Cuarón to Preside Over the International Jury at This Year’s Venice Film Festival

Posted on May 11, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Alfonso Cuarón is ready to chair, and chair alike…

The 53-year-old Mexican director and Oscar-winner will chair the International Jury for the Competition at the 72nd Venice Film Festival in September.

The appointment by the board of directors comes two years after Cuarón’s Gravity opened the festival out of competition and one year after his friend Alejandro G. Inarritu raised the curtain with Birdman.

Both men went on to win the directing Academy Award (among others) for their respective films.

Two of Cuarón’s other Oscar nominated films have also premiered on the Lido: 2001’s Y Tu Mamà También and 2006’s Children Of Men. The former won the Osella Award for Best Screenplay and the Marcello Mastroianni Award (for stars Gael García Bernal and Diego Luna).

Children Of Men later won the Osella Award for Emmanuel Lubezki’s cinematography.

The Venice Film Festival runs from September 2-12.

Luna to Star in Amazon’s Casanova-Themed Drama Pilot

Posted on April 8, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Diego Luna is ready to romance Amazon…

The 35-year-old Mexican actor will star in Amazon and Electus’ Giacomo Casanova drama pilot, which is being directed by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Jean-Pierre Jeunet (Amelie).

Luna, who rose to acclaim in Y tu mamá también, has been tapped for the title role, with Bojana Novakovic, Miranda Richardson, Ben Daniels and Amelia Clarkson co-starring.

The untitled project, which is currently filming in Europe, chronicles a little-known period in the life of the famous 18th century renaissance man. Known primarily as a womanizer, Casanova actually served as a spy for the Parisian government.

The show begins after he breaks free from Venice’s most impenetrable prison and moves to Paris with nothing—determined to start his life over after his wild ways left him behind bars. Following a journey full of passionate romance and incredible danger, the series will reveal the other side of the infamous Venetian, whose talents ranged from diplomacy to music to linguistics.

Novakovic plays the famous French royal mistress Madame de Pompadour, Richardson is Marquise d’Urfé, Daniels portrays Francois-Joachim de Bernis, and Clarkson plays Manon Balletti.

Stu Zicherman wrote the script.

The finished pilot will be made available on Amazon later this year.

Luna’s previous credits include the films Elysium and Casa de Mi Padre, an appearance in Katy Perry’s music video “The One That Got Away,” and the television movie Fidel.

Luna to Star in the Dystopian Love Story “The Bad Batch”

Posted on March 20, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Diego Luna is part of a bad, bad batch…

The 35-year-old Mexican actor has joined the ensemble cast of the dystopian love story The Bad Batch.

Luna has been cast opposite Suki Waterhouse, Keanu Reeves and Jim Carrey in the Ana Lily Amirpour-directed film from Megan Ellison’s Annapurna Pictures and VICE.

Jimmy, Waterhouse will play the charter of Arlen, Reeves will play The Dream, and Carrey The Hermit.

Production is set to start in L.A. on the Texas wasteland cannibal tale next month. Luna will play

Winner of the Gotham Award for Breakthrough Director for her debut, the Iranian vampire feature A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night, Amirpour is also writing The Bad Batch.

Garcia Bernal to Direct His Second Feature Film, “Chicuarotes”

Posted on March 11, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Gael Garcia Bernal is ready to head back behind the camera…

The 36-year-old Mexican actor, director and producer will helm a “very dark comedy” titled Chicuarotes.

The film is set amid the lakes in Mexico City and centers around teens who “want to become economically superior to what they are,” he said during the Doha Film Institute’s Qumra event dedicated to nurturing emerging Arab filmmakers.

Bernal said his sophomore feature, which follows his 2007 directorial debut Deficit, is being written by Mexican scribe Augusto Mendoza, who co-penned Diego Luna’s feature film debut Abel and Luna’s upcoming Mr. Pig.

Bernal and Luna are partners in Canana, the Mexico City/L.A. production house Luna founded with Bernal and Pablo Cruz and which has become a powerhouse producer for a new generation of Mexican helmers.

