Casa de los babys (2003)

Director:

John Sayles

Writer (WGA):

John Sayles (written by)

Release Date:

1 January 2004 (Israel)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Six Women. One Dream.

Plot:

Six American women who planned on travelling to South America to adopt babies are forced, by law, to live there.

Plot Keywords:

Adoption | Baby | Eye Patch | Work Out | Gossip

Cast

Angelina Peláez	...	Doña Mercedes
Lizzie Curry Martinez	...	Sor Juana (as Lizzie Martínez)
Vanessa Martinez	...	Asunción (as Vanessa Martínez)
Amanda Álvarez	...	Blanca
Said Martinez	...	Eusebio (as Said Martínez)
Abel Salas	...	Bus Driver 1
Marco Mondragón	...	Bus Driver 2
José Reyes	...	Van Driver
Claudia Benitez	...	Woman on Bus (as Claudia Benítez)
Ignacio de Anda	...	Tito (as Ignacio De Anda)
José Reyes Jr.	...	Grande
Emmanuel González	...	Chico
El Flaco de Oro de Acapulco	...	El Tuerto (as El Flaco De Oro De Acapulco)
Dave Baez	...	Rufino (as David Ortíz)
Blanca Loaria	...	Socorro
Rita Moreno	...	Señora Muñoz
Bruno Bichir	...	Diómedes
Fredi Bogota	...	Gustavo
Héctor Mújica	...	Rubén
Daryl Hannah	...	Skipper
Lili Taylor	...	Leslie
Mary Steenburgen	...	Gayle
Marcia Gay Harden	...	Nan
Maggie Gyllenhaal	...	Jennifer
Susan Lynch	...	Eileen
Guillermo Iván	...	Reynaldo
Juan Carlos Vives	...	Búho
Martha Higareda	...	Celia
Tony Marcin	...	Celia's Mother
Lourdes Echevarría	...	Social Worker
Lourdes Perez	...	Vendedora (as Lourdes Pérez)
Norma Moreno	...	Receptionist
Priscilla Corral	...	Dependienta
Isaías Ramírez	...	Boletero
Hilário Silva	...	Guide 1 (as Hilario Silva)
César Rodríguez	...	Guide 2
Rad Wolf	...	Guide 3
Arturo Salazar	...	Guide 4 (as Arturo Salaz)
Pedro Armendáriz Jr.	...	Ernesto (as Pedro Armendáriz)
Víctor Jáuregui	...	Wilfrido
Alejandro Basurto	...	Vicente
Leonel Rendón	...	Herminio
Fernando Cervantes	...	Félix
Miguel Rodarte	...	Oscar
David Hevia	...	Iván
Felipe Fernández del Paso	...	Don Mercurio (as Felipe Fernández Del Paso)
Isabel Herrera	...	Number Girl
Ramoncita López	...	Caseworker

Directed by
John Sayles

Writing credits (WGA)
John Sayles		(written by)

Produced by
Caroline Kaplan	....	executive producer
Melissa Marr	....	associate producer
Jonathan Sehring	....	executive producer
Alejandro Springall	....	producer
Lemore Syvan	....	producer

Original Music by
Mason Daring

Cinematography by
Mauricio Rubinstein		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
John Sayles

Production Design by
Felipe Fernández del Paso

Set Decoration by
Luisa Guala
Alejandra Quijano

Costume Design by
Mayes C. Rubeo

Makeup Department
Anel Arellano	....	assistant makeup artist
Josefina Arellano	....	key hair stylist
Micaela Pérez	....	assistant hair stylist
Carlos Sánchez	....	key makeup artist

Production Management
Maite Argüelles	....	unit production manager
Luca Borghese	....	post-production supervisor
Jeremy Strong	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Christiane Atala	....	second second assistant director
Joaquin Silva	....	second assistant director (as Joaquín Silva)
John M. Tyson	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Mariano Grimaldo	....	scenic artist
Daniel Lara	....	assistant scenic artist
Rafael Mandujano	....	assistant art director
Rafael Mandujano	....	graphic artist
Alfredo Martínez	....	on-set dresser
Julián Navarro	....	swing gang
Rogelio Nobara	....	property master
Edgar Ramírez	....	set designer
Fernando Ríos	....	swing gang
Carlos Santos	....	swing gang
Eduardo Vélez	....	assistant property master

