Torres @ the helm!
By 7 o'clock in the evening - a long line of filmgoers had formed in front of the Majestic Crest Theatre - anxious to catch the Fina Torres flick "Habana Eva"
Once inside the historical Art Deco theatre on Westwood, film buffs were treated to Wine & and a delectable assortment of tasty cheeses, and the opportunity to mingle with the Ms. Torres and pretty actress Prakriti Maduro.
Torres and Maduro did not disappoint!
The Director of "Woman on Top" (starring Penlope Cruz) was a whirlwind of energy - meeting and greeting fans graciously - and posing for frenzied potographers anxious to land some publicity stills for posterity.
Actress Prakriti Maduro was stunning in a elegant cocktail dress in an eye-catching shade of red that accented her delicate features.
An hour afer the doors originally swung open to the press and celebrated guests, other VIP's were still straining to get into the lobby to bask in the glow of the high-profile event.
I spied a smattering of local celebrities decked out in their heavy artillery (jewels & dazzling gowns), in addition to Yeni Alvarez (PR), and close friends of the Director and film crew there for support.
In some cases, I crossed paths with a couple of actresses, who brought me up to date on this 'n that.
Lorielle New, who I met last year at the start of a project she was just commencing at that time, informed me that her horror (remake) flick - "The Pit and the Pendalum" - was released just a few weeks ago and is doing well in DVD sales.
"Unfortunately, the economy bottomed-out, and the producers didn't have enough money to toss a premiere party. But, friends back East told me that fans have been snapping up DVD's on the Internet."
I laughed heartily when she noted that her DVD was actually being boot-legged.
Very flattering, in an odd sort-of-way!
The buzz in the air was deafening - right up until curtain was called - and all the excited guests finally plunked down in their seats to relax into the foreign film with subtitles.
Sold out!
Ms. Torres is a competent director with her own individual style.
In particular, her set-ups" (master shots, two-shots, close-ups) appealed to my own artistic sensibilities.
Also, I was swept away by her keen ability to know - when and where - to lay in a potent soundtrack, whimsical piece of music, or danceable tune to get the filmgoers juices flowing.
Torres demonstrated that it is not always necessary to cram a film with stimulating melodious sounds and slick visuals to entertain or slyly manipulate the audience.
Silence on occasion is golden.
Unfortunately, I personally found the film too long.
When you're close to a project - and it is a labor of love (as was the case here) - it is obviously difficult to take a hard-line approach from a commercial standpoint.
Ms. Torres (a romantic) strays too far to one end of the spectrum in favor of artistic license, when she should have been going the other way if she is sincerely interested in landing distribution in the mainstream in the U.S. (and abroad).
A bit of judicious editing (pruning) would satisfy that need without hurting the integrity of the movie.
Torres was bang-on in the casting end, by the way.
Prakriti Maduro - a charmer - turns in a enchanting performance.
If I was forced to compare her to an American actress, Julia Roberts would come to mind, immediately.
Like Ms. Roberts, Maduro is capable of stepping into a plain-Jane role (sans make-up), and captivating movie audiences with a naturalness and innocence that is hard to top.
Juan Carlos Garia - in the romantic lead - proved to be charismatic and ripe with promise for stardom on these shores.
Yuliet Cruz almost stole the show out from everyone!
Although the Latino hooker with a heart-of-gold is a bit of a cliche characterization, this young lady's comedic timing, flare for the ridiculous, and basic talent can't help but bowl audiences over.
Other minor cast members turned in quality performances as well.
If the film comes to a theatre near you, catch it, it certainly is worth the price of admision.
