Bella

BELLA is a poignant portrayal of love-conquers-all that runs the gamut from spellbinding to uplifting with a firm but gentle hand as the writer tells a tale of fallen dreams that breathes life into a dying world where family, faith, and friends are re-discovered and claimed as the "ties that bind." The captivating cast as well as the crew embody the very essence of family life among the Latino community yet the writing is so cleverly crafted that it transcends the tumult and transition of recovering from shattered spirits in any family of any ethnic background. The "realness" of the plot and characters makes you feel like you're in the middle of every scene!

I was astonished after seeing the film Bella. I was impressed, inspired, uplifted and sobered all at the same time. The film is powerful and thought provoking. Each scene blends perfectly into the next creating and weaving an intricate and detailed story without being self indulgent. The actors make choices that are simple yet powerful. Every character lets their humanity show in a way that causes the audience to fall in love with them throughout the course of the movie. Both the story and the characters are realistic and every scene of the movie is packed with truth. Audiences can see aspects of their own lives and situations in every scene of this masterfully composed story.

Executive Producer Steven McEveety (Braveheart, We Were Soldiers, Passion of the Christ) has put his efforts behind another sure winner, (this one without Mel Gibson)and with newcomer director/writer Alejandro Gomez Monteverde, and a cast of relatively unknown actors.

This is an intelligent and emotional film, with the action interwoven between flashbacks and the developing plot line. Because of this storytelling method, it is nearly impossible to give much detail of the story without a spoiler.

The movie centers around Nina, a young, unmarried waitress at a Mexican restaurant who finds herself pregnant and out of a job after coming in late to work several days because of morning sickness. Jose, the restaurant's chef, is taken by Nina's plight and becomes her sole confidant. Jose helps her walk through her decision on what to do with her pregnancy. In the process, he bears secrets from his own mysterious past, which reveal his tenderness and passion for her and the child she is carrying.

The film stars Eduardo Verastegui (the Mexican Brad Pitt), and Tammy Blanchard, each performing in only in their second movie role. They are excellent both individually and in their interactions with each other. You're sure to see more from both of these rising stars.

A believable script, quality acting, and effective cinematography, music, and sound kept my attention from start to finish. I had no expectations from this film and came away truly impacted--A very powerful piece of cinema. No wonder this rookie work shocked all the big name pictures to win the top prize at Toronto Film Festival.

Latest word is that it is set for release in April 2007. And don't be surprised to see this one in the running for one or more Oscars.

I had the privilege of seeing "Bella" at the Toronto Film Festival and was amazed by this beautiful love story! After i heard the buzz about this little film i decided to go see it with out knowing what to expect and i was blown away. Actually, i think it is best to see this film without knowing anything about the story. A lot of people were surprised when Bella took the top prize at Toronto except for me and the other people who saw the film. Our screening ended in a standing ovation and the Q&A went so long that the moderator had to cut it off. The performances were incredible and the directing was remarkable. It was a powerful experience with a lot of unexpected twists and turns... especially the ending. It is amazing that this little film beat out all of this years Oscar hopefuls to get the most coveted Award at Toronto but it could not have happened to a better film. Congrats!

I had the privilege of catching a sneak-peak of Bella before it won the Tronto Film Festival, followed by a Q&A with the director and some of the cast members. I cannot stress how very humble and real they all are. As for the film, being from the Midwest, I've watched TV all my life. Flipping channels it's funny how you stumble across films that you don't think anyone has ever heard of; but later you grow to realize that that one film, that one film you watched late one Thursday night, made such a difference in the way you chose to carry yourself through life that you became a part of it, and it a part of you. You don't know why, but for some reason, you just needed to see it: Bella is that film.