“All I can say in a broad way is it’s about kids and that the lake is a paradise; it’s an incredible place with the axolotl,” said Garcia Bernal. The axolotl is an odd-looking ancient salamander with a flat head and spiked feet.

“It’s paradise but these teens want to buy into the whole narrative of progress; to be economically superior to what they are. It’s ridiculous what we go through as humans to become richer,” Garcia Bernal mused.

He’s developing it through Canana with plans to start shooting next year.

During the Doha masterclass in Doha Bernal called his experience directing Deficit, which is a drama about an upper-class Mexican brat, an experiment that just didn’t happen.” He added: “but it gave me a strong sense of vengeance. I want to direct a film next year, one way or another.” Since Deficit Bernal has shot five shorts.

Luna to Star Opposite Elle Fanning in the Sci-Fi Film “IO”

Posted on February 1, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Diego Luna has landed an out of this world role…

The 35-year-old Mexican actor has been cast opposite Elle Fanning in Clay Jeter’s sci-fi pic IO, a project that was developed at the Sundance Institute’s Writers Lab and Sundance Catalyst Forum.

Jeter, who made the 2011 Sundance Film Festival pic Jess + Moss, wrote the script with Will Basanta and Charles Spano.

The character-driven IO, which is slated to begin production later this year, tells the story of a girl’s coming of age while examining the dangers of humanity’s current relationship with the planet.

Fanning will play the teen surviving as one of the last people on an abandoned post-cataclysmic Earth, who is racing to find a cure for her poisoned home world before the last shuttle off the planet to the distant human space colony leaves her stranded.

Luna, who rose to acclaim after starring in Y tu mamá también, will play a complicated and mysterious refugee on his way to the shuttle launch who makes her question whether she can really alter Earth’s fate.

“We are so excited for Elle to bring her charisma and fearlessness to the demanding role of the tragically obsessed idealist Sam,” said Jeter. “And Diego’s chameleon-like versatility makes him a perfect choice for the secretive and enigmatic Micah. I’m really looking forward to a creative collaboration with these incredibly talented and committed actors to bring the characters of IO to life.”

Luna’s film credits include roles in Rudo y Cursi, The Terminal, Elysium and Milk.

Ruizpalacios’ “Güeros” Wins the Main Competition Section at the Los Cabos International Film Festival

Posted on November 17, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Alonso Ruizpalacios continues his winning ways…

The Mexican director and screenwriter’s latest film Güeros won the main competition section at the third edition of the Los Cabos International Film Festival.

Güeros, a road movie revolving around a trio of Mexican slackers, has found success on the festival circuit with wins in Berlin, Tribeca and most recently at Mexico’s Morelia festival.

In Los Cabos’ Mexico First section, the jury prize went to Arturo Gonzalez‘s Llevate Mis Amores, a portrait of Mexican women who provide food to U.S.-bound Central American migrants.

Special guests at the festival included Rosario Dawson (The Captive); Mexican directors Diego Luna (Chavez) and Guillermo Arriaga (The Burning Plain); and actors Ellar Coltrane and Lorelei Linklater, who were on hand for the closer Boyhood.

Among the deals announced in Los Cabos, director Mark Kassen (Puncture) will be helming Criminal Enterprise for Dummies. As for acquisitions, Cine Tren picked up Latin American distribution for Justin Benson‘s Spring and Germany’s Media Luna grabbed world rights to Internet Junkie.

The five-day event often turned political as actors and filmmakers used the stage to demand justice for the violent disappearance of 43 students in the southern state of Guerrero.

Los Cabos ran from Nov. 12-16. The annual event brings together industry people from the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

Dawson to Announce This Year’s Spirit Award Nominees

Posted on November 12, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Rosario Dawson has the spirit, yes she does…

The 35-year-old Puerto Rican and Afro-Cuban American actress, who has earned critical acclaim for her work in Chris Rock’s Top Five, has been tapped to announce this year’s 2015 Spirit Award nominees, according to Film Independent president Josh Welsh.

