braga to shoot in Argentina.
Participant Media is reteaming with No star Gael García Bernal for the first film under their recently-launched Participant PanAmerica initiative, the Western-inspired action adventure El Ardor. Co-starring Alice Braga (Elysium, I Am Legend), El Ardor has begun filming in Argentina under the direction of Pablo Fendrik (Blood Appears, The Mugger), who wrote the screenplay.
García Bernal portrays a mysterious man who emerges from the Argentinean rainforest to rescue the kidnapped daughter (Braga) of a poor farmer after mercenaries murder her father and take over his property.
Juan Pablo Gugliotta and Nathalia Videla Peña and García Bernal serve as the film’s producers, with Participant’s Jeff Skoll and Jonathan King, Canana’s Pablo Cruz and Telefe`s Axel Kuschevatzky as executive producers.
An Argentinean/Brazilian/French co-production being financed through Participant PanAmerica, the film’s co-producers are Magma Cine (Argentina), Bananeira Filmes (Brazil) and Manny Films (France). Magma’s Argentinian partners are Aleph Media and Telefe International. Bac Films is handling international sales outside North American and Latin American territories.
Participant CEO Jim Berk said, “After our terrific experience on No, we’re excited to be reuniting with Gael and Canana for our first Participant PanAmerica film and to be expanding our footprint into this important segment of the global marketplace.”
Jonathan King, Participant Evp of Production said, “Pablo Fendrik and his partners at Magma Cine are exactly the kinds of ambitious young filmmakers we are hoping to work with through PanAmerica. And it's always great to be in business with our friends at Canana."
Added Magma Cine Partner Juan Pablo Gugliotta, “We are truly glad to be shooting this project which represents the emergence of our main talent, Pablo Fendrik, as well as his comeback to the big screen and we are also really grateful for the support of all our associates at local, regional and international level. Magma Cine is proud to be part of the first film by Participant PanAmerica. We are absolutely positive that El Ardor will be on par with the expectations of all those who have granted us their trust.”
Pablo Cruz, Partner at Canana said, "Pablo Fendrik is perhaps one of the most interesting directors out of his generation, we met him years ago when his film El Asaltante was playing at the Critics Week in Cannes, we immediately wanted to work with him. It’s been a fantastic process and I know Gael has had the necessary time to develop with him an unforgettable character. We can't wait to see this film on the screen."
About Magma Cine
Magma Cine was set up by Juan Pablo Gugliotta, Pablo Fendrik and Nathalia Videla Peña in 2006.
Magma Cine is a production company that has produced 9 films over the past 7 years including many of the award winning films of what can be labeled as the “New Argentine Cinema,” films that, thanks to their continuing participation in the international scene, keep growing in number and garnering recognition.
Recently they’ve released Mala, Israel Adrián Caetano’s latest feature film distributed commercially in Latin America by Buena Vista-The Walt Disney Company.
It has also produced several documentary miniseries for Argentine TV and the multi-awarded horror film The Second Death, which has been showcased in the top genre film festivals in the world.
About Canana
Canana, founded in 2005 by Diego Luna, Gael Garcia Bernal, Pablo Cruz, and most recently joined by partner and CEO Julián Levin, is a pioneer of bringing Latin American talent to a global stage. Over the past 7 years, Canana has produced over twenty films including Abel, Luna's first feature length film, Sin Nombre, Miss Bala, directed by Gerardo Naranjo, and most recently, the English language film, Chavez, directed by Luna and based on the life of Mexican-American labor union organizer César E. Chávez. In 2012, Canana expanded its operations in the U.S. with Canana L.A., bridging the talent pool between Latin America and the U.S. with such projects as A Man Must Die, a political thriller produced in collaboration with Focus Features, with Naranjo set to direct. Canana’s television arm produced Soy Tu Fan, starring Ana Claudia Talancón, Niño Santo, which is production of its second season. The partners’ passion for film has also reflected through Documental Ambulante, a traveling documentary festival that has taken over 200 documentaries to communities across México, is in its 9th installment. Most recently, Canana has joined forces with Im Global to create a sales company focusing on the sales of Latin American films.
Launching earlier this year, Participant PanAmerica is an initiative to develop and finance 10-12 films over five years for and from Latin America with Mexico’s Canana (Sin Nombre, Miss Bala), Chile’s Fabula (Young and Wild, Gloria) and Colombia’s Dynamo (Undertow, The Hidden Face). Its first film, El Ardor starring Gael García Bernal and Alice Braga to shoot in Argentina.
Participant Media is reteaming with No star Gael García Bernal for the first film under their recently-launched Participant PanAmerica initiative, the Western-inspired action adventure El Ardor. Co-starring Alice Braga (Elysium, I Am Legend), El Ardor has begun filming in Argentina under the direction of Pablo Fendrik (Blood Appears, The Mugger), who wrote the screenplay.
García Bernal portrays a mysterious man who emerges from the Argentinean rainforest to rescue the kidnapped daughter (Braga) of a poor farmer after mercenaries murder her father and take over his property.
Juan Pablo Gugliotta and Nathalia Videla Peña and García Bernal serve as the film’s producers, with Participant’s Jeff Skoll and Jonathan King, Canana’s Pablo Cruz and Telefe`s Axel Kuschevatzky as executive producers.
An Argentinean/Brazilian/French co-production being financed through Participant PanAmerica, the film’s co-producers are Magma Cine (Argentina), Bananeira Filmes (Brazil) and Manny Films (France). Magma’s Argentinian partners are Aleph Media and Telefe International. Bac Films is handling international sales outside North American and Latin American territories.
Participant CEO Jim Berk said, “After our terrific experience on No, we’re excited to be reuniting with Gael and Canana for our first Participant PanAmerica film and to be expanding our footprint into this important segment of the global marketplace.”
Jonathan King, Participant Evp of Production said, “Pablo Fendrik and his partners at Magma Cine are exactly the kinds of ambitious young filmmakers we are hoping to work with through PanAmerica. And it's always great to be in business with our friends at Canana."
Added Magma Cine Partner Juan Pablo Gugliotta, “We are truly glad to be shooting this project which represents the emergence of our main talent, Pablo Fendrik, as well as his comeback to the big screen and we are also really grateful for the support of all our associates at local, regional and international level. Magma Cine is proud to be part of the first film by Participant PanAmerica. We are absolutely positive that El Ardor will be on par with the expectations of all those who have granted us their trust.”
Pablo Cruz, Partner at Canana said, "Pablo Fendrik is perhaps one of the most interesting directors out of his generation, we met him years ago when his film El Asaltante was playing at the Critics Week in Cannes, we immediately wanted to work with him. It’s been a fantastic process and I know Gael has had the necessary time to develop with him an unforgettable character. We can't wait to see this film on the screen."
About Magma Cine
Magma Cine was set up by Juan Pablo Gugliotta, Pablo Fendrik and Nathalia Videla Peña in 2006.
Magma Cine is a production company that has produced 9 films over the past 7 years including many of the award winning films of what can be labeled as the “New Argentine Cinema,” films that, thanks to their continuing participation in the international scene, keep growing in number and garnering recognition.
Recently they’ve released Mala, Israel Adrián Caetano’s latest feature film distributed commercially in Latin America by Buena Vista-The Walt Disney Company.
It has also produced several documentary miniseries for Argentine TV and the multi-awarded horror film The Second Death, which has been showcased in the top genre film festivals in the world.
About Canana
Canana, founded in 2005 by Diego Luna, Gael Garcia Bernal, Pablo Cruz, and most recently joined by partner and CEO Julián Levin, is a pioneer of bringing Latin American talent to a global stage. Over the past 7 years, Canana has produced over twenty films including Abel, Luna's first feature length film, Sin Nombre, Miss Bala, directed by Gerardo Naranjo, and most recently, the English language film, Chavez, directed by Luna and based on the life of Mexican-American labor union organizer César E. Chávez. In 2012, Canana expanded its operations in the U.S. with Canana L.A., bridging the talent pool between Latin America and the U.S. with such projects as A Man Must Die, a political thriller produced in collaboration with Focus Features, with Naranjo set to direct. Canana’s television arm produced Soy Tu Fan, starring Ana Claudia Talancón, Niño Santo, which is production of its second season. The partners’ passion for film has also reflected through Documental Ambulante, a traveling documentary festival that has taken over 200 documentaries to communities across México, is in its 9th installment. Most recently, Canana has joined forces with Im Global to create a sales company focusing on the sales of Latin American films.
