All You Need: Bella the Movie

Note: If you want to read my advance review of Bella [click here] otherwise continue reading....

I helped spread the word about Bella back in February when reports started circulating that a small startup production company named Metanoia Films had managed to come away from the 2006 Toronto Film Festival with its highly-coveted "Peoples Choice Award" (previous films to win the award include Chariots of Fire and Life is Beautiful).

In the following months it won several more awards (source), and regularly receives rave reviews from audiences at its early screenings (source).

Fast-forward 8 months to the present, and this weekend Bella opens in select theaters across America. And here's the point: If it does well in theatres the next two weeks they'll go national! Having seen the movie (scroll down for my advance review of it) - I would love to see that happen. To drive home the importance of seeing Bella this weekend or next, let me quote a promotional letter: "The opening weekend is critical to the success of a movie and will determine if it will be distributed on a wider basis to more markets across America." (Columcille of Fumare has a good motivational post about this.)

You can see a list of the cities (32 total, and growing) where Bella is in theaters right here. Most major cities are showing it in either the first week or if not, by the second. Additionally, for the pro-active among you, Bella offers several ways you can get involved, including an "adopt a theater" program geared especially for Churches and youth groups. And you can up to date on all the Bella news here.

Here is an embedded trailer for the movie:

Here are some beautiful Bella desktop wallpapers (because I love wallpapers!):

Widescreen Monitors Fullscreen Monitors 1280 x 1024 Monitors PSP iPod

Widescreen Monitors Fullscreen Monitors 1280 x 1024 Monitors PSP iPod

Widescreen Monitors Fullscreen Monitors 1280 x 1024 Monitors PSP iPod

Widescreen Monitors Fullscreen Monitors 1280 x 1024 Monitors PSP iPod

Widescreen Monitors Fullscreen Monitors 1280 x 1024 Monitors PSP iPod

Widescreen Monitors Fullscreen Monitors 1280 x 1024 Monitors PSP iPod

Downloadable web banners for Bella are available here, as are many other multimedia materials.

Related links:

• Steven Greydanus of Decent Films reviews Bella here for Catholic World Report.
• LSN: "Fans of Quality, Ethical Movies Urged to Support Bella With Bulk Ticket Purchases and Theater Rentals" by Steve Jalsevac (who interviewed lead actor Eduardo Verastegui and producer Leo Severino).
• CNA: "Bella" star gives thanks to fans, calls for final push
• LSN: "Bella Star Thanks Fans, Pro-Life Groups for Supporting Upcoming Movie"
• WorldNetDaily founder/editor offers his praise for Bella here.
• No less than Texas governor Rick Perry contributed a positive review of Bella to a local paper.
• Liz Townsend who often writes for the National Right to Life Committee reviews Bella for LifeNews.
• Cardinal Rigali is telling Philly folks to go see it.
• Julie D. of Happy Catholic reports that she heard about Bella through her church bulletin.
• The CNS has a good post on this topic, and gives us this quote from and NCR editorial: "[Bella] gives us hope that Catholics can reclaim territory we used to own, but have too often ceded: The arts."

I'll be following Bella-related news over the next two weeks (and beyond) - so check back!

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