Maria Full of Grace (2004)

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Director:

Joshua Marston

Writer (WGA):

Joshua Marston (written by)

Release Date:

2 April 2004 (Colombia)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller | Crime

Tagline:

How far will she go before she's gone too far?

Plot:

A pregnant Colombian teenager becomes a drug mule to make some desperately needed money for her family.

Plot Keywords:

Pregnant | Mule | Stomach | Money | Colombian

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 30 wins & 22 nominations

Cast

Catalina Sandino Moreno	...	María Álvarez
Virgina Ariza	...	Juana
Yenny Paola Vega	...	Blanca
Rodrigo Sánchez Borhorquez	...	Supervisor
Charles Albert Patiño	...	Felipe
Wilson Guerrero	...	Juan
Johanna Andrea Mora	...	Diana Álvarez
Fabricio Suarez	...	Pacho
Mateo Suarez	...	Pacho
Evangelina Morales	...	Rosita
Juana Guarderas	...	Female Pharmacist
John Álex Toro	...	Franklin (as Jhon Alex Toro)
Jaime Osorio Gómez	...	Javier (as Jaime Osorio Gomez)
Guilied Lopez	...	Lucy Díaz
Victor Macias	...	Pellet Maker
Hugo Ferro	...	Pharmacist
Ana Maria Acosta	...	Stewardess
Ada Vergara De Solano	...	Carolina
Maria Consuelo Perez	...	Constanza
Ed Trucco	...	Customs Inspector
Selenis Leyva	...	Customs Inspector
Juan Porras Hincapie	...	Wilson
Oscar Bejarano	...	Carlos
Singkhan Bandit	...	Gas Attendant
Patrick Rameau	...	Taxi Driver
Fernando Velasquez	...	Pablo Aristizábal
Patricia Rae	...	Carla
Orlando Tobón	...	Don Fernando
Monique Gabriela Curnen	...	Receptionist
Lourdes Martin	...	Doctor
Bobby Plasencia	...	Enrique (as Osvaldo Plasencia)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Thomas Daniel	...	Tourist (JFK)
Lauren Bonett	...	Airport PA Announcer (voice) (uncredited)
Mark Vincent	...	Soccer player (uncredited)

Directed by
Joshua Marston

Writing credits (WGA)
Joshua Marston		(written by)

Produced by
Becky Glupczynski	....	line producer
Rodrigo Guerrero	....	associate producer
Gigia Jaramillo	....	line producer: Ecuador unit
Paul S. Mezey	....	producer (as Paul Mezey)
Jaime Osorio Gómez	....	co-producer
Orlando Tobón	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Leonardo Heiblum
Jacobo Lieberman

Cinematography by
Jim Denault

Film Editing by
Anne McCabe
Lee Percy

Casting by
Ellyn Long Marshall
Maria E. Nelson
Maria Eugenia Salazar
Jorge Valencia

Production Design by
Debbie DeVilla
Mónica Marulanda		(as Monica Marulanda)

Art Direction by
Yann Blanc

Set Decoration by
Carrie Stewart

Costume Design by
Sarah Beers
Lauren Press

Makeup Department
Lucy Da Silva	....	assistant hair stylist: Colombia/Ecuador
Lucy Da Silva	....	assistant makeup artist: Colombia/Ecuador
Renee Didio	....	key makeup artist: New York
Donna Marie Fischetto	....	hair stylist
Dallas Hartnett	....	key hair stylist: New York
Evelyne Noraz	....	additional key makeup artist
Flore Marina Sandoval	....	hair stylist: Colombia/Ecuador
Flore Marina Sandoval	....	key makeup artist: Colombia/Ecuador

Production Management
Guiselle Jaramillo	....	line production manager
Scott Michael Nabat	....	post-production supervisor
Jeremy Kipp Walker	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jeffrey A. Brown	....	second second assistant director: New York (as Jeff Brown)
Mariela Comitini	....	second assistant director: New York
Diego Falconi	....	second assistant director: Colombia/Ecuador
Carrie Fix	....	first assistant director
Tania Hermida	....	second second assistant director: Colombia/Ecuador