- 5/22/2013
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
#38. Diego Luna’s Chavez
Gist: Written by Keir Pearson, the inspirational story of Cesar Chavez, the celebrated Mexican American activist who, at great personal cost, put the shameful treatment of his fellow field workers on the map. He took their cause to the powerful Californian land-owners, the state government and beyond. A complicated man with a mission, Chavez never gave up. His extraordinary journey changed the history of unionism, labour conditions and the civil rights movement forever. The mostly English language project features Rosario Dawson, Gabriel Mann, America Ferrera and Michael Peña as Chavez.
Prediction: Filming began in April of 2012, and neither Sundance or Berlin became the lieu for the world premiere screening. Seeing that Luna did showcased Abel at the fest in an out of comp slot back in 2010, perhaps an Un Certain regard scenario is in the cards for the actor-producer-filmmaker.
prev next...
Gist: Written by Keir Pearson, the inspirational story of Cesar Chavez, the celebrated Mexican American activist who, at great personal cost, put the shameful treatment of his fellow field workers on the map. He took their cause to the powerful Californian land-owners, the state government and beyond. A complicated man with a mission, Chavez never gave up. His extraordinary journey changed the history of unionism, labour conditions and the civil rights movement forever. The mostly English language project features Rosario Dawson, Gabriel Mann, America Ferrera and Michael Peña as Chavez.
Prediction: Filming began in April of 2012, and neither Sundance or Berlin became the lieu for the world premiere screening. Seeing that Luna did showcased Abel at the fest in an out of comp slot back in 2010, perhaps an Un Certain regard scenario is in the cards for the actor-producer-filmmaker.
prev next...
- 4/9/2013
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
Actors Diego Luna and Gael Garcia Bernal have a lot in common. In addition to being Mexican heartthrobs and best friends since birth, they are also both budding directors who co-own Canana Productions, a company that has produced projects helmed by each. Most recently, the company co-produced a two-part short film project for Chivas Regal, with Luna directing the first segment, released earlier this week, and Bernal directing the second, as-of-yet-unreleased segment. And now you can take a look at what they've made. "Drifting" is helmed by Luna and marks his English language directorial debut. The story centers on three old friends and a surprise visit before one in the trio’s impending marriage. Previous directing credits for Luna include “J.C. Chavez,” a documentary about the famous Mexican boxer, and “Abel,” a drama that showed at Sundance and was generally well-received. His next feature will be his highest-profile project yet.
- 1/31/2013
- by Tess Hofmann
- The Playlist
All are first features by wildly original voices who are remixing potent multi-cultural heritage and inventing their own unique brand of genre. So much talent! Makes this Chicanita so proud!
Let’s start with numero uno:
1. Water & Power – from Chicano wordsmith warrior and Culture Clash iconoclast, Richard J. Montoya and produced by Mark Roberts. This is the screen adaptation of Montoya's 2006 play originally performed at the Mark Taper Forum in La. Rife with The City of Angels' legends, haunts and lore, the Chicano noir tale (how cool is that?) takes place over the course of one fateful night. An intense story centered on twin brothers nicknamed “Water” played by Enrique Murciano and “Power” played by Nicolas Gonzalez who were born and raised on the East Side streets playground - one grows up to be a senator and the other a high ranking cop. The young gifted musical artist and composer Gingger Shankar (Circumstance, Charlie Wilson's War) has contributed music to the film. The project participated in the 2007 Sundance Institute screenwriters & directors lab. A madly prolific playwright (a regular Berkeley and Yale Repertory Theatre collaborator), I got a chance to see Montoya's uproarious American history redux play, American Night: The Ballad of Juan Jose last fall (read the La Weekly feature review here). An uncompromising artist with a thundering voice all over the culture pop pulse, Montoya's first feature film tops my list of films to watch out for in 2013. Can. Not. Wait.
Like the Facebook page to stay on top of future premiere announcements and here's a pic on Mark Roberts website
Film contact: <mark@robertsdavid.com>
2. Pardon – written and directed by R.F. Rodriguez and produced by his production company BadMansSon. A story that deals with a cholo ex-con who returns to his barrio in Highland Park and sets to go on the straight and narrow but soon finds himself pulled by his old gang familia may sound familiar, but never has it been as emotionally excavated and depicted with such sensitivity and complexity. Hector Atreyu Ruizis Saul Sanchez whose driving motivation is the chance to reunite with his estranged daughter. Guided by a sympathetic parole officer, played by Tracey Heggins (from the 2008 indie African-American gem (Medicine for Melancholy), Saul tackles catch-22 circumstances towards his mission and confronts growing uneasiness from his vatos who continue to test if he's still down. At its core the film is an exploration about fatherhood and home, in particular highlighting the social phenomenon of absentee fathers because they are behind bars, an issue predominantly afflicting Latino families and communities.
Rodriguez, a USC film school grad, made the feature before graduating, having fleshed the story further out of the short film he made of the same name. His project mentor, Patricia Cardoso (Real Women Have Curves) encouraged him to do more with it and this is the amazing result. With earnest and raw performances, the moving and powerfully directed film marks this a sign of a true filmmaker talent discovery.
Website, Twitter
Film contact <contact@badmansson.com>
3. Recommended By Enrique written and directed by Daniel Garcia and Rania Attieh and produced by their NY based company En Passant Films. Shot in border town Del Rio, Texas (the U.S. side of the Rio Grande) with an offbeat hipster cast of young non-professionals plucked locally, the quirky, mystical tale is about an aspiring actress and an old cowboy who each arrive into town with respective plans and expectations, only to end up waiting for something to happen. Forced to wait out their time, they've nothing to do but explore the bewitching town and its people. Lino Varela plays the Cowboy and Sarah Swinwood, a Canadian newcomer actress nails the airhead wannabe star.
This is the second feature film from Texas native Daniel Garcia and Lebanese born Rania. Their first film, Ok, Enough, Goodbye screened at San Francisco International Film Festival among other world wide festivals, and the duo were included in 2011's Filmmaker Magazine’s 25 New Faces of Independent Film. Undertones of a Twilight Zone type of dimension and the spellbinding pull of the dusty town are perfect captured - as anyone who's been in these strange little Texas towns can attest. An unexpected, unpredictable and ultimately lyrical film, this definitely gets my recommendation.
Website, Facebook
Film contact < info@recommendedbyenrique.com>
4. Vincent & Luzy (Fka On the Run) written and directed by Alberto Barboza and produced by Cinético Productions. A charming, hip and modern fairy tale love story between a soulful graffiti artist,Vincent, played by Miguel Angel Caballero, and sexy tattoo artist, Luz, or Luzy played by Iliana Carter Ramirez. The film captures and romanticizes the happening, multi-culti rockabilly/emo scene and counter culture of Boyle Heights and Echo Parque, and features lots of home grown talent and spots like Self Help Graphics, the community visual arts mission center. The posters created by Vincent in the film are designed by La native, rising street artist, El Mac (Miles MacGregor). You'll recognize some of his murals around La like this one on Hollywood and Wilton, one of my favorites. He just did the album cover for No Doubt.
An eclectic soundtrack featuring local Vallenato band, Very Be Careful, Hermanos Herrera, Irene Diaz, Doghouse Lords and more. The cast also includes ol' G', Sal Lopez (American Me) and Lupe Ontiveros in what may be her last film role before she passed away last year (she also has a small role in Water & Power).