Sound Department
Nancy Cabrera	....	foley artist
Robert Fernandez	....	sound re-recording mixer
Mariusz Glabinski	....	sound effects editor
Piotr Glabinski	....	sound intern
Marlena Grzaslewicz	....	co-supervising sound editor
Judy Karp	....	production sound mixer
Bruce Kitzmeyer	....	dialogue editor
William Kozy	....	sound: making-of documentary (as Bill Kozy)
Jaime Reyes	....	boom operator
Paul Sacco	....	consultant: Dolby Sound
Ira Spiegel	....	co-supervising sound editor
John Werner	....	foley editor
Ryan Collison	....	foley engineer (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Doug Johnson	....	computer graphic imaging
Julio Soto Gurpide	....	computer graphic imaging (as Julio Soto)

Camera and Electrical Department
Dante Busquets	....	still photographer
Fernando Coria Reyes	....	company grip (as Fernando Coria)
Humberto Delgado	....	key grip
Fernando Diaz	....	second second assistant camera
José Díaz	....	camera operator: "Don Mercutio" & "Lottery" footage
Javier Enríquez	....	gaffer
Martín Farfán	....	camera operator: "Don Mercutio" & "Lottery" footage
Martin Garcia	....	company electrician (as Martín Garcia)
Arturo Ulises García	....	company grip (as Ulises García)
Manuel García	....	second assistant camera
Miguel Ángel García	....	best boy electrician (as Miguel Angel García)
Pedro Hernández	....	dolly grip
Fabián Monroy	....	first assistant camera
Luis Moreno	....	second second assistant camera
Manuel Moreno	....	video playback operator
Roberto Oviedo Vargas	....	company electrician (as Roberto Oviedo)
Oscar Reyes	....	camera operator: "Don Mercutio" & "Lottery" footage
Adrián Romero	....	company electrician
Emiliano Villanueva	....	second camera operator
David Zuniga	....	electric: "Don Mercutio" & "Lottery" footage (as David Zúñiga)
José Luis Ávila	....	gaffer: "Don Mercutio" & "Lottery" footage (as Luis Ávila)
Martin Schabenbeck	....	electrician (uncredited)

Casting Department
Claudia Becker	....	casting coordinator: Mexico
Lizzie Curry Martinez	....	casting: Mexico (as Lizzie Martínez)
Lizzie Curry Martinez	....	extras casting (as Lizzie Martínez)
David Martínez	....	extras casting coordinator
Blanca Olvera	....	extras casting assistant coordinator
Cindy Tolan	....	casting: U.S.
Alejandro Springall	....	casting: Mexico City (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Martha Castillero	....	assistant costume designer
Natividad González	....	assistant wardrobe supervisor
Ismael Jardon	....	wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
Joe Gawler	....	colorist: Spirit Datacine
Peter Heady	....	on-line editor: data/HD
Tibor Kereszturi	....	telecine assistant
Josh Olive	....	telecine assistant
Mario Ontal	....	assistant editor
Stan Sztaba	....	negative cutter: Match Cut
Adam Wolman	....	editorial assistant
Randy L. Anderson	....	color timer (uncredited)

Music Department
Jeanine Cowen	....	music editor
Ernesto Díaz	....	musician (as Ernesto Diaz)
Lynn Fainchtein	....	music supervisor
Frank Gallagher	....	musician
Evan Harlan	....	musician
Dave Mattacks	....	musician
Ana Norgaard	....	musician
Billy Novick	....	musician
Billy Novick	....	orchestrator
Claudio Ragazzi	....	musician
Claudio Ragazzi	....	orchestrator
David Shacter	....	music engineer
David Shacter	....	music mixer
Oscar Stagnaro	....	musician

Transportation Department
Jorge Aguilar	....	driver
Germán Alvarado	....	driver
Alejandro 'Ronco' Arroyo	....	transportation coordinator
Abel Blanco	....	driver
Pedro Antonio Castillo	....	driver (as Pedro Castillo)
Ricardo Cotero	....	driver
Hector Cruz	....	driver (as Héctor Cruz)
Jose Flores	....	driver (as José Luis Flores)
Héctor Garcia	....	driver (as Héctor García)
Javier Giron	....	driver
Juan Gutiérrez	....	driver
Carlos Hernández	....	driver
Santiago Hernández	....	driver
Jaime Lopez	....	driver (as Jaime López)
José Alberto Luna	....	driver
Gabriel Martínez	....	driver
Efraín Rosalío	....	driver
Larry Silva	....	driver
Enrique Trani	....	driver

