Local event: *free* pre-screening of Bella

On the heels of the director of the Population Research Institute saying Catholics should support the movie "Bella" (more on that here), here's some exciting news for folks in Michigan: a free pre-screening of the movie in Ann Arbor, Michigan, hosted by a local pregnancy counseling center.

More from the organizers:

"This is a FREE EVENT and may be your only chance to see "Bella" on screen. Bella is a tender and life-affirming movie that is so good, it won the coveted 2006 Toronto Film Festival People's Choice Award -- even though it's pro-life!

Follow the two main characters as they discover their own capacities for love in the face of unexpected -- and ostensibly unwelcome -- events.

Following the film, its lead producer, Leo Severino, will give his moving testimony regarding the film's inception and production. Learn more about Leo and the lead actor, Eduardo Verastegui, at http://www.bellathemovie.com/.

"Bella" has already changed the hearts and minds of mothers considering abortion. I had the privilege of seeing it in St. Louis, and it's a beautiful movie. Don't miss it -- it isn't scheduled to be released in Michigan, so this may be your only chance to watch it on the big screen.

The screening is free!

FYI, the new pregnancy center (ArborVitae Women's Center) will be located just a few doors down from the Michigan Theater, in the Starbucks building. If construction is finished, you are invited by after the movie to take a tour!

[More on their website.]

I've blogged at-length about Bella before.

I'd also invite you to checkout the website for ArborVitae, an excellent center that offers crisis pregnancy counseling (I'm good friends with executive director, who has been giving me updates on their progress).

They are currently in the process of moving to a location in the heart of the University of Michigan main campus - right next to a Starbucks, which means that ideally the students of UofM will now have easy access to abortion alternatives and the many other good services they offer.

I'd urge you, finally, to consider contacting them and supporting their efforts. After all, theater tickets in my neck of the woods cost almost $10 for an evening showing, and this one will be free!

Here is the website for Bella (again).

And here is a trailer for it:



Sadly, I won't be able to attend the screening because of prior plans, but I really can't wait to see this movie after the continual good reviews I hear of it! I hope to hear that this event was well-attended.

Megapost: Bella, the movie we need to see.

Update: As promised, I have posted my advance review of Bella and also have provided an "all you need to know" summary about the movie (theater locations, news tracking, etc). You've come to the right place!
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Original post: I'm quickly becoming convinced that Jeff Tan of One Bread, One Body had it right when he wrote: "Bella is a message that needs more messengers." This movie has already won the coveted People's Choice Award of the Toronto Film Festival and looks extremely promising from everything I've been reading about it.

First off, important links: here is the movie's official website, imdb page, and Wikipedia page.

Robert Novak recently introduced the film to his readers:

"Bella" was conceived by three young Mexican men -- producer, director and lead actor -- who are conservative Catholics and want to make movies removed from Hollywood's movie culture of sex and violence. Bankrolled by a wealthy Catholic family from Philadelphia, they shot the film in 24 days in New York City.

The star is Eduardo Verastegui, a Mexican heartthrob as a lead performer in TV soap operas who now lives in Los Angeles. A devout Catholic, he told me he was tired of movies showing Latinos as disreputable and immoral. He has learned to speak English in three years well enough to play the lead role mostly in English (with subtitles over the Spanish).

It was a stretch to get "Bella" even shown at Toronto, much less win an award. "Going into the festival," said the Hollywood Reporter, "absolutely no one, including the team of filmmakers that made 'Bella,' ever imagined it would capture the People's Choice Award, voted on by festival audiences."

Causa Nostrae Laetitiae has an early (rave) review of it (with some general thematic spoilers). She talks about it more here (though the site seems to be having some picture formatting difficulties). Some revealing words about the producer, Leo Severino:

He told of leaving a prosperous career as Latin American business mangaer at Fox studios to begin Metanoia Films (Greek for conversion). "I wanted to make films that if the Virgin Mary sat next to me during the screening, I wouldn't have to cover her eyes."

Victoria Labecki has been to a showing of it and relates an interesting story about one day of Bella's filming:

Another interesting story takes place on the set of Bella. It was the last day of filming in New York City and the forecast called for a 100% chance of rain for the whole day–the radar image was fully green. This was bad. After shooting half of the scene the day earlier on a dry, sunny day, while the budget demanded the shoot to be finished that day, the cast & crew prayed and began working in faith despite the rain. As the camera began rolling, the rain stopped! The rest of the day, there was a patch of clear sky just above them, as it poured all around them and on one side of the ice cream truck at the end of the block. People were walking onto the set soaking wet just because they came from the end of the block!

Cheri Lomonte was also at this showing and tells us that there were other amazing occurances during filming.

Brian Murphy of Vivat Jesus (contains spoilers) tells us the movie received a 5 minute standing ovation at one of its screenings.

Columcille of Fumare introduces us to the producer of the film:

I give you Leo Severino, the young lawyer and producer of this film. Here is a guy who is Catholic and has integrated his faith [profoundly] into his career. Here is an article for more background on the making of this extraordinary film to inspire [...] And here is a link to a number of catechetical talks Mr. Severino has given to Catholic youth interested in Hollywood.

John says that flyers introducing Bella were widely distributed at this year's March for Life.

Sean Loomis from Franciscan University of Steubenville adds his testimony:

Last night, the main actor and producer from the movie Bella came here and showed their movie . The movie is an excellent work of art made by a famous actor/singer who had a major conversion and has dedicated his life to "undoing" what he has done with his previous works. The film won the Toronto film festival and will hopefully hit the big screen. Look it up. It's amazing!

*content out of date, please see here.*