The Sin City: A Dame To Kill For star will be joined by Mexican actor Diego Luna, who directed Dawson in his Cesar Chavez biopic Chavez.

They’ll announce the nominees at 10:00 am PT on Tuesday, November 25, at the W Hollywood.

Spirit Award winners will be announced on February 21 under Film Independent’s signature tent on the beach in Santa Monica.

Luna & Garcia Bernal Partner with A&E to Bring Mexican Medical Drama “Niño Santo” to the U.S.

Posted on September 19, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Diego Luna and Gael García Bernal may soon have their first American television series.

A&E Network has teamed up with the Mexican actors/filmmakers and Steven Spielberg’s Amblin TV for Niño Santo, based on the Mexican spiritual medical drama series executive-produced by Luna and Garcia Bernal.

The project has been put in fast-track development with an order for multiple scripts. A+E Studios is producing with Amblin TV and the original show’s producer Canana.

Niño Santo centers on a group of young doctors who are sent to vaccinate the locals in a remote village, where they encounter an unusual cult headed by an enigmatic faith healer. The curiosity of the doctors leads them to become involved with this group in the name of science. As they witness Niño’s “miracles,” they begin to weigh scientific impossibility against the possibility of faith.

The creative and producing team of the original series will be involved in the adaptation. Mauricio Katz and Pedro Peirano, who created the Mexican series with Pablo Cruz, will write the script.

“We are in constant pursuit of projects featuring great characters, compelling drama and the outstanding storytelling uniquely suited to the A&E brand, and Niño Santo fits all of those criteria,” said A&E EVP and General Manager David McKillop. “What sets this apart from other format adaptations is that we have the original creative team in place guiding the process to ensure their authentic vision remains intact for the American audience.”

Garcia Bernal & Luna to Co-Produce Fantastic Fest’s Fantastic Market with Robert Rodriguez’s El Rey Network

Posted on August 8, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna are preparing for a fantastic September.

The actors’ production company with Pablo Cruz will be co-producing the Fantastic Fest’s second edition of its international co-production market: Fantastic Market | Mercado Fantastico.

Garcia Bernal, Luna and their company will co-produce the market alongside Robert Rodriguez’s El Rey Network.

The international co-production market focuses on genre films and highlights new narrative projects from across the globe, with a particular emphasis on filmmakers from Latin America, Spain, Portugal and Latino filmmakers in the U.S. The goal is to connect international film projects with potential production partners, sales agents and distributors.

In all, Fantastic Fest has selected 15 projects for this second edition.

Among the projects selected this year are Ventana director Rodrigo Susarte’s Invunche and Fright Night 2 helmer Eduardo Rodriguez’s The Darkness of the Road.

Click here for the full list of projects.

Trailer Released for Saldaña’s CGI Romantic Comedy “The Book of Life”

Posted on June 3, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

It’s the Day of (the Dead) reckoningfor Zoe Saldaña…

The first trailer for 20th Century Fox and Reel FX’s The Book of Life, featuring the voice of the 35-year-old half-Dominican/half-Puerto Rican American actress, has been released.

Saldaña voice the character of Maria in the Guillermo del Toro-produced film, which isdescribed as the journey of Manolo (voiced by Diego Luna), a young man who is torn between fulfilling the expectations of his family and following his heart. Before choosing which path to follow, he embarks on an incredible adventure that spans three fantastical worlds, where he must face his greatest fears.

In addition to Saldaña and Luna, the voice cast also includesKate del Castillo as La Muerte, Cheech Marin, Héctor Elizondo, Plácido Domingo, Ana de la Reguera, Eugenio Derbez and Danny Trejo.

The CGI romantic comedy, which is set during the Mexican holiday of the Day of the Dead, is directed by El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera creator Jorge Gutierrez. It was co-written by Gutierrez and Disney veteran Doug Langdale.

The Book of Life is scheduled to hit theaters on October 17.

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