Bella

by Lisa Samson

  “You’re welcome. When you’re away from the ocean, you can hear the waves. Anytime you want.”

  Nina looked up at José, and another sob tumbled from her mouth. She stood up and he put his arms around her. “Thank you so much,” she cried, her tears soaking into his shirt. “I’m sorry . . .”

  “Shh,” he said. “We all love you, Nina.” And he looked down at Bella, hugging the little bear. Who could have known?

  “Bella . . . ,” Nina said.

  Bella held out her hand. Nina took it.

  José scooted around the other side and took Bella’s other hand. “Would you like to walk with us?” he asked.

  “Yes, I would like that.”

  They headed toward the surf, waves rolling and crashing, whispering of life, providing a song for the day’s dance.

  The Film’s Production Story

  I didn’t have a big budget, but I had New York City,” Monteverde says emphatically. “You can shoot there with 50 million dollars or 1 million dollars and it’s still New York City—the biggest celebrity you can find. I needed that city no matter what.”

  “And he got it,” says producer Denise Pinckley, whose feature film credits as production manager include The Manchurian Candidate, The Legend of Bagger Vance, and Analyze This. Pinckley was recommended to Metanoia as a smart producer and a troubleshooter who could make their money go a very long way. At the time, she was considering a job on a big-budget film as a production manager that would also shoot in Manhattan. But her meeting with the charismatic Monteverde made the same dramatic impression that it had made on others. She declined the big Hollywood film and set out to do her best with an indie budget.

  “Professionally, it was a choice between something I knew I could do and something I believed I could do, and Bella was where my heart was,” says Pinckley. “Alejandro was so committed to Bella that once we discussed it, I never wavered in the belief that we could shoot in New York, the way he wanted it, and with the resources we had available.”

  As the move started to come together, Monteverde also tapped Andrew Cadalago, his good friend from the University of Texas film school, to work as his cinematographer. The two had partnered on student films and had developed a comfortable shorthand for getting the job done artistically and economically.

  The next challenge was casting.

  “Suddenly, it was three weeks before shooting and we were still seeing actresses,” says Verastegui. “I had been wearing the producer’s hat for so long, in lots of meetings, that I had forgotten to concentrate on my role as José. Acting is like a muscle and it has to be exercised, so I began to focus on the character.”

  “In a way, Eduardo is like his character José in real life,” explains Monteverde. “I had seen the way he connects with people, and I wanted to capture that. Eduardo is also very handsome but I didn’t want the audience to be distracted by that so we came up with the idea of a full beard and long hair. I told him that I didn’t want to see anything but his eyes.”

  “For me, I was eager to erase the last twelve years of my career, the stereotype of the Latin lover,” says Verastegi. “José is impulsive on the say of our story, but the thing I like best about him is that he listens. And he is very close to his mother and his family, like I am.”

  “I know how much Eduardo can communicate with his eyes, and I know that he is a passionate man—but I was very tough on him,” admits the director. “Not because he was doing badly, but because I wanted to break him down. I was tougher on him than anyone else on the set. I wanted to break him and capture that vulnerable quality on film.”

  Looking back on the experience of being directed by his demanding friend, Verastegi says, “Alejandro takes you deep and lets you go, giving the actor the freedom to create. He’s my brother.”

  In the role of Nina, whose wounded spirit touches something deep in José, Monteverde cast actress Tammy Blanchard, who had also recently been hired for Robert DeNiro’s big budget feature film production The Good Shepherd, opposite Matt Damon. An Emmy-award winner for her star-turning role in ABC’s television epic Me and My Shadows: Life with Judy Garland. Blanchard was the first actress to read for the role of Nina. Subsequently, she asked her managers to set up a second meeting with the first-time director.

  “She said quite directly, ‘I want you to know that character is mine.’ She was very determined but also very humble. I called her that night and told her that I had faith in her. She had the role.”

