Garcia Bernal Cast in Amazon Studios Pilot “Mozart in the Jungle”

Posted on November 4, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Gael García Bernal is about to get classical…

The 34-year-old Mexican actor/director has signed on to star in Amazon Studios’ comedy pilot Mozart In The Jungle.

Based on the memoir by Blair Tindal of the same name, the project is all about sex, drugs and classical music and shows that what happens behind the curtains at the symphony can be just as captivating as what happens onstage.

García Bernal, best known for his roles in Y tu mamá también, Amores perros and Babel, will play Gustavo, an enfant terrible who’s utterly devoted to his art as a conductor — but also to his image.

The pilot was written by Roman Coppola, Jason Schwartzman and Alex Timbers.

García Bernal, who last appeared on screen in the Oscar-nominated Spanish language film No, will next star in the films The Ardor and Rosewater.

Cuarón Sci-Fi Film “Gravity” Headed to the Zurich International Film Festival

Posted on August 15, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Alfonso Cuarón is bringing a little gravity to Switzerland…

The 51-year-old Mexican filmmaker’s highly anticipated new film Gravity will be screened at this year’s Zurich International Film Festival.

Cuarón’s new sci-fi film, which was written by him and his son Jonás Cuarón, will get a gala premiere at the festival.

The film centers on Dr. Stone (Sandra Bullock), a brilliant medical engineer on her first shuttle mission with veteran astronaut Matt Kowalsky (George Clooney). But on a seemingly routine spacewalk, disaster strikes. The shuttle is destroyed, leaving Stone and Kowalsky completely alone—tethered to nothing but each other and spiraling out into the blackness. The deafening silence tells them they’ve lost any link to Earth… and any chance for rescue.

The full Zurich Festival line-up will be announced by September 12. The 9th Zurich International Film Festival runs from September 26- October 6.

Gravity is scheduled to hit theaters in IMAX and 3D on October 4th.

Cuarón’s previous credits include Great Expectations, Y tu mamá también, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and Children of Men.

Cuarón’s “Gravity” to Open the 70th Annual Venice Film Festival

Posted on July 4, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Alfonso Cuarón latest film project is headed to Italy…

The 51-year-old Mexican filmmaker’s 3D deep space thriller Gravity will open the 70th Venice Film Festival in an out of competition berth.

The Warner Bros. film, starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney, will debut on the Lido on August 28.

Bullock plays a brilliant medical engineer on her first shuttle mission alongside a veteran astronaut played by Clooney. Disaster strikes during a seemingly routine spacewalk, leaving the two completely alone — tethered to one another and spiraling into the blackness.

Gravity is the first high-profile world premiere that Venice has announced so far.

Cuarón’s first film in Venice was 2001′s Y tu mamá también which won the Golden Osella for Best Screenplay as well as the Marcello Mastroianni Award for stars Gael García Bernal and Diego Luna.

In 2006, the director’s Children Of Men won the Best Cinematography Golden Osella for Emmanuel Lubezki, who is also the director of photography on Gravity.

The Venice Film Festival runs this year from August 28-September 7.

Cuarón to Direct First American Television Project for NBC…

Posted on September 22, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

Alfonso Cuarón is set to make his first foray into American television…

The 50-year-old Mexican filmmaker has partnered with J.J. Abrams for a high-concept drama, which has landed at NBC with a pilot production commitment.

Cuarón, a three-time Oscar nominee, will direct the pilot, which he’ll co-write with Home of the Brave’s Mark Friedman. The project centers on a girl who possesses great powers, which will come to fruition in seven years, and the man who gets released from prison to protect her from those trying to hunt her down.

Warner Bros. Television and Abrams’ studio-based Bad Robot are producing the untitled project, with Abrams, Cuarón, Friedman and Bryan Burk executive producing.

Cuarón received Academy Award nominations for writing Y tu mamá también and Children of Men, both of which he directed as well. He also received a nod for editing Children of Men. He also helmed Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.

Bejo: From Oscar Nominee to Academy Member

Posted on July 1, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

She received her first Oscar nomination earlier this year for her scene-stealing role in The Artist… And now Bérénice Bejo will be helping select future Oscar nominees and winners.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has extended an invitation to the 35-year-old Argentinean actress to join the organization. Bejo—who has appeared in The Artist, OSS 117 and Cairo, Nest of Spies—is one of the 176 artists and executives to receive an invitation for their distinguished contributions to theatrical motion pictures.

But Bejo isn’t the only Hispanic artist to receive an invitation … Here’s a look at the other Latinos to make the list:

Actors
Demián Bichir – A Better Life, Che
Clifton Collins, Jr. – Star Trek, Traffic
Diego Luna – Milk, Y Tu Mamá También

Directors
Rodrigo Garcia – Albert Nobbs, Mother and Child

Music
Alberto Iglesias – Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, The Constant Gardener

Short Films and Feature Animation
Jonas Rivera – Up, Cars

”These film professionals represent some of the most talented, most passionate contributors to our industry,” said Academy President Tom Sherak. “I’m glad to recognize that by calling each of them a fellow Academy member.”

Those who accept the invitation will be the only additions in 2012 to the Academy’s roster of members.

New members will be welcomed into the Academy at an invitation-only reception in September.

Garcia Bernal & Luna Star in Will Ferrell’s Spanish Comedy

Posted on January 18, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

Gael García Bernal and Diego Luna helped put Mexican cinema on the map with their international hit Y tu mamá también… And, now they’re back together once again to entertain audiences in español…

Bernal, 31, and Luna, 30, are co-starring in Will Ferrell’s Spanish-language comedy Casa de mi Padre, that features Ferrell talking – and singing – in español.

It only takes one look at the film’s latest just-released trailer to see the comedy has a very telenovela–feel with plenty of over-passionate love scenes, snazzy white suits, dramatic mustaches and slow-motion gunfights.

Ferrell stars as Armando Alvarez who works on his father’s ranch in Mexico. As the ranch suffers financial problems, Armando’s younger brother Raul (Luna) shows up with his new fiancée, Sonia (Genesis Rodriguez). When Armando falls for Sonia, and Raul’s business dealings turn out to be less than legit, all hell breaks loose as they find themselves battling Mexico’s most feared drug lord, the mighty Onza (Bernal).

It’s the latest film co-starring the Mexican actors, who have been friends since childhood. Along with 2001’s Y tu mamá también, in which they played two oversexed, under-experienced teenage boys on a journey of sexual exploration, Bernal and Luna also starred in 2008’s Rudo y Cursi.

Casa de mi Padre will open in theaters on March 16.

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