Bella (film)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Bella | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster |
|
| Directed by | Alejandro Gomez Monteverde |
| Produced by | Sean Wolfington Eduardo Verástegui Leo Severino Alejandro Gomez Monteverde Denise Pinckley |
| Written by | Alejandro Gomez Monteverde Patrick Million Leo Severino |
| Starring | Eduardo Verástegui Tammy Blanchard Manny Perez Ali Landry |
| Cinematography | Andrew Cadelago |
| Editing by | Joseph Gutowski Fernando Villena |
| Distributed by | Lionsgate |
| Release date(s) | Oct 26th, 2007Nov 9th |
| Running time | 91 minutes |
| Country |  Mexico United States |
| Language | English Spanish |
| Budget | $3,300,000 |
| IMDb profile | |
Bella is a 2006 film directed by Alejandro Gomez Monteverde starring actor Eduardo Verastegui and Tammy Blanchard. Set in New York City, the film is about how one moment changed the lives of two people forever. The film took top prize at the 2006 Toronto International Film Festival by winning the "People's Choice Award." Bella was also the highest rated movie of 2007 by the users of Rotten Tomatoes for limited releases with a 96.5 rating, which was also the highest rating on the site for any film released in 2007 [1]
Contents |
[edit] Plot synopsis
An international soccer star is on his way to sign a multi-million dollar contract when a series of events unfold that bring his career to an abrupt end. A beautiful waitress, struggling to make it in New York City, discovers something about herself that she's unprepared for. In one irreversible moment, their lives are turned upside down...until a simple gesture of kindness brings them both together, turning an ordinary day into an unforgettable experience.
Once a famous athlete, and now a cook at his brother's restaurant, Jose has retreated from the world. But he recognizes something in Nina, a young waitress, and reaches out to her. In the course of a single day, he not only confronts his own haunting past but shows her how the healing power of love can help her embrace the future. Ultimately, Jose was stifled by the paradox of his character. Jose was delusional. The viewer is likely to associate this downfall with the story of Goethe and this Faustian element which is the express purpose in attaining enlightenment. The story defines ontology as a matter of the transcendental origin rather of the human order. Viewers may pick up on the director's use of irony specifically with regards to Nina's arrogating self-forgetfulness that regarded dialectically would have been a matter of complete irrelevance. What learned people call sophistry, 'Bella' proves that life has only one syllogism, or rather none at all.
[edit] Production
Bella marks the feature directorial debut for Alejandro Gomez Monteverde, who co-wrote its original screenplay with Patrick Million. Bella features Manuel Perez, Angelica Aragon, Jaime Terelli and Ali Landry. The film was produced by Sean Wolfington, Eduardo Verastegui, Leo Severino, Alejandro Gomez Monteverde and Denise Pinckley and executive produced by J. Eustace Wolfington, Sean Wolfington, Ana Wolfington and Stephen McEveety. It was financed by producers Sean Wolfington and Eustace Wolfington.
Stephen McEveety (producer of Braveheart and The Passion of the Christ) consulted on the script and after the film was finished he signed on as an Executive Producer to help market it. Bella is McEveety's first release under his new company Mpower Pictures.
Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions acquired United States distribution rights to the film and released the film on October 26th, 2007, according to The Hollywood Reporter.[2]
[edit] Awards and honors
Bella took the "People's Choice Award" at the 2006 Toronto International Film Festival[3]
Bella won the Heartland Film Festival's Grand Prize Award Winner for Best Dramatic Feature and the Crystal Heart Awards for Monteverde as writer/director/producer.[4]
Bella's filmmakers, Eduardo Verastegui and Alejandro Monteverde, received the Smithsonian Institute's "Legacy Award" for the film's positive contribution to Latino art and culture.[5].[6] "This movie depicts the culture but also transcends it," said Pilar O'Leary, exec director of the Smithsonian Institute's Latino Center. "It has universal appeal."[7]
Bella received this year's Tony Bennett Media Excellence Award. [3] Bennett said Bella is "a perfect film, an artistic masterpiece that will live in peoples hearts forever."[8]
The director of the Department of Citizenship gave the director of Bella, Alejandro Monteverde, the "American by Choice" award at a White House reception for Bella's positive contribution to Latino art and culture in the U.S.[9] Monteverde was also invited to join the first lady in her private box to watch the State of the Union address.[10]
The Mexican Embassy honored Verastegui and Monteverde and gave Bella a screening at their annual Cinco De Mayo celebration.[7]
Bella broke the record for a Latino themed films in total Box Office earnings and Box Office average per screen for films released in 2007. It was the top rated movie on the New York Times Readers' Poll, Yahoo and Fandango.[11] The Wall Street Journal said Bella was "the fall's biggest surprise" and stated that "after only four weeks in release Bella has total sales of $5.2 million".[12]. Bella ended it's US theatrical release with more than $8 million in domestic box office, finishing the year in the top 10 grossing independent films of the 2007. [3]
[edit] Cast
- Eduardo Verástegui as Jose
- Tammy Blanchard as Nina
- Manny Perez as Manny
- Ali Landry as Celia
- Ramon Rodriguez as Eduardo
- Sophie Nyweide as Bella
- Alexa Gerasimovich as Luchi
- Herbie Lovelle plays a cameo role as a homeless person.
[edit] References
- ^ Bella best film.
- ^ Gregg Goldstein (August 30, 2007). Roadside takes Bella on US Trip; First Pickup after Lionsgate deal. TheHollywoodReporter.com. Retrieved on 2007-09-21.
- ^ a b c Robert W. Welkos (Dec 04, 2007). Bella is a Rallying Point. LATimes.com. Retrieved on 2007-12-06.
- ^ Lynda Dorf (Oct 20, 2007). Heartland Film Festival Announces Top Winners. HeartlandFilmFestival.com. Retrieved on 2007-12-06.
- ^ Aaron Glickman (March 13, 2007). SmithsonianHonorsBella. SocialMiami.com. Retrieved on 2007-03-16.
- ^ Isabel Lara (Aug 30, 2007). Smithsonian Legacy Awards. Smithsonian Institute. Retrieved on 2007-12-06.
- ^ a b William Triplett (May 7, 2007). Buoyant 'Bella' bow. Variety. Retrieved on 2007-10-11.
- ^ Tony Bennett (Oct 22, 2007). Tony Bennett Sings Bella's Praises. YouTube.com. Retrieved on 2007-12-06.
- ^ Aaron Glickman (March 1, 2007). Bella Producer Sean Wolfington. SocialMiami.com. Retrieved on 2007-03-16.
- ^ Tomas C (Jan 27, 2007). President invites Mexican Director to sit in first lady's box. HispanicTips.com. Retrieved on 2007-12-06.
- ^ publisher (Nov 03, 2007). Bella Rockets into #1. WorldNetDaily.com. Retrieved on 2007-12-06.
- ^ Anthony Kaufman (Nov 18, 2007). Stat Snapshot. WallStreetJournal.com. Retrieved on 2007-12-06.