  Blanchard explains, “I don’t do a project unless I feel I can put my heart and soul in it. I responded to the brokenness of these people . . . the city of Manhattan is full of people who are lost and confused and everyone is looking for that saving grace to pull them out of their pain. I thought this was a true, honest story.”

  “Tammy and I would walk around the set talking about the character,” Monteverde continues. “And even though she has quite a few emotional scenes, she’s a one-taker. If we went further, it’s because I had other technical things in mind, but she always got it the first time.”

  “As soon as we started rehearsing, I could see how talented, and how transparent she was,” says Verstegui. “She was full of positive reinforcement and I wanted to protect her with mutual support.”

  “Nina is a lost lamb and somehow a shepherd comes along,” explains Blanchard about her character. “She follows José to a safe place where she can express herself, and when he opens up about his life, he practically breathes life into her.”

  A third character, a mother who meets José under difficult circumstances at the height of his soccer career, is played by Ali Landry, who was then the girlfriend (and now, wife) of Monteverde. Although she’s a talented actress who is known for her co-starring role on the TV show Eve, the director insisted that she get no special consideration.

  Instead, she took the time to prepare her own audition tape.

  “And she knocked us out,” says Serervino. “She had such emotional depth that we had no hesitation about casting her as Celia.”

  Packed into the tight twenty-four-day shooting schedule were numerous scenes in Manhattan, including the Mexican restaurant scenes which took place at Il Campanello on West 31st Street; José’s family home, written as Long Island, was shot in Rockaway Beach, Bella Harbor, Queens; and the movie’s early scenes which establish José as a soccer star were filmed in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.

  Shooting at least six pages a day, which is twice that of a normal feature film pace, Monteverde encouraged his department heads to move briskly but creatively. Production designer Richard Lassalle not only helped establish the characters and environments with his artistic input and original ideas, but he gave every set his personal attention, including the colorful mural he painted in the restaurant.

  “Looking back, I can say that this production was blessed,” observes Pinckley. “I tried to anticipate the many obstacles that can get in your way, from weather problems to shooting in the crowded streets, but everything went incredibly smoothly.”

  With just two days of exteriors left to shoot, Monteverde did eventually come to a bump in the road. Not a drop of rain had fallen the previous weeks of shooting, but a storm hit the night before and it seemed certain that it would jeopardize two important exterior scenes in Brooklyn. “On Thursday, Denise had to break it to me that there was a 99 percent chance that it was going to rain the next day,” recalls the director. “But the weather had been on our side for the whole shoot. So I said, let’s come out tomorrow and shoot. But everyone thought I was crazy. So I woke up the next day and it was raining like mad. I drove to the set at 6:30 a.m., and here’s our gaffer pointing to his computer and all the evidence that it would rain us out.”

  “We all stood on a corner with the rain dripping from trees, but the backyard where we wanted to shoot was relatively dry,” recalls Pinckley. “So I ordered the crane that Alejandro had his heart set on.”

  “I was stubborn,” admits Monteverde. “I looked up and I saw a hole i
n the sky—maybe the size of one airplane—and I’m thinking that this hole is going to stop over head and we’re going to be able to shoot. Eduardo and Denise believed me. So we took a big leap of faith and set up. At 9:00 a.m. the rain stopped just two blocks away. If you had moved one block further in any direction, it would be raining. And according to the computers, it was even raining in our neighborhood. But we were dry until we finished shooting at 7:00 p.m., and then it started raining. It was a miracle. I would definitely call it a miracle.”

  At the end of the shoot, Monteverde returned to Los Angeles, where he teamed with editor Fernando Villena to find the visual, emotional story that the filmmakers wanted to tell. To compose the film’s original score, Metanoia hired first-timer Stephen Altman, who not only wrote the music but personally performed each instrument himself before building a score that evokes hot salsa rhythms as well as quiet themes and intimate musical portraits.

  The Actors

  José, played by Eduardo Verástegui

  Born and raised in Xicotencatl, Tamaulipas, a tiny village in Northern Mexico, Verástegui was the son of a sugar cane farmer. At the age of 18, he left his small town and headed to Mexico City to pursue a career in entertainment. Twelve years later, Eduardo had toured the world as a singer in the Mexican pop sensation Kairo and as an acclaimed solo recording artist, performing sold-out concerts in over thirteen countries.

