Sin vergüenza

I've been a die-hard movie lover since the age of 6, but I can't think of many movie-watching experiences that have been as luminous, magical, and impacting as the one I had when I first saw SIN VERGUENZA.

It was November 3rd. To my surprise, I had a wonderful evening. A truly BEAUTIFUL evening that I'll always remember (I'm not one to be indifferent to truly beautiful and joyfilled moments in life). College was off that day, thanks to the Puerto Rican elections the previous day. But my acting teacher had already told all of us on the last class that we would be getting together in her house to watch two films: One we needed to do an exam on, and another just a film she loved that she wanted to share with us. I went there, depressed as hell! Why? It is totally unnecessary for me to share, since you all can easily guess. We met at the house, and discussed both elections (the PR and the American one, respectively). Certainly, the depression was not going to end with this discussion. Though I, and most of my fellow classmates, had reason to be PARTIALLY satisfied with our own election results (very long story, and involves information non-PR's aren't familiar with), the sadness, anger, and devastating disappointment about what had occurred in the American all but clouded that entirely for me.

Next, we saw the video we had to write about. I'd already seen it, but saw it again anyway. The joy, warmth, and feeling of fun that my classmates and our amazing teacher projected started to rub-off on me and I started to feel a lot more chipper thanks to the fun I was having spending time with them. I smoked, I had some snacks, and I watched the video again (taking some additional notes I hadn't taken the first time). Then, the Pizzas our teacher had ordered arrived, and I ate two slices while we still continued to chat and crack jokes.

Then, we put the DVD of the movie my teacher had loved. What was that film? You guessed it: SIN VERGUENZA. And what a f**king film it was! What an EXPERIENCE! I am a very spiritually-in-touch person, and I really do believe the higher powers love to bless you with really unexpected gifts when your heart is sinking in the worst way. This was a film I will never forget and, to add to the blessing, I'm glad I will always remember seeing this awesome film during one of the happiest, most joyful, most healing nights of my life, surrounded by such an amazing group of people. I really could NEVER have imagined such a special thing occurring during this personal Black Wednesday of mine.

SIN VERGÜENZA (NO SHAME) is an Altman-esquire ensemble piece circling around a love story, but what it is REALLY about is acting, especially about an actor's creative process and how their personal emotional turmoil affects their work (for better or worse). Phenomenal acting all-around, this amazing film is filled with unforgettable, awe-strikingly real, short vignettes involving different actors rehearsing and inevitably pouring their own heart through the scene they are trying to create. EACH ONE of these scenes is distinct, extraordinary, unforgettable, and astonishingly realistic. I have been a passionate, devoted, die-hard, one- track filmLOVER all of my life, but this is only the second film that I really feels tells MY STORY. Just as, in terms of personal feelings and hard-to-shake emotional entrapments, I couldn't have identified more with the overall message and reality of PUNCH-DRUNK LOVE, in this case I couldn't have identified and FELT more the experience of being a passionate, personal-problems-filled young actor in his early stages (working hard to improve and master his craft while at the same time trying to leave his problems out of the stage or figuring out a way to have them give energy to the work) that many of the characters in this film face. It was such a cathartic experience watching this film, from beginning to end my heart felt such a shocking connection, that I am still speechless.

Afterwards, we all expressed how much we loved it, thanked our unbelievably terrific teacher from the bottom of our hearts for such a beautiful night (I was probably more thankful than most since she had picked me up so swiftly from this Black Wednesday that had sunk my heart almost underground), and we all left. I got a ride off one of the girls who was going my way.

The power of film to heal, and the power of film to play a part in human beings bonding and sharing, are just two of 577+ reasons I treasure cinema.

A

Mr Oristrell's film career as a screen writer, should have given him a better understanding of the material he decided to direct, but obviously he had no clue as to what a mess this film was going to be.

The story is absurd. It rings untrue from beginning to end. Everything is phoney. The characters are 1 dimensional and paper thin. The main conflict between Isabel and Mario, 20 years before was stupid. The character of Isabel is badly played by Ms. Forque, whose career is even more difficult to explain in the Spanish cinema. It's very difficult to think an acting teacher would resort to let her students emote in the way she lets them. It's a shame that Rosa Maria Sarda didn't consult her good friend Ventura Pons before she accepted her role in this film. This is a step backward for her in a thankless appearance. What about Jorge Sanz' yoga instructor? What does he add to the plot? All in all this is a very badly cooked paella. Let's hope Mr. Oristrell doesn't get another idea about directing his own material any time soon.

This is one of my favorite movies and one that I feel hits closest to the reality of an actor's life and struggles.

The one thing I like the best about it is its honesty regarding what actors are really like. While the movie shows the sense of community that develops among young actors struggling to make it in the acting life, the filmmakers also do not hesitate to show how actors can can also be selfish, conniving and self-centered. It doesn't romanticize the hard life of an aspiring and as such, ultimately becomes a valentine to actors and the acting life. In fact, the movie is dedicated to the several thousand strong acting community in Madrid.

But for those not really interested in the plight of aspiring actors, Sin Verguenza is also a charming and engaging romantic comedy. Veronica Forque is simply adorable as the head of the acting school and her awkward chemistry with co-star Daniel Gimenez Cacho is the source of much of the movie's humor.

When I first saw this film I remember comparing it to Tootsie, which is my other favorite film spotlighting aspiring actors. But in hindsight, for all Dustin Hoffman's intention to make the movie a tribute to struggling young actors, Tootsie is primarily a romantic comedy with insights into gender roles and how they affect relationships. As far as paying tribute to actors goes, Sin Verguenza is the real thing.

I have already seen this movie twice and I look forward to seeing it again in two weeks when it is screened at the Instituto Cervantes cultural institute here in Manila.

Having been one of our finest screenwriters for the last couple of decades, Joaquín Oristrell started directing his own material in the nineties. "Sin vergüenza" is, without a doubt, one of his finest directorial efforts so far, but it's a shame that such a good movie is spoiled by a dull and unbelievable ending.

One of the greatest and more welcome surprises of the film is the bunch of struggling actors who play precisely that, a bunch of struggling actors. One could say that some of these (Marta Etura, Daniel Martín, Nur Al Levi, Nacho Casalvaque) steal the show from the veteran actors, since Verónica Forqué, Jorge Sanz and Daniel Giménez Cacho are not precisely at the highest of their talent. Rosa María Sardá, as usual, gracefully raises the level of the film with a charming supporting performance as an aging diva.

Albeit irregular, "Sin vergüenza" is, for most of the time, an entertaining movie, but maybe they should have come across with a more believable ending.

i obviously have seen this film a few years ago because i rated it a 7 at that time. but i totally forgot, so i checked out the DVD again.

when i was watching the beginning, i sort of remembered it. so i fast forwarded it to the end scene. it seemed interesting, i started watching it from the beginning again. now i am rating it an 8.

i can't believe that it was made 12 years ago, it seems like a classic film to me. it is just timeless. those actors were great, after all, they are real actors in real life. so the emotions are genuine.

it is always fun to watch foreign films to see what people around the world think, do, etc. i think that it showed the life of Spanish actors. and one of the guy looked like ashton kutcher. ;)