Fresh, exuberant and inhabiting a distinct, heightened magical street reality, Vincent & Luzy might be the first film to truly reflect this young, vibrant artist subculture, making this one a hot to track.
Film contact: info@CineticoProductions.com
Website
5. Blaze You Out – written and directed by Mateo Frazier and Diego Joaquin Lopez and produced by Alicia J. Keyes. Set in the rarely seen mystic world of New Mexico, this young female driven thriller is uniquely atmospheric. Starring the rising young talent, Veronica Diaz Carranza (Mamitas) along with Elizabeth Pena, Q'orianka Kilcher and Raoul Trujillo, all who ignite the screen. Diaz stars as Lupe, a DJ who is forced to venture into her town's heroin trade underworld in order to save her younger sister Alicia's life. To do so she must confront mysterious occult figures and harness the power within her to connect with the divine that surrounds her.
I was thrilled to hear that Lionsgate picked up the film at Afm a couple months ago. Lionsgate/Grindstone will release the film July 2013. 6 Sales is handling rights to rest of world. Intense and wicked and unlike anything else this is a film to look forward to. In the meantime, check out the press kit, pics and more on their site.
Website, Facebook
Must Mention
Chavez – written and directed by Diego Luna and produced by Canana Films, Mr. Mudd and backed by Participant Media. The biography of an iconic Chicano figure, labor rights activist Cesar Chavez, and Luna, who is an international name talent, has obviously been given major press coverage ever since it was first announced so it doesn't really fit my 'Discovery' profile. That said, it is a highly anticipated and eagerly awaited film. I truly hope the film opens wide and mainstream - although Participant will likely need a partner to make this happen in the U.S. Michael Peña, the Puerto Rican actor catapulting towards leading man roles and more regularly Hollywood roles (he's also in Gangster Squad opening this weekend), embodies a young Chavez. It wasn’t quite ready for Sundance so it’s possible the film will bow at a high profile festival like Cannes or Toronto. Although I'm hoping Stephanie Allain, director of Film Independent's La Film Festival will go hard after the film to wrangle what would be a fitting La gala premiere. Diego Luna proved his salt as the filmmaker of Abel, an eloquent and heart-stirring portrait of a little delusional boy who pretends to be the man of the house since his father left. Peña recently shared his approach was to be truthful to Cesar the Man not necessarily the legend or myth generated by his colossal perseverance and labor rights feats. All eyes will be on the representation of such a querido and influential figure. My bet? All in. I trust the filmmakers and cast will deliver a resonant and accomplished cinematic film worthy of the inspiring civil rights story, and more importantly re-introduce Chavez to mobilize our millennial generation.
Do you have a hot independent American Latino film recommendation I should track? Holler at your girl. Email me at chicanafromchicago@gmail.com
Next up, Non-Fiction American Latino films to track in 2013...
Let’s start with numero uno:
1. Water & Power – from Chicano wordsmith warrior and Culture Clash iconoclast, Richard J. Montoya and produced by Mark Roberts. This is the screen adaptation of Montoya's 2006 play originally performed at the Mark Taper Forum in La. Rife with The City of Angels' legends, haunts and lore, the Chicano noir tale (how cool is that?) takes place over the course of one fateful night. An intense story centered on twin brothers nicknamed “Water” played by Enrique Murciano and “Power” played by Nicolas Gonzalez who were born and raised on the East Side streets playground - one grows up to be a senator and the other a high ranking cop. The young gifted musical artist and composer Gingger Shankar (Circumstance, Charlie Wilson's War) has contributed music to the film. The project participated in the 2007 Sundance Institute screenwriters & directors lab. A madly prolific playwright (a regular Berkeley and Yale Repertory Theatre collaborator), I got a chance to see Montoya's uproarious American history redux play, American Night: The Ballad of Juan Jose last fall (read the La Weekly feature review here). An uncompromising artist with a thundering voice all over the culture pop pulse, Montoya's first feature film tops my list of films to watch out for in 2013. Can. Not. Wait.
Like the Facebook page to stay on top of future premiere announcements and here's a pic on Mark Roberts website
Film contact: <mark@robertsdavid.com>
2. Pardon – written and directed by R.F. Rodriguez and produced by his production company BadMansSon. A story that deals with a cholo ex-con who returns to his barrio in Highland Park and sets to go on the straight and narrow but soon finds himself pulled by his old gang familia may sound familiar, but never has it been as emotionally excavated and depicted with such sensitivity and complexity. Hector Atreyu Ruizis Saul Sanchez whose driving motivation is the chance to reunite with his estranged daughter. Guided by a sympathetic parole officer, played by Tracey Heggins (from the 2008 indie African-American gem (Medicine for Melancholy), Saul tackles catch-22 circumstances towards his mission and confronts growing uneasiness from his vatos who continue to test if he's still down. At its core the film is an exploration about fatherhood and home, in particular highlighting the social phenomenon of absentee fathers because they are behind bars, an issue predominantly afflicting Latino families and communities.
Rodriguez, a USC film school grad, made the feature before graduating, having fleshed the story further out of the short film he made of the same name. His project mentor, Patricia Cardoso (Real Women Have Curves) encouraged him to do more with it and this is the amazing result. With earnest and raw performances, the moving and powerfully directed film marks this a sign of a true filmmaker talent discovery.
Website, Twitter
Film contact <contact@badmansson.com>
3. Recommended By Enrique written and directed by Daniel Garcia and Rania Attieh and produced by their NY based company En Passant Films. Shot in border town Del Rio, Texas (the U.S. side of the Rio Grande) with an offbeat hipster cast of young non-professionals plucked locally, the quirky, mystical tale is about an aspiring actress and an old cowboy who each arrive into town with respective plans and expectations, only to end up waiting for something to happen. Forced to wait out their time, they've nothing to do but explore the bewitching town and its people. Lino Varela plays the Cowboy and Sarah Swinwood, a Canadian newcomer actress nails the airhead wannabe star.
This is the second feature film from Texas native Daniel Garcia and Lebanese born Rania. Their first film, Ok, Enough, Goodbye screened at San Francisco International Film Festival among other world wide festivals, and the duo were included in 2011's Filmmaker Magazine’s 25 New Faces of Independent Film. Undertones of a Twilight Zone type of dimension and the spellbinding pull of the dusty town are perfect captured - as anyone who's been in these strange little Texas towns can attest. An unexpected, unpredictable and ultimately lyrical film, this definitely gets my recommendation.
Website, Facebook
Film contact < info@recommendedbyenrique.com>
4. Vincent & Luzy (Fka On the Run) written and directed by Alberto Barboza and produced by Cinético Productions. A charming, hip and modern fairy tale love story between a soulful graffiti artist,Vincent, played by Miguel Angel Caballero, and sexy tattoo artist, Luz, or Luzy played by Iliana Carter Ramirez. The film captures and romanticizes the happening, multi-culti rockabilly/emo scene and counter culture of Boyle Heights and Echo Parque, and features lots of home grown talent and spots like Self Help Graphics, the community visual arts mission center. The posters created by Vincent in the film are designed by La native, rising street artist, El Mac (Miles MacGregor). You'll recognize some of his murals around La like this one on Hollywood and Wilton, one of my favorites. He just did the album cover for No Doubt.
An eclectic soundtrack featuring local Vallenato band, Very Be Careful, Hermanos Herrera, Irene Diaz, Doghouse Lords and more. The cast also includes ol' G', Sal Lopez (American Me) and Lupe Ontiveros in what may be her last film role before she passed away last year (she also has a small role in Water & Power).
Fresh, exuberant and inhabiting a distinct, heightened magical street reality, Vincent & Luzy might be the first film to truly reflect this young, vibrant artist subculture, making this one a hot to track.