Other crew
Dante Aguilar	....	unit coordinator
Tenoch Aguilar	....	key location assistant
Ivonne Alva	....	key production accountant
Magali Apolinar	....	chef: La Cocina de Orégano
Juana Bocanegra	....	delegate: ANDA
Maury Carvajal	....	script supervisor (as Mauri Carvajal)
Jen Cox	....	post-production accountant
René Simon Cruz Jr.	....	producer: making-of documentary (as René Cruz)
Carmen De La Rosa	....	assistant: A. Springall
Ernesto Díaz Mata	....	security
Cecilia Escalante	....	catering supervisor: La Cocina de Orégano
Armando Gallegos	....	catering coordinator: La Cocina de Orégano
Julio González	....	production assistant
Luis Enrique Granados	....	key set production assistant
Charles Kouzoujian	....	laser film recording
Pedro Martínez	....	waiter: La Cocina de Orégano
Tenoch Ochoa	....	production assistant
Mario Olivares	....	security
Rocío Ortega	....	animal handler
Susana Palestino	....	waiter: La Cocina de Orégano
Santiago Paredes	....	set production assistant
Lourdes Pérez	....	production coordinator
Evangelina Resendiz Montalvo	....	unit doctor (as Evangelina Reséndiz)
Alejandro Rosales	....	security
Juan Antonio Sanchez	....	location accountant (as Juan Antonio Sánchez)
Martin Schabenbeck	....	production assistant
Avigail Schotz	....	assistant: L. Syvan
George Sheanshang	....	legal services (as George Sheanshang Esq.)
Israel Silva	....	production assistant
Tim Spitzer	....	supervisor: high definition/data services
Gabriel Tapia	....	production assistant
Yamel Vargas	....	production assistant
Javier Villeda	....	chef: La Cocina de Orégano
Christian Zak	....	laser film recording
Saul Zuñiga	....	assistant accountant (as Saúl Zúñiga)
Irma Ávila	....	production secretary
Aileen Kiernan	....	assistant: Hunt Lowry (uncredited)

Thanks
Mario Aguiñaga	....	special thanks
Ana Barreto	....	special thanks
Angel Carlos Benitez	....	special thanks
Raymundo Capetillo	....	special thanks
Esteban Castañeda	....	special thanks: Hotel Los Flamingo
Pablo Castro Mussot	....	special thanks: CNI Canal 40
José Cedano	....	special thanks
Yuriria Chavarria	....	special thanks: CNI Canal 40
Ignacio Cobo	....	special thanks: Hoteles Calinda
Pamela Enriquez	....	special thanks: Museo del Niño "El Papalote"
Claudia Florescano	....	special thanks
Guillermo Franco	....	special thanks: Museo del Niño "El Papalote"
Carlos González	....	special thanks: Hoteles Calinda
Benny Hudson	....	special thanks
Alfredo Joskowicz	....	special thanks (as Alfredo Joscowicz)
David Medina	....	special thanks: Hoteles Calinda
Emilia Monge	....	special thanks: ISSSTE Acapulco
Alejandra Moreno Toscano	....	special thanks
Tomás Mosqueda	....	special thanks: Hoteles Calinda
Maggie Renzi	....	special thanks
Alejandro Sandoval	....	special thanks: CNI Canal 40
Don Adolfo Santiago	....	special thanks: Hotel Los Flamingo
Marinela Servitje	....	special thanks: Museo del Niño "El Papalote"
Ignacio Terrazas	....	special thanks
Zeferino Torreblanca	....	special thanks
Arturo Villanueva	....	special thanks: ISSSTE Acapulco

Production Companies

• IFC Films (presents)
• Springall Pictures (as Sylvan/Springall)
• Blue Magic Pictures (uncredited)

Distributors

• IFC Films (2003) (USA) (theatrical)
• Ascot Elite Entertainment Group (2004) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• GAGA (Japan) (theatrical)
• Manga Films (2004) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Pandora Filmproduktion (2003) (worldwide) (theatrical)
• Revolver Film (2004) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Alliance Atlantis Home Video (2004) (Canada) (DVD)
• Ascot Elite Home Entertainment (2009) (Germany) (DVD)
• Future Film (2008) (Finland) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Pelicanfilms (2004) (Switzerland) (DVD)

