‘WE NEED ALL YOUR 17-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTERS PLEASE!’
Amleeritallina
Selina Robertson meets CATALINA SANDINO MORENO, the hot new Columbian star of MARIA FULL OF GRACE.
oshua Marston (pictured. right). who wrote and
directed Maria l’ull ofGrur'i'. the movie about
a girl who becomes a drug courier. describes many moments of personal crisis when the film was in its genesis. ‘I am not Columbian. How can I accurately describe the story of a l7-year-old Columbian girl'." he says. In trying to get the film greenlit. interested studios advised him to turn Maria into a nanny. a Mary Poppins figure. to make it more palatable for an linglish speaking audience (he did not take the spoonful of sugar). When HBO. a company that actively looks for new and challenging work. picked up the script and told him it was a bonus for the film to be in its original language. he was ecstatic. Since its Sundance 2004 premier and Audience Award win. the film‘s collection of nominations and trophies has been exceptional. culminating in Catalina Sandino Moreno. who plays Maria. receiving a wildcard nomination for Best Actress in the recent 2005 Academy Awards. She is the first Columbian ever to be nominated.
At the time of casting. Moreno was studying advertising and drama in Columbia. The production crew travelled through small local villages close to Bogota with a megaphone. saying: “We need all your I7-year-old daughters. please!‘ Marston tells me wryly. This rather unorthodox audition proved successful. as Moreno showed up to try out for the part. Asked why she took the role. she says: ‘lt was a good opportunity for me. I was studying theatre and the film didn’t portray Colurnbians as in other movies — kidnappers. murderers. scum‘. l flashback to hours of teenage enjoyment watching 80s cop show Miami lice. Without a doubt it is her strong sense of patriotism and contagious energy that Moreno clearly
draws upon to portray the struggle of a young girl who swallows pellets of heroin in order to start a new life for herself in New York.
Moreno points out that for many of the scenes in New York she ‘didn‘t need to practice‘. Filming in Jackson Heights. Queens proved a challenge for a young actress who. three weeks into the shoot. really started missing her family. especially her mother. But she describes being touched and surprised by the bond within the ex-pat (‘olumbian community. Interestingly. ()rlando Tobon. who was cast in the role of Don Fernando. a go-betwecn and counsellor to Maria. is based on his real life position as the mayor
of Little Columbia (AKA Jackson Heights). Many of
the film’s scenes were based on actual events. but this is no Mir/night lz'x'ln'vss-style exploitation.
Clearly Marston emulates Ken l.oach‘s method and happily describes a surprise call from the director
while in Berlin last year as ‘one of the highlights of
the whole process. He liked it very much and asked me if I wanted to get a cup of coffee'. Both Marston and Moreno have travelled extensively with the film. and in 2003 Moreno moved to New York to continue her studies in acting. She gave her debut theatre
performance in an off-Broadway production of
Shakespeare‘s King John and. according to her agent. is reading lots of scripts. The lucky man in her life is the gaffer who worked on the film's production. 'Maria struggles for things — I do too. I‘ve wanted to be an actress. here I am thank (iodl' This kid will definitely stay in the picture.
Maria Full of Grace is at the GFT, Glasgow and selected cinemas from Fri 25 Mar. See review, page 50.
Hit
THE BEST FILM & DVD RELEASES
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* 'Mloev: Weeping Meadow Greek filmmaker Theo Angelopoulos begins his historical epic trilogy in this brilliant exploration of Greek history through a tragedian's eye. See review. Cameo, Edinburgh (Fri 7 8— 7hu 24 only), GFT. Glasgow (Fri 25— Sun 27 Mar only).
* 5x2 Francois Ozon is back with a surprisingly dark dissection of a modern marriage in default. The twist is he tells the story in reverse. See interview and review. Selected release.
>l< Don’t Move Crazy Italian melodrama about a disgruntled married surgeon Timoteo (Sergio Castilletti) and his obsession with italia (Penelope Cruz) 3 young lady from the wrong side of the tracks. See interview and review. Fi/mhouse, Edinburgh.
>i< Maria Full of Grace Naturalistic drug mule drama which introduces the charms of Catalina Sandino Moreno. See preview and review. GFT, Glasgow and selected release.
* The Machinist Christian Bale on scary form as a disturbed, insomniac. super-thin factory worker. See feature and review. Selected release.
* The Wild Bunch: Amerian Cinema 1 967-1 980 Mean Streets, A Woman Under the Influence. The Last Picture Show - there isn't one bad film in this excellent eight day season. Fi/mhouse, Edinburgh ( 78-25 Mar only).
* Secret Cinema Another undisclosed cult/rare film will be screened at the chime of midnight. Hurrah! Filmhouse. Edinburgh (Fri 18 Mar only).
* Nick Broomfleld: Documenting Icons Six-film DVD box set featuring some of the highlights Broomfield's brilliant career. Metrodome.
‘ '7':7 MW THE LIST 47