Film contact: info@CineticoProductions.com
Website
5. Blaze You Out – written and directed by Mateo Frazier and Diego Joaquin Lopez and produced by Alicia J. Keyes. Set in the rarely seen mystic world of New Mexico, this young female driven thriller is uniquely atmospheric. Starring the rising young talent, Veronica Diaz Carranza (Mamitas) along with Elizabeth Pena, Q'orianka Kilcher and Raoul Trujillo, all who ignite the screen. Diaz stars as Lupe, a DJ who is forced to venture into her town's heroin trade underworld in order to save her younger sister Alicia's life. To do so she must confront mysterious occult figures and harness the power within her to connect with the divine that surrounds her.
I was thrilled to hear that Lionsgate picked up the film at Afm a couple months ago. Lionsgate/Grindstone will release the film July 2013. 6 Sales is handling rights to rest of world. Intense and wicked and unlike anything else this is a film to look forward to. In the meantime, check out the press kit, pics and more on their site.
Website, Facebook
Must Mention
Chavez – written and directed by Diego Luna and produced by Canana Films, Mr. Mudd and backed by Participant Media. The biography of an iconic Chicano figure, labor rights activist Cesar Chavez, and Luna, who is an international name talent, has obviously been given major press coverage ever since it was first announced so it doesn't really fit my 'Discovery' profile. That said, it is a highly anticipated and eagerly awaited film. I truly hope the film opens wide and mainstream - although Participant will likely need a partner to make this happen in the U.S. Michael Peña, the Puerto Rican actor catapulting towards leading man roles and more regularly Hollywood roles (he's also in Gangster Squad opening this weekend), embodies a young Chavez. It wasn’t quite ready for Sundance so it’s possible the film will bow at a high profile festival like Cannes or Toronto. Although I'm hoping Stephanie Allain, director of Film Independent's La Film Festival will go hard after the film to wrangle what would be a fitting La gala premiere. Diego Luna proved his salt as the filmmaker of Abel, an eloquent and heart-stirring portrait of a little delusional boy who pretends to be the man of the house since his father left. Peña recently shared his approach was to be truthful to Cesar the Man not necessarily the legend or myth generated by his colossal perseverance and labor rights feats. All eyes will be on the representation of such a querido and influential figure. My bet? All in. I trust the filmmakers and cast will deliver a resonant and accomplished cinematic film worthy of the inspiring civil rights story, and more importantly re-introduce Chavez to mobilize our millennial generation.
Do you have a hot independent American Latino film recommendation I should track? Holler at your girl. Email me at chicanafromchicago@gmail.com
Next up, Non-Fiction American Latino films to track in 2013...
- 1/10/2013
- by Christine Davila
- Sydney's Buzz
With a docu J.C. Chavez (2007), a short Revolución (2010) and his feature film under his belt – Abel (Sundance ’10), full fledged actor-filmmaker-producer Diego Luna’s sophomore, $10 million production began filming in April and is will most likely be in distributor Participant Media’s wishes to release the film at a socially conscious festival. Park City happens to be the lieu where Luna premiered Abel and countless other items as an actor, so we’re thinking an early fest 2013 premiere is in the cards for Chavez. The mostly English project features Rosario Dawson, Gabriel Mann, America Ferrera and Michael Peña in the lead role (see pic above).
Gist: Written by Keir Pearson, the inspirational story of Cesar Chavez, the celebrated Mexican American activist who, at great personal cost, put the shameful treatment of his fellow field workers on the map. He took their cause to the powerful Californian land-owners, the state government and beyond.
Gist: Written by Keir Pearson, the inspirational story of Cesar Chavez, the celebrated Mexican American activist who, at great personal cost, put the shameful treatment of his fellow field workers on the map. He took their cause to the powerful Californian land-owners, the state government and beyond.
- 11/19/2012
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
In addition to being an excellent actor, Diego Luna has quietly been carving out a directorial career as well, with one feature film under his belt ("Abel") and another on the way (the biopic "Chavez"). However, his next move might his most ambitious yet. Luna is set to direct, produce and star in an adaptation of Nobel Prize-winning author Mario Vargas Llosa's "Travesuras de la niña mala" (or "The Bad Girl" in English). And this won't simply be your standard book-to-movie work, as Luna is taking it to television for a mini-series that will stretch out over twenty-six one-hour episodes. Damn. Of course, we reckon he'll rotate out with some other helmers, but who knows? Maybe he's feeling savvy enough to wear all the hats and do it himself. Certainly, the material is intriguing. Described as a story that has touches of "Vertigo" and "Last Year At Marienbad," the story concerns a translator.
- 10/16/2012
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
This weekly column is intended to provide reviews of nearly every new indie release, including films on VOD. Specifics release dates and locations follow each review. Reviews This Week "Abel" "Degenerate Art: The Art and Culture of Glass Pipes" "Easy Money" "Family Portrait in Black and White" "Farewell My Queen" "The Impostor" "The Mars Underground" "Ponies" "Red Lights" "Trek Nation" "Trishna" "Union Square" _______________________________________________ "Abel" Institutionalized since dad Anselmo (Jose Maria Yapzik) went to work in "gringoland" two years ago, young Abel (Christopher Ruiz-Esparza) is kicked out of his mental hospital. Mother Cecilia (Karina Gidi) has a week to decide whether he can stay at home or must be transferred to a public institution in Mexico...
- 7/12/2012
- by Indiewire
- Indiewire
It's been nearly two years since Oscar-nominated screenwriter Keir Pearson announced his plans to write a biopic about Cesar Chavez, the labor organizer who fought for the rights of migrant farm workers in the Southwest in the 1960s and 70s. The biopic seemed to have stalled out somewhere in development since that announcement, but today we're learning it's gotten a big, starry boost. Variety reports that Michael Pena is set to play Chavez in an adaptation of Pearson's script to be directed by Diego Luna, the actor known for roles in Y tu Mama Tambien and more recently Contraband. Luna has one feature film behind him, 2010's coming of age story Abel, but Chavez will likely be a whole lot bigger, and with bigger stars to go along with it. America Ferrera is set to play Chavez's wife, Helen Chavez, while Rosario Dawson will play his aide, Dolores Huerta.
- 3/7/2012
- cinemablend.com
Last year, Will Ferrell shot a Spanish-language comedy called Casa de mi Padre, with co-stars Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna. The movie seems to be both a loving ode to and a send-up of classic Mexican telenovellas. A trailer appeared in April [1] and was taken down not long afterward, but we haven't heard much at all about the film since then. Now a small label, Pantelion Films, has picked up Us distribution rights to Casa de mi Padre and will have the movie in theaters on March 16, 2012. Pantelion works with Lionsgate and Grupo Televisa to distribute films meant primarily for Hispanic audiences; the company picked up Diego Luna's movie Abel in early 2011, and also released Saving Private Perez this past fall. The fact of having Will Ferrell's name on Casa de mi Padre may help turn this into the company's widest release yet. Still, I wouldn't be...
- 11/3/2011
- by Russ Fischer
- Slash Film
We told you a few days ago about the fiendish folks over at Universal's Halloween Horror Nights digging deep into Mexican folklore as the inspiration for their newest maze, La Llorona: Villa De Almas Perdidas (Village of Lost Souls). And now we have some exclusive first-look concept art you won't find anywhere else!
Visit HalloweenHorrorNights.com to keep up with all the info! Halloween Horror Nights will take place at Universal Studios Hollywood on select nights beginning September 23 and continue on September 24, 30; October 1, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 20, 21, 22, 23, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31.
From the Press Release
La Llorona, the fearful story of melancholy and murder that has terrified Mexican and Latin American children for generations, is coming to life at this year’s Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood with its new terror-filled maze La Llorona: Villa De Almas Perdidas, with the help of Mexican-based film star Diego Luna serving as a creative consultant!
The new maze will...
Visit HalloweenHorrorNights.com to keep up with all the info! Halloween Horror Nights will take place at Universal Studios Hollywood on select nights beginning September 23 and continue on September 24, 30; October 1, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 20, 21, 22, 23, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31.
From the Press Release
La Llorona, the fearful story of melancholy and murder that has terrified Mexican and Latin American children for generations, is coming to life at this year’s Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood with its new terror-filled maze La Llorona: Villa De Almas Perdidas, with the help of Mexican-based film star Diego Luna serving as a creative consultant!