Other Companies

• 701 Sound  sound by
• Alpha Star Rentals  cameras and lenses: Mexico (as Alpha Star)
• Alpha Star Rentals  grip and lighting provided by: Mexico (as Alpha Star)
• Birkenstock  special thanks
• Black Logic  digital intermediate post-production
• Blue Jeans  special thanks
• CNI Canal 40  permission given for use of: "Sexo en la Ciudad" and Telenovela
• CNI Canal 40  special thanks
• Cocina de Orégano, La  catering/craft services
• Dallas Audio Post Group  adr recording (as Dallas Audio Post)
• Daring Studios  music engineering and mixing (as Daring Studios, Marblehead, MA)
• De Lane Lea Sound Centre  adr recording (as Delanelee Studios, London)
• Estée Lauder  special thanks (as Estee Lauder)
• Falco Ink.  unit publicity (uncredited)
• Fábricas de Francia  special thanks
• Goldwell Cosmetics  special thanks
• Grove Atlantic Press  special thanks
• Hotel Los Flamingos  special thanks
• Hoteles Calinda  special thanks
• ISSSTE  special thanks
• Instituto Nacional de Antropologia e Historia  special thanks (as INAH)
• Kodak  motion picture film
• LTV  laser subtitling
• Lancome Luxury Products  special thanks
• Laura Mercier Cosmetics  special thanks (as Laura Mercier)
• Luis Carrillo  insurance: Mexico
• MAC Cosmetics  make-up provided by (as MAC)
• Match Cut  negative cutting
• Mercado de Santa Lucía  special thanks
• Museo del Niño "El Papalote"  special thanks
• Notmusa  permission given for use of: "TV Notas" magazine
• Ouidad  special thanks
• Paula Dorf  make-up provided by
• Plaza Marbella  special thanks
• Restaurante "El Olvido"  special thanks
• Sección 49 del S.T.I.C.  technicians: Acapulco, Mexico filming (as Seccion 49 of S.T.I.C.)
• Sound One  adr recording (as Sound One, NY)
• Sound One  mixed at
• Tape House Advanced Imaging  digital intermediate post-production
• Tape House  digital intermediate post-production (as Tape House, NY)
• Tape House  titles
• Titra California Inc.  subtitles
• Todd-AO Studios (West)  adr recording (as Todd AO West)
• Tyr Sport  special thanks
• Universal Studios  adr recording
• Vincent Longo  special thanks

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for some language and brief drug use

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

USA | Mexico

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | USA:R | Germany:16 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Zurich) | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Portugal:M/12 | Finland:K-11

Filming Locations:

Mexico

Company:

IFC Films

Quotes:

Leslie:...You gotta admit, she's a sociopath.
Gayle:Is that anything like a psychopath?
Leslie:With a lower body count, yeah.

Movie Connections:

References The Stepford Wives (1975)

Soundtrack:

Duerme Negrito

As complex and unresolved as the underlying issue(s)

The genius of this film is exactly the characteristic that many here have criticized it for: it contradicts itself all over the place and ends abruptly with no resolution. What possible resolution could you expect? Adoption is an inherently troubling phenomenon. It always involves awkward intersections of race and class, opportunity and the lack thereof, sex and sexism, law and morals. I found this film to be deeply troubling in all the ways it should be, due to the topic.

I think Sayles did a brilliant job bringing together a number of very believable characters and just showing them to us for 90-some odd minutes. All have their contradictions, and none clearly speaks some unambiguous authorial opinion. The son of the hotel owner mouths his leftist analysis with his buddies, but is really a drunken loser. Rita Moreno, through her frustration with her husband's politics, voices the frustration of so many women: politics is one thing, but who'll take care of the kids? And of course, the reverse is implied as well: kids are one thing, but who'll take care of the politics? You can go through each of the characters and seem some inherent pull in opposite directions.

I loved that none of the characters is entirely sympathetic, except perhaps the three homeless boys. They are all complicated and corrupted by a complicated and corrupt world that places a premium on babies and motherhood, but only under the "right" circumstances for the right women and the right kids.

I was very grateful that there was no real closure at the end, and that all Sayles had to say was that, despite all, both the least sympathetic and the most sympathetic of the potential moms were about to leave with babies.

Anyone who cares about kids and women should see this movie. And certainly anyone who is considering adoption (domestic or international -- either way, it's all the same issues) should see it. In sum, a very thought-provoking movie.

P.S. -- Did I mention the incredible soundtrack?