Bella

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 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.

This film is due for release in April 2007. Any reviews prior to this date (including this one) are from people who saw it at a film festival or at a pre-screening like I did. The one I attended had a question and answer session at the end along with a handout that asked people to help promote the film by writing positive reviews. Make no mistake; this is a Catholic-inspired movie with an unabashed pro-life message.

In the beginning, a very hirsute Jose, looking very much like my conception of Jesus Christ (I actually found this rather distracting and Eduardo Verastegui looks nothing at all like he does in the main promotional poster), is working as a chef in his brother's Mexican restaurant in New York City. His co-worker, Nina, is unmarried and finds herself pregnant, late for work, and consequently unemployed. The two then spend the day together and Jose, as a friend, is both consoling and supportive as she comes to terms with the decisions she must make.

Although slow in parts, the acting is believable, the script intelligent (albeit with some odd bits and a few things that didn't make much sense), and the cinematography remarkable. And the message, although not subtle, is not overbearing. If you are Christian, and especially if you are pro-life, you will love this film. And even if you're not it may well bring a tear to your eye. After all, it did win the People's Choice award at the Toronto Film Festival in 2006.

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.

Having heard that this film won at Toronto, I was anxious to see it. Although it has not yet been widely released, I was fortunate to attend at a recent sneak preview and found it to be incredibly refreshing and subtly powerful. Stylistically, newcomer director Alejandro Monteverde does a superb job pacing the story -- combining just the right amounts of character, humor, and mystery into a package that satisfies on multiple levels -- intellectually, visually, emotionally, symbolically, etc. The photography -- shot in and around the streets of Manhattan and Long Island -- is top notch, reminding me of James Crabe's amazing cinematography along the streets of Philadelphia in Rocky (1977)....and the editing, relying heavily on jump cuts, keeps the story moving along in multiple time frames to great effect.

The actors all shine in their roles, particularly Mexican superstar Eduardo Verástegui and Tammy Blanchard, who portray their particularly complex relationship -- between a cook and a waitress in a Mexican restaurant -- with finesse. Additionally, the filmmakers do an excellent job presenting Hispanic culture in a manner that shatters the ridiculous stereotypes that are often presented in mainstream television and film. The scenes taking place at the cook's Hispanic parents' house are particularly funny, charming, and poignant. Also, the film portrays some very powerful emotional moments that have tremendous staying power long after leaving the theater.

In short, this is subtly powerful film that everyone should see.