The new maze will...
- 8/30/2011
- by Uncle Creepy
- DreadCentral.com
Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood has already enlisted the devious minds of Rob Zombie, Alice Cooper and Eli Roth to design horror-themed mazes for this year's festivities. They’ve now dug deep into Mexican folklore for the inspiration for their newest maze, La Llorona: Villa De Almas Perdidas (Village of Lost Souls).
For those of you unfamiliar with the twisted tale of La Llorona, apparently it has to do with a mother who drowns her children trying to win the love of a man. (What the H?!) When said man did not return her romantic overtures (can't imagine why after she drowns her children), she drowns herself; and now her spirit roams the countryside, drenched and screaming for her children. (Wait, what?) Yeah, that's creepy.
And fans of Latino heartthrobs will be happy to hear that Mexican-based film star Diego Luna will be assisting in the constructing of the attraction.
For those of you unfamiliar with the twisted tale of La Llorona, apparently it has to do with a mother who drowns her children trying to win the love of a man. (What the H?!) When said man did not return her romantic overtures (can't imagine why after she drowns her children), she drowns herself; and now her spirit roams the countryside, drenched and screaming for her children. (Wait, what?) Yeah, that's creepy.
And fans of Latino heartthrobs will be happy to hear that Mexican-based film star Diego Luna will be assisting in the constructing of the attraction.
- 8/27/2011
- by Doctor Gash
- DreadCentral.com
The Good Bad Movie Club, London
Going from bad to worse can only be a good thing in the world of crap movie appreciation, and the establishment that brought you Tommy Wiseau's The Room and Troll 2 has scraped even deeper to bring you a season of bottom-of-the-late-80s-barrel gems. First off is the imaginatively demented Killer Klowns From Outer Space, in which alien clowns set balloon dogs, custard pies and mutant popcorn on Earthlings – expect fancy dress and free candy floss. Other godawful classics include the cheap and disgusting Garbage Pail Kids Movie, the Et-with-product-placement tale Mac And Me, and Dolph Lundgren's pec-flexingly camp fantasy Masters Of The Universe.
Prince Charles, WC2, Sat to 10 Sep
Fantastic Films Weekend, Bradford
It's mostly retro fare for this cult festival, which is especially good news for fans of Hammer/Amicus horror – a legion to whom the name Peter Sasdy will be legend.
Going from bad to worse can only be a good thing in the world of crap movie appreciation, and the establishment that brought you Tommy Wiseau's The Room and Troll 2 has scraped even deeper to bring you a season of bottom-of-the-late-80s-barrel gems. First off is the imaginatively demented Killer Klowns From Outer Space, in which alien clowns set balloon dogs, custard pies and mutant popcorn on Earthlings – expect fancy dress and free candy floss. Other godawful classics include the cheap and disgusting Garbage Pail Kids Movie, the Et-with-product-placement tale Mac And Me, and Dolph Lundgren's pec-flexingly camp fantasy Masters Of The Universe.
Prince Charles, WC2, Sat to 10 Sep
Fantastic Films Weekend, Bradford
It's mostly retro fare for this cult festival, which is especially good news for fans of Hammer/Amicus horror – a legion to whom the name Peter Sasdy will be legend.
- 6/3/2011
- by Steve Rose
- The Guardian - Film News
Enter the Void; Burlesque; On Tour; The Tourist; Loose Cannons; Abel
Say what you like about Gaspar Noé, the man has a vision. Watching his latest art-exploitation mash-up Enter the Void (2009, Entertainment One, 18), in which the soul of a young man floats through the neon-lit streets of Tokyo after being violently killed in a toilet, is an extraordinary, if ultimately somewhat empty, experience. Imagine ingesting a vast amount of hallucinogenic drugs while skim-reading The Tibetan Book of the Dead and watching the final reel of 2001, and then sticking your head into one of those machines which makes pink candyfloss – in a strip club.
As always with Noé, everything is turned up to 11, from the cod metaphysics to the ear-bashing soundtrack, the retina-scorching visuals and the obsession with the mechanics of hardcore (remember the Vapors' catchy/creepy 80s hit "Turning Japanese" which wanted "a doctor to take your picture so I...
Say what you like about Gaspar Noé, the man has a vision. Watching his latest art-exploitation mash-up Enter the Void (2009, Entertainment One, 18), in which the soul of a young man floats through the neon-lit streets of Tokyo after being violently killed in a toilet, is an extraordinary, if ultimately somewhat empty, experience. Imagine ingesting a vast amount of hallucinogenic drugs while skim-reading The Tibetan Book of the Dead and watching the final reel of 2001, and then sticking your head into one of those machines which makes pink candyfloss – in a strip club.
As always with Noé, everything is turned up to 11, from the cod metaphysics to the ear-bashing soundtrack, the retina-scorching visuals and the obsession with the mechanics of hardcore (remember the Vapors' catchy/creepy 80s hit "Turning Japanese" which wanted "a doctor to take your picture so I...
- 4/26/2011
- by Mark Kermode
- The Guardian - Film News
El Infierno, Chicogrande, and the other nominations of the 2011 Premio Ariel (Ariel Awards) have been announced. The 53rd Annual Premio Ariel (Ariel Awards) are presented by the Mexican Academy of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences. “The Ariel is the Mexican Academy of Film Award. It has been awarded annually since 1947. The award recognizes excellence in motion picture making, such as acting, directing and screenwriting in Mexican cinema. It is considered the most prestigious award in the Mexican movie industry.” The 53rd Annual Premio Ariel (Ariel Awards) “ceremony will take place on May 7 [, 2011] at the Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City.” The full listing of the 2011 Premio Ariel (Ariel Awards) nominations is below
Best Picture
Abel
Chicogrande
El infierno (Hell)
Best Director
Felipe Cazals, Chicogrande
Luis Estrada, El infierno (Hell)
Diego Luna, Abel
Best Actress
Karina Gidi, Abel
Mónica del Carmen, Año bisiesto (Leap Year)
Maricel Álvarez, Biutiful
Úrsula Pruneda, Las...
Best Picture
Abel
Chicogrande
El infierno (Hell)
Best Director
Felipe Cazals, Chicogrande
Luis Estrada, El infierno (Hell)
Diego Luna, Abel
Best Actress
Karina Gidi, Abel
Mónica del Carmen, Año bisiesto (Leap Year)
Maricel Álvarez, Biutiful
Úrsula Pruneda, Las...
- 3/26/2011
- by filmbook
- Film-Book
Reviewed by Annlee Ellingson
(from the 2010 AFI Fest)
Directed by: Diego Luna
Written by: Diego Luna and August Mendoza
Starring: Christopher Ruíz-Esparza, Gerardo Ruíz-Esparza, José María Yazpik, Karina Gidi and Geraldine Alejandra
Following his short contribution to “Revolución,” Mexican actor Diego Luna makes his feature film directorial debut with this family drama about a boy who thinks he’s someone he isn’t. His delusion is revealed gradually and seems harmless . until it’s not.
After two years in a psychiatric ward for women in provincial Aguascalientes, it’s time for nine-year-old Abel (Christopher Ruíz-Esparza) to transfer to a children’s hospital in Mexico City. Before he goes, though, his mother Cecilia (Karina Gidi) convinces his doctor to let her take him home for a week, despite his violent episodes and refusal to speak. She hopes she’ll be able to prove he can behave and she can take care...
(from the 2010 AFI Fest)
Directed by: Diego Luna
Written by: Diego Luna and August Mendoza
Starring: Christopher Ruíz-Esparza, Gerardo Ruíz-Esparza, José María Yazpik, Karina Gidi and Geraldine Alejandra
Following his short contribution to “Revolución,” Mexican actor Diego Luna makes his feature film directorial debut with this family drama about a boy who thinks he’s someone he isn’t. His delusion is revealed gradually and seems harmless . until it’s not.