  Starring in five highly-rated Spanish soap operas for Televisa (broadcast in over nineteen countries), he has also been featured on hundreds of international magazine covers, including People En Espa-ñol, which voted him one of the 50 Most Beautiful People. Verástegui has appeared opposite Jennifer Lopez in one of her most famous music videos “Ain’t it Funny!” as well as in an international television commercial promoting her self-titled commercial fragrances.

  In 2001, Verástegui was on a flight from Miami to Los Angeles when he was approached by the V.P. of Casting at 20th Century Fox for the studio’s first-ever Latino-driven film, Chasing Papi, and won the starring role. He subsequently co-starred in an indie film called Meet Me in Miami and has appeared in such primetime television series as CSI: Miami, Charmed, and Karen Cisco.

  In 2004, following an inspiration to transform his image, Verástegui left his agency and management and teamed with director Alejandro Monteverde and producers Sean Wolfington, Leo Severino, and Eustace Wolfington to make Bella and to form Metanoia Films, a company committed to projects that entertain, engage, and inspire.

  Nina, played by Tammy Blanchard

  Blanchard’s professional acting career started with a three-year stint as Drew Jacobs on CBS’s daytime soap opera Guiding Light. Director Robert Ackerman then cast her to play the young Judy Garland in ABC’s TV miniseries Me and My Shadow: Life with Judy Garland, which earned her much critical acclaim and an Emmy award for Best Supporting Actress. She co-starred with Blythe Danner in Lifetime’s We Were the Mulvaneys and next to the Broadway stage in the latest revival of Gypsy, starring Bernadette Peters, directed by Sam Mendes. For her portrayal of Louise, Ms. Gypsy Rose Lee, she was nominated for the Tony and received a Theater World Award.

  Blanchard joined Peter Falk for CBS’s When Angels Come to Town, and in 2005, Robert DeNiro cast her in The Good Shepherd opposite Matt Damon and Angelina Jolie and scheduled for release in December of 2006. She most recently finished CBS’s upcoming movie for television Sybil, where she plays the title role, starring with actress Jessica Lange.

  Manny, played by Manny Perez

  One of eleven siblings, he was born in a suburb of the city of Santiago in the Dominican Republic. At the age of 10, he and his family moved to the United States, settling in Providence, Rhode Island. He majored in drama at Marymount Manhattan College, graduating in 1992. He has also studied at the prestigious Ensemble Studio Theatre and is a member of the Labryinth Theatre Company, in New York City.

  Perez produced, starred, and co-wrote Washington Heights, an independent movie set in his own neighborhood. He starred in Sidney Lumet’s critically acclaimed series “100 Center Street,” NBC’s Third Watch as Officer Santiago, and has appeared in such episodic shows as Law & Order and CSI: Miami. He will be seen in the upcoming films El Cantante, starring Marc Anthony and Yellow. At the Santo Domingo Invita: All-Star-Night at Radio City Music Hall, Perez was honored as one of the most prominent Dominican actors in the United States.

  Celia, played by Ali Landry

  Raised in a small Cajun town in Louisiana, Landry graduated from the University of Southwestern Louisiana with a degree in communications. She entered the Miss USA pageant in 1996 with the hope of launching a career in broadcasting or entertainment, and her win brought her to the attention of a major Hollywood talent agency. The popular host of such television shows as Prime Time Comedy and America’s Greatest Pets, she eventually signed with Frito Lay for an acclaimed Doritos campaign that debuted during the 1998 Super Bowl telecast and gained her instantaneous fame.

  Landry soon made the transition to acting with a variety of film and television roles, including a co-starring role in UPN’s Eve, which has recently completed its third season. She has made guest-starring appearances on such episodic series as Felicity, Pensacola, and Popular. In 2000, she had a featured role in the motion picture Beautiful, directed by Sally Field.

