Rachel Miller
Culture & Thought Editor
WITH ITS limited release in select theaters this past weekend, pro-life film Bella continues its journey towards reaching a wide public audience—a journey which began, in part, right here at Notre Dame.
Bella follows the lives of waitress Nina, played by Tammy Blanchard, and former soccer player Jose, played by Eduardo Verasteguí, as they intersect during one day in New York City. Both, the audience discovers, are searching for their own healing, and the story becomes one which reveals the beauty and sacredness of life. It has won several awards, including the People’s Choice Award at the Toronto Film Festival, whose previous winners included Life is Beautiful and Hotel Rwanda, and earned distribution by Lionsgate Films.
In April 2006, the Browning Cinema at the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center hosted the Midwest Premiere of the film, along with a reception featuring Bella’s writer and director, Alejandro Monteverde, and lead actor Verasteguí.
“We did do the premiere and had the producer and lead actor out here,” said Jon Vickers, Director of the Browning Cinema. “We actually had the premiere a week before it was screened in the Vatican, and even before they won at Toronto.”
The Notre Dame connection to Bella was forged by ties to its producers at Metanoia Films through the DPAC Advisory Council, and has stayed strong. “We have been in contact throughout the long journey to distribution,” said Vickers. “We developed a long-distance relationship. They want to do other great things, and the first step is selling this first film.”
Released in select cities beginning October 26th, Bella is not yet available in the South Bend area. Because it was shown not only at the Browning Cinema premiere, but also during the Edith Stein Project conference this past February, and privately screened by the Notre Dame-St. Mary’s Right to Life Club, it won’t make it to screens in this area this month. However, according to Vickers, “It will make it to the area…it’s a limited release, so it’s not in the area yet, but it will make it back to the Browning Cinema, or will be at the Showplace 16, or Vickers Theater in Michigan.”
“I’m very much on top of what they’re doing; they’re a great group of people,” he said. “Because of the constraints on the Browning Cinema due to our desire to show other very worthy films, along with those requests from various departments, I can’t make any promises, but it will be in the area. If we can fit it into the spring schedule, I would like to do it.”
Though the box office results from its opening weekend are not yet in, Bella has high hopes for turning film audiences towards a culture of life, and Metanoia Films, its production company, looks to produce more mind- and heart-changing pictures. And they’ll have Notre Dame’s support along the way.
“There’s a very likely chance that if they do another film, we’ll have them back to Notre Dame,” commented Vickers.
For more information on Bella, and to find showings in major US cities, visit www.bellathemovie.com.
Rachel Miller is a junior political science and theology major who cries at every showing—and encourages you to do the same! Contact Rachel at rmille10@nd.edu.
|