After two years in a psychiatric ward for women in provincial Aguascalientes, it’s time for nine-year-old Abel (Christopher Ruíz-Esparza) to transfer to a children’s hospital in Mexico City. Before he goes, though, his mother Cecilia (Karina Gidi) convinces his doctor to let her take him home for a week, despite his violent episodes and refusal to speak. She hopes she’ll be able to prove he can behave and she can take care...
- 3/4/2011
- by admin
- Moving Pictures Magazine
Reviewed by Annlee Ellingson
(from the 2010 AFI Fest)
Directed by: Diego Luna
Written by: Diego Luna and August Mendoza
Starring: Christopher Ruíz-Esparza, Gerardo Ruíz-Esparza, José María Yazpik, Karina Gidi and Geraldine Alejandra
Following his short contribution to “Revolución,” Mexican actor Diego Luna makes his feature film directorial debut with this family drama about a boy who thinks he’s someone he isn’t. His delusion is revealed gradually and seems harmless . until it’s not.
After two years in a psychiatric ward for women in provincial Aguascalientes, it’s time for nine-year-old Abel (Christopher Ruíz-Esparza) to transfer to a children’s hospital in Mexico City. Before he goes, though, his mother Cecilia (Karina Gidi) convinces his doctor to let her take him home for a week, despite his violent episodes and refusal to speak. She hopes she’ll be able to prove he can behave and she can take care...
(from the 2010 AFI Fest)
Directed by: Diego Luna
Written by: Diego Luna and August Mendoza
Starring: Christopher Ruíz-Esparza, Gerardo Ruíz-Esparza, José María Yazpik, Karina Gidi and Geraldine Alejandra
Following his short contribution to “Revolución,” Mexican actor Diego Luna makes his feature film directorial debut with this family drama about a boy who thinks he’s someone he isn’t. His delusion is revealed gradually and seems harmless . until it’s not.
After two years in a psychiatric ward for women in provincial Aguascalientes, it’s time for nine-year-old Abel (Christopher Ruíz-Esparza) to transfer to a children’s hospital in Mexico City. Before he goes, though, his mother Cecilia (Karina Gidi) convinces his doctor to let her take him home for a week, despite his violent episodes and refusal to speak. She hopes she’ll be able to prove he can behave and she can take care...
- 3/4/2011
- by admin
- Moving Pictures Network
Sundance 2011 came and left without one of the highly-rumored titles 50/50, previously known as Live With It and I’m With Cancer, premiering. The Wrap now reports a release date from Summit Entertainment. The studio has slotted the drama/comedy from Jonathan Levine (The Wackness, All The Boys Love Mandy Lane) for September 30th.
Starring Seth Rogen, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Anna Kendrick, Bryce Dallas Howard and Anjelica Huston, the film “focuses on a young man’s struggles with cancer” and is based on a true story. The “bittersweet comedy” got acquired by Summit over a year ago.
In other release date news, Henry’s Crime starring Keanu Reeves, Vera Farmiga, and James Caan, will see a release April 8th, 2011. You can read my negative Tiff review and Dan Mecca’s more positive Wff review, and check out the trailer here.
Diego Luna‘s narrative directorial debut Abel and The Weinstein Company’s...
Starring Seth Rogen, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Anna Kendrick, Bryce Dallas Howard and Anjelica Huston, the film “focuses on a young man’s struggles with cancer” and is based on a true story. The “bittersweet comedy” got acquired by Summit over a year ago.
In other release date news, Henry’s Crime starring Keanu Reeves, Vera Farmiga, and James Caan, will see a release April 8th, 2011. You can read my negative Tiff review and Dan Mecca’s more positive Wff review, and check out the trailer here.
Diego Luna‘s narrative directorial debut Abel and The Weinstein Company’s...
- 2/18/2011
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Mexican director Diego Luna’s Abel (2010), a beguiling comedy-drama about a strange young boy, throws up many more questions than answers. For a while it appears that young Abel might be both catatonic and possessed of telekinetic powers, such is the effect of his brooding presence on household objects. Later, I wondered whether the story was veering off into the territory of a body-swap comedy. One thing is clear, though: Luna’s film is a heartfelt depiction of a devoted mother who is determined to do right by her troubled son.
The face of nine-year-old Abel (Christopher Ruíz Esparza) is first seen in huge close-ups as he watches a snail crawling along his finger. After two years in the psychiatric ward of a local hospital, doctors now want to transfer him to Mexico City. His mother Cecilia (Karina Gidi) can’t bear the idea of a further separation and hopes...
The face of nine-year-old Abel (Christopher Ruíz Esparza) is first seen in huge close-ups as he watches a snail crawling along his finger. After two years in the psychiatric ward of a local hospital, doctors now want to transfer him to Mexico City. His mother Cecilia (Karina Gidi) can’t bear the idea of a further separation and hopes...
- 1/12/2011
- by Cine-Vue
- CineVue
Finally, someone has grabbed up actor Diego Luna’s directorial debut “Abel.” Pantelion Films of Lionsgate announced today that they will be distributing the Spanish-language film in partnership with Grupo Televisa, a Mexican media company. The film centers on a young boy who must take over as the head of the family after his father goes missing. Reminiscent of Debra Granik’s critically popular “Winter’s Bone,” this film should have made waves in the film community after debuting at Sundance, but it’s flown under the radar until now. Mainstream Spanish films have had a hard time finding a place with modern American…...
- 1/11/2011
- The Playlist
The gifted young Mexican actor Diego Luna made a major impression in Alfonso Cuarón's Y tu mamá también and went on to play the baby-faced, Hispanic cowhand in Kevin Costner's Open Range and Sean Penn's lover in Milk. Abel, his confident, highly promising directorial debut, centres around a striking performance from Christopher Ruíz-Esparza as the eponymous nine-year-old lad, a seriously disturbed patient released from a hospital in a provincial Mexican town into the custody of his mother pending his transfer to a more sophisticated mental institution in distant Mexico City.
He has apparently not spoken since his father left to find work in the States and now watches TV throughout the night in the family's dilapidated, jerry-built house on the edge of town. Suddenly he begins to speak, which seems like the breakthrough his mother and his kindly doctor seek. But his voice is commandingly, parodically paternal...
He has apparently not spoken since his father left to find work in the States and now watches TV throughout the night in the family's dilapidated, jerry-built house on the edge of town. Suddenly he begins to speak, which seems like the breakthrough his mother and his kindly doctor seek. But his voice is commandingly, parodically paternal...
- 1/11/2011
- by Philip French
- The Guardian - Film News
A few years ago, Mexican star Diego Luna's assured directorial debut Abel, about a troubled young boy who returns home from a hospital stint to take on the role of the family’s missing father, would have been scooped up by a specialty distrib. But in today’s market, a small-scale Spanish-language art film faces tougher going (see Biutful). A year after its debut at Sundance, Abel will finally go out March 4, the second release of Lionsgate's Pantelion Films partnership with Mexican media company Grupo Televisa. Pantelion Films aims to release 8-10 films a year aimed at the fastest-growing movie demo, Hispanics. Some of the releases will be in English, some Spanish. Their first release is From Prada to Nada, starring Camille Belle (January 28). In ...
- 1/9/2011
- Thompson on Hollywood
127 Hours (15)
(Danny Boyle, 2010, Us/UK) James Franco, Clémence Poésy, Kate Mara, Amber Tamblyn, Treat Williams. 94 mins
Boyle keeps his feet on the ground after Slumdog Millionaire by attempting to make the worst date movie of all time. But this true-life tale of "the guy who chopped off his own arm" is at least an intense, jam-packed experience. The inevitable gory climax overshadows all that precedes it, though there are tireless visual flourishes, stark survival details and narrative sidetracks to distract you, and Franco is very good company. When the hacking starts though, you'll wish you'd brought along some anaesthetic yourself – and cancelled that dinner reservation.