  About Metanoia Films

  Bella is the first film produced by Metanoia Films. Our mission is to make movies that matter and have the potential to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives. Metanoia is owned by Sean Wolfington, Eduardo Verastegui, Leo Severino, Alejandro Monteverde, and Eustace Wolfington. The team is brought together by a vision to make timeless films that make a positive difference in the world by promoting stories and characters that inspire and change people’s lives. Metanoia Films has a number of projects in development, financed through a recently developed film fund.

  Letter to the reader from the author

  Dear Friend,

  When my editor called me to tell me about Bella and ask whether or not I would consider writing the novelization of the screenplay, I was sitting in the waiting room of my dentist’s office. I went out to the sunny front porch on that autumn afternoon and listened to the excitement in her voice as she told me about the movie, how it had won the People’s Choice Award at the Toronto Film Festival and above all, how wonderful the Bella people were to talk with, how excited they were about their project and the message of faith, hope, love and life it gave to those blessed enough to see it. Did I want on board?

  Of course! For years I’ve been a great lover of life in all its glorious, beautiful stages. From two cells to its dying breath, all life is a beautiful gift of God. We were on a tight time schedule by the time the writing process began. I had a month to turn the screenplay into a novel. Thankfully, the plot and dialogue were basically set, so I had the necessary time to deepen the characterization and provide the story of Nina’s past, her hopes and dreams, her disappointments and trials. Leo Severino was so helpful in providing me with the ideas the writers weren’t able to give screen time to and we hit the ground running, shooting emails and phone calls back and forth. It was a new process for me, but one I’m so glad to have had the opportunity to explore.

  Thanks for picking up this book. I hope it blesses you, encourages you, and for some who find themselves in the valley of decision, that it will provide the light of hope.

  Pax Christi,

  Lisa

  Lexington, KY

  Reading Group Guide

  1. José’s grandmother often told him, “If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans.” In what ways did José’s plans change throughout this story? And in what way did God get involved in José’s plans and change them?

  2. José is described as a good-looking man. Why do you think he now wears a long beard and shaggy hair? In what ways does that help him heal after the tragedy he caused?

  3. José’s name means “he will enlarge,” and one of the meanings of the name Nina is �
��mother.” In what ways do these character’s names define their destiny?

  4. Food is a significant part of this story. How did the flavors of the Mexican culture weave their way into the lives of the major characters—those with Hispanic heritage and those without?

  5. Pieter is particularly cold to Nina when she discovers she is pregnant with his child. What motivates and informs his decisions in life? Why does he strive so much to “kiss up” to Manny?

  6. Manny’s restaurant is a successful, high-end establishment. He demands the absolute best from his employees and himself. Where does his drive come from and how has he become so successful? How does this influence his relationship with his brother?

  7. Eduardo, Manny, and José are very distinct personalities. Take some time to compare them—what do they have in common?

  8. How does Nina feel about her pregnancy, other than not being ready to mother a child? Is she embarrassed by her condition? Does she worry about what others will think? Is she concerned at all about what her mother will think or say?

  9. Celia clearly loved her daughter, Lucinda. And Lucinda’s death was an earth-shattering tragedy for her. Do you think she will ever be ready to open lines of communication with José? How do you think she feels about the fact that José visits Lucinda’s grave every morning?

  10. José has, every day since the accident, lived with the guilt of killing Lucinda. It has changed his life in every way. At what level is Fernando also guilty of Lucinda’s death? Celia?

  11. Nina’s father is described as a heavy drinker and inconsistent. But he is also someone who loved to have fun—scooping her up to dance the shag or take walks on the beach. Why is Nina so drawn to him in her memories? Does she think her life would be better now if he hadn’t passed away?

  12. When Nina first meets Maria, José’s mother, she thinks: This is what women should strive for. This is beauty far deeper than the skin, beauty that mirrors the heart. How is Nina’s longing—to be a good, kind, beautiful persona—exemplified in the story?