The King's Speech (12A)
(Tom Hooper, 2010, UK) Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, Helena Bonham Carter. 118 mins
Stiff royals turning out to be human after all – it's the sort of thing we Brits do terribly well, isn't it? But thanks to the force of Firth, this does it better than most.
(Danny Boyle, 2010, Us/UK) James Franco, Clémence Poésy, Kate Mara, Amber Tamblyn, Treat Williams. 94 mins
Boyle keeps his feet on the ground after Slumdog Millionaire by attempting to make the worst date movie of all time. But this true-life tale of "the guy who chopped off his own arm" is at least an intense, jam-packed experience. The inevitable gory climax overshadows all that precedes it, though there are tireless visual flourishes, stark survival details and narrative sidetracks to distract you, and Franco is very good company. When the hacking starts though, you'll wish you'd brought along some anaesthetic yourself – and cancelled that dinner reservation.
The King's Speech (12A)
(Tom Hooper, 2010, UK) Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, Helena Bonham Carter. 118 mins
Stiff royals turning out to be human after all – it's the sort of thing we Brits do terribly well, isn't it? But thanks to the force of Firth, this does it better than most.
- 1/8/2011
- by The guide
- The Guardian - Film News
Diego Luna makes a fine directorial debut with this insightful satire on Mexican family life
As an actor, Diego Luna made his name as the horny teen starring opposite Gael Garcia Bernal in the 2001 movie Y Tu Mamá También; now he makes an accomplished debut as a feature director with this enigmatic satirical nightmare, set in Mexico, on the theme of patriarchy and the family. Abel (Christopher Ruíz-Esparza) is a disturbed nine-year-old in a psychiatric hospital, having suffered a breakdown and retreated into silence, apparently as a reaction to his father's abandoning the family three years before. His mother Cecilia (Karina Gidi) persuades the doctors to allow him home, where Abel begins to speak, eerily inhabiting the persona of the missing dad: talking sternly to the teenage daughter, demanding his breakfast etc. The family plays along – and Luna shows how Abel's delusion answers their need to have a man about the house,...
As an actor, Diego Luna made his name as the horny teen starring opposite Gael Garcia Bernal in the 2001 movie Y Tu Mamá También; now he makes an accomplished debut as a feature director with this enigmatic satirical nightmare, set in Mexico, on the theme of patriarchy and the family. Abel (Christopher Ruíz-Esparza) is a disturbed nine-year-old in a psychiatric hospital, having suffered a breakdown and retreated into silence, apparently as a reaction to his father's abandoning the family three years before. His mother Cecilia (Karina Gidi) persuades the doctors to allow him home, where Abel begins to speak, eerily inhabiting the persona of the missing dad: talking sternly to the teenage daughter, demanding his breakfast etc. The family plays along – and Luna shows how Abel's delusion answers their need to have a man about the house,...
- 1/7/2011
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
Abel is the excellent feature debut of actor Diego Luna which is, surprisingly, much softer and heart-warming than its surrealist premise makes out. A withdrawn and perhaps disturbed nine year old boy has spent two years in at a mental hospital and one day returns home to become the man of the house – a role he takes to with full commitment.
Instead of becoming a fractious and domineering tyrant young Abel actually brings the family closer together and makes it run like clockwork. He’s stern but loving towards his sister, becomes a good friend to his brother Paul and cares for his mother. For a while you’ll be thinking it isn’t such a strange set up after all, but with the acceptance comes a growing sense of unease.
Abel might be crackers but he’s a tragic sort and even the inevitable amorous advances he makes to...
Instead of becoming a fractious and domineering tyrant young Abel actually brings the family closer together and makes it run like clockwork. He’s stern but loving towards his sister, becomes a good friend to his brother Paul and cares for his mother. For a while you’ll be thinking it isn’t such a strange set up after all, but with the acceptance comes a growing sense of unease.
Abel might be crackers but he’s a tragic sort and even the inevitable amorous advances he makes to...
- 1/6/2011
- by Martyn Conterio
- FilmShaft.com
Diego Luna’s directorial debut comes in the form of ‘Abel’. Produced by Gael Garcia Bernal and John Malkovich, Abel is dubbed “a darkly funny and poignant film about parental absenteeism in Mexico on 7th January 2011″.
No stranger to the big screen, cinema-goers will remember Luna’s performances in Academy Award winning and nominated movies such as ‘Milk’, ‘Frida’ and 2001′s critically acclaimed Mexican Drama, ‘Y tu mama tambien’ (“And your mother too”), where he received an award for best actor.
Abel will open at selected cinemas including Curzon Soho, Vue Shepherds Bush, Filmhouse Edinburgh, Bristol Watershed and Showroom Sheffield. In addition, Diego Luna will be doing Q&As for Abel at the Filmhouse Edinburgh on Thursday 6th January , The Curzon Soho on Friday 7th and the Cornerhouse Manchester on 8th January 2011, so don’t miss out!
Here’s the synopsis:
Christopher Ruiz-Esparza (a mere 9 years of age at...
No stranger to the big screen, cinema-goers will remember Luna’s performances in Academy Award winning and nominated movies such as ‘Milk’, ‘Frida’ and 2001′s critically acclaimed Mexican Drama, ‘Y tu mama tambien’ (“And your mother too”), where he received an award for best actor.
Abel will open at selected cinemas including Curzon Soho, Vue Shepherds Bush, Filmhouse Edinburgh, Bristol Watershed and Showroom Sheffield. In addition, Diego Luna will be doing Q&As for Abel at the Filmhouse Edinburgh on Thursday 6th January , The Curzon Soho on Friday 7th and the Cornerhouse Manchester on 8th January 2011, so don’t miss out!
Here’s the synopsis:
Christopher Ruiz-Esparza (a mere 9 years of age at...
- 1/5/2011
- by Andy Petrou
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
The Next Three Days (12A)
(Paul Haggis, 2010, Us) Russell Crowe, Elizabeth Banks, Liam Neeson, Olivia Wilde. 133 mins
What kind of a schoolteacher would stage an audacious prison break to spring his unjustly accused wife? One played by Russell Crowe, of course. Remade from French thriller Pour Elle, this supposedly everyday thriller suffers somewhat in the plausibility department, with Crowe gleaning the requisite logistical and criminal knowledge from a few Google searches and Neeson's helpful ex-con (while fulfilling single-parent duties). But after a long, slow build up, the suspenseful climax is at least well-handled.
Out from Wed
The Big Sleep (PG)
(Howard Hawks, 1946, Us) Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, Martha Vickers, 114 mins
Sacrificing plot clarity for wisecracking dialogue and smouldering seduction (the producers removed a big chunk of explanation in favour of more Bogart-Bacall smooch time), the definitive Chandler detective movie is still wildly enjoyable. Bogey's Marlowe shows shades of vulnerability...
(Paul Haggis, 2010, Us) Russell Crowe, Elizabeth Banks, Liam Neeson, Olivia Wilde. 133 mins
What kind of a schoolteacher would stage an audacious prison break to spring his unjustly accused wife? One played by Russell Crowe, of course. Remade from French thriller Pour Elle, this supposedly everyday thriller suffers somewhat in the plausibility department, with Crowe gleaning the requisite logistical and criminal knowledge from a few Google searches and Neeson's helpful ex-con (while fulfilling single-parent duties). But after a long, slow build up, the suspenseful climax is at least well-handled.
Out from Wed
The Big Sleep (PG)
(Howard Hawks, 1946, Us) Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, Martha Vickers, 114 mins
Sacrificing plot clarity for wisecracking dialogue and smouldering seduction (the producers removed a big chunk of explanation in favour of more Bogart-Bacall smooch time), the definitive Chandler detective movie is still wildly enjoyable. Bogey's Marlowe shows shades of vulnerability...
- 1/1/2011
- by The guide
- The Guardian - Film News
Mexican actor, Diego Luna's fascinating directional debut, Abel, tells the story of a mentally ill nine year-old boy who becomes convinced he's the man of the house when he returns from the hospital for a trial week at home.
No longer able to stay in the women's ward, Abel's mother is distraught when told he might need treatment further afield in Mexico City Hospital. Convinced his mother's love and the reassuring natural presence of his brother, Paul, and sister, Selene, will cure him, she's given a week to see if his new surroundings will prompt an improvement. Within a day, Abel is miraculously talking again, but what he utters is rather puzzling.
Initial signs of Abel's deluded belief that he's the man of the house afford moments of surreal light comedy as he fixes the toilet; takes up the good parent's nightly rounds of putting the children...
No longer able to stay in the women's ward, Abel's mother is distraught when told he might need treatment further afield in Mexico City Hospital. Convinced his mother's love and the reassuring natural presence of his brother, Paul, and sister, Selene, will cure him, she's given a week to see if his new surroundings will prompt an improvement. Within a day, Abel is miraculously talking again, but what he utters is rather puzzling.
Initial signs of Abel's deluded belief that he's the man of the house afford moments of surreal light comedy as he fixes the toilet; takes up the good parent's nightly rounds of putting the children...
- 12/30/2010
- Shadowlocked
[Editor's note: I've asked our team of world film correspondents to dish out their top 5 films of the year from their respective countries. Here's Christine Davila's take on the Best in Mexican Cinema in 2010.] To be clear, this is a list of Mexican films which either: traveled far in the 2010 film festival front, were critically acclaimed, received a healthy theatrical run, and which I consider the strongest celluloid among the Mexican narrative feature film trenches from where I culled and screened deep. Okay maybe not that deep, considering there are only about 100 feature narrative films produced in Mexico a year. But given that figure, this small percentage illustrates a strong dose of diversity and range of genre, budget, but more importantly original strong stories and voices. Before I begin....one special mention goes out to REVOLUCIÓN by Carlos Reygadas, Amat Escalante, Fernando Eimbcke, Mariana Chenillo, Patricia Riggen, Diego Luna, Gael Garcia Bernal, Gerardo Naranjo, Rodrigo Garcia, and Rodrigo Plá. The first time I ever heard use of the word Portmanteau was when this movie starting popping up at festivals beginning with the world premiere...
- 12/24/2010
- IONCINEMA.com
Mexican actor burst onto the scene alongside best friend Gael Bernal Garcia in the great Y Tu Mama Tambien a few years ago now. Since then he’s appeared in the odd Us film like Steven Spielberg’s The Terminal and worked with the brilliantly odd Harmony Korine in Mr. Lonely.
Now Luna has made his feature directorial debut with Abel, which is due in UK cinemas from 7th January. We’ve got the new UK trailer for you to see. The film has been produced by John Malkovich and Gael Bernal Garcia. So there’s your stamp of approval and goodness right there!
Synopsis:
Abel, a nine-year-old boy, has stopped talking since his father left home. One morning he starts to speak again, and appears to believe that he is the head of the family. As he oversees his siblings’ homework and interrogates his sister’s new boyfriend, no...
Now Luna has made his feature directorial debut with Abel, which is due in UK cinemas from 7th January. We’ve got the new UK trailer for you to see. The film has been produced by John Malkovich and Gael Bernal Garcia. So there’s your stamp of approval and goodness right there!
Synopsis:
Abel, a nine-year-old boy, has stopped talking since his father left home. One morning he starts to speak again, and appears to believe that he is the head of the family. As he oversees his siblings’ homework and interrogates his sister’s new boyfriend, no...
- 12/18/2010
- by Martyn Conterio
- FilmShaft.com
Thomas Vinterberg's Submarino AFI Fest 2010 continues on Tuesday, Nov. 9. Among the highlights are: Diego Luna's directorial debut Abel, a Mexican drama about an unusual nine-year-old and his relationship with his family; Thomas Vinterberg's Danish drama Submarino, the story of two brothers at odds with inner demons following a traumatic childhood; and Michelangelo Frammartino's Le quattro volte (literally, "The Four Times"), in which a soul inhabits four different entities, animal (both human and nonhuman), vegetable, and mineral. Additionally, at 9:30 p.m. at Grauman's Chinese Theatre AFI Fest "will offer a secret screening of a soon-to-be-released major Hollywood film. The title of the film will be announced on the day of the screening." Photo: AFI Fest...
- 11/9/2010
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
Following his short contribution to “Revolución,” Mexican actor Diego Luna makes his feature film directorial debut with this family drama about a boy who thinks he’s someone he isn’t. His delusion is revealed gradually and seems harmless … until it’s not.
After two years in a psychiatric ward for women in provincial Aguascalientes, it’s time for nine-year-old Abel (Christopher Ruíz-Esparza) to transfer to a children’s hospital in Mexico City. Before he goes, though, his mother Cecilia (Karina Gidi) convinces his doctor to let her take him home for a week, despite his violent episodes and refusal to speak. She hopes she’ll be able to prove he can behave and she can take care of him so that he’ll be able to live with his family. Not much changes at first. But then suddenly one day Abel speaks. He’s acting strangely, but Cecilia denies it or goes along,...
After two years in a psychiatric ward for women in provincial Aguascalientes, it’s time for nine-year-old Abel (Christopher Ruíz-Esparza) to transfer to a children’s hospital in Mexico City. Before he goes, though, his mother Cecilia (Karina Gidi) convinces his doctor to let her take him home for a week, despite his violent episodes and refusal to speak. She hopes she’ll be able to prove he can behave and she can take care of him so that he’ll be able to live with his family. Not much changes at first. But then suddenly one day Abel speaks. He’s acting strangely, but Cecilia denies it or goes along,...
- 11/7/2010
- Moving Pictures Magazine
This is the daily news vodcast from the London Film Festival which hosts Black Swan, 127 Hours, Another Year, Never Let Me Go, Let Me In and West is West amongst its premieres this week. Day 13 saw the Premiere of The Kids Are All Right, directed by Lisa Cholodenko, starring Julianne Moore, Annette Bening, Mark Ruffalo, Mia Wasikowska and Josh Hutcherson. On Day 13, we spoke to another range of filmmakers at the The May Fair Hotel, including Julie Moggan (Guilty Pleasures). On the red carpet, actor turned director Diego Luna discussed his second feature, Abel, and Sabina Guzzanti presented her latest work, Draquila - Italy Trembles. The day concluded with the UK premiere of The Kids Are All Right, the Mofilm Gala, attended by director Lisa Cholodenko, and stars Mark Ruffalo and Julianne Moore.
- 10/31/2010
- by Dan Higgins
- Pure Movies
Craig here from Dark Eye Socket with my Lff wrap-up.
As of tonight the BFI London Film Festival is done for another year. It's been a stellar year all told, if the surplus of reports are to be believed. And I'd willingly add a further approving nod to the list. I didn't manage to see everything I wanted (juggling festival times and dates with travel arrangements is an art – one that's open to fateful intervention...and multiple tube delays), but what I saw was on the whole a bumper crop. Roll on next year, I say. Here are five previous reviews, selected from the films I saw: Uncle Boonmee, A Screaming Man, Winter Vacation, Rare Exports and What I Love the Most. And below are five final mini reviews of a few festival highlights.
Thomas Vinterberg introduced his new film, Submarino, in a cheeky fashion: “if all goes well, you...
As of tonight the BFI London Film Festival is done for another year. It's been a stellar year all told, if the surplus of reports are to be believed. And I'd willingly add a further approving nod to the list. I didn't manage to see everything I wanted (juggling festival times and dates with travel arrangements is an art – one that's open to fateful intervention...and multiple tube delays), but what I saw was on the whole a bumper crop. Roll on next year, I say. Here are five previous reviews, selected from the films I saw: Uncle Boonmee, A Screaming Man, Winter Vacation, Rare Exports and What I Love the Most. And below are five final mini reviews of a few festival highlights.
Thomas Vinterberg introduced his new film, Submarino, in a cheeky fashion: “if all goes well, you...
- 10/29/2010
- by Craig Bloomfield
- FilmExperience
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