Art Department
Sarah Berney	....	camera scenic artist
Raul Carrera	....	assistant art director
Clifford Lane	....	property master (as Cliff Lane)
Thomas La Vecchia	....	on-set dresser
Thomas Lee	....	art department coordinator
Richard Liebgold	....	set dresser
David Murray	....	art production assistant
Sebastian Naranjo	....	on-set dresser
Juan Olmo	....	property master
Jorge Paredes	....	construction supervisor
Dave Reardon	....	lead man
Enrique Vasconez	....	assistant props
Danielle Webb	....	set dresser
Michal Zilbersheid	....	art department intern

Sound Department
Rick Ash	....	sound re-recording mixer
David Boulton	....	adr recordist
Marko A. Costanzo	....	foley artist
Ricardo Escallón	....	adr engineer: Bogotá
Chris Fielder	....	assistant sound editor
Alejandro Garcia	....	sound recordist: ambience
John Gutierrez	....	boom operator
Ruth Hernandez	....	adr editor
Bobby Johanson	....	adr recordist
Frank Kern	....	supervising foley editor
Toussaint Kotright	....	boom operator
George A. Lara	....	foley artist
Jeff Pullman	....	stand-by sound mixer
Andres Sanchez	....	sound recordist: ambience
Unsun Song	....	additional sound
Unsun Song	....	sound re-recordist
Reilly Steele	....	sound re-recording mixer
Philip Stockton	....	supervising sound editor
Patrick Stoltz	....	additional sound (as Pat Stoltz)
Steven Visscher	....	foley editor
Drew Webster	....	sound re-recording mixer
Alex Wolfe	....	sound mixer
James Wright	....	sound consultant: Dolby (as Jim Wright)
Allan Zaleski	....	sound effects editor
David Warzynski	....	foley librarian (uncredited)

Special Effects by
John von Bergen	....	special effects props

Visual Effects by
Christopher Dusendschon	....	digital imaging
Adam Hawkey	....	lead compositor: iOFilm (as Adam S. Hawkey)
Julie Landholt	....	title graphics (as J. Kathryn Landholt)

Stunts
Elliot Santiago	....	stunt coordinator
Manny Siverio	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Tony Arnaud	....	grip
Pablo Berti	....	second assistant camera
Matt Blades	....	key grip
Hugo Bonilla	....	generator operator
Ethan Borsuk	....	second assistant camera: New York
Luis Chalacán	....	electrician: Ecuador
Hobardo Chicongas	....	grip: Ecuador
Cristobal Corral	....	still photographer
Rodrigo Cueva	....	key grip: Ecuador
Chris Drechsler	....	electrician
George Elias	....	grip
David Elwell	....	rigging gaffer: Ecuador
Stephen Girouard	....	best boy grip (as Steve Girouard)
Michael N. Green	....	best boy electric
Rodrigo Guerrero	....	cinematographer: Colombia
Rodrigo Guerrero	....	photographer: second unit
Thomas Hamilton	....	electrician
Milly Itzhak	....	first assistant camera: New York
Scott Miller	....	gaffer
Ana María Ormaza	....	second assistant camera
Jimy Pazmiño	....	grip: Ecuador (as Jimmy Pazmiño)
Larry Riley	....	still photographer
Darren Ryan	....	24 frame video operator
Ricardo Sarmiento	....	first assistant camera: Ecuador
Jay Silver	....	camera operator
Nicolai Soria	....	best boy grip: Ecuador
Joia Speciale	....	additional cinematographer
Joia Speciale	....	photographer: second unit
Richard Suffern	....	grip
Joshua Van Praag	....	electrician

Casting Department
Diana Camargo	....	casting: Colombia
Mónica Cardona	....	casting: Colombia (as Monica Cardona)
Marcela Castaño	....	casting associate
Myra Cotto	....	casting intern
Sig De Miguel	....	additional casting: New York
Mabel Escobar	....	casting associate
Juan Pablo Felix	....	casting: Colombia
Meredith Jacobson	....	extras casting (as Meredith Jacobson Marciano)
Alexandra Posada	....	casting associate
Liliana Rincon	....	casting: Colombia
Maria Eugenia Salazar	....	casting: Colombia
Mauricio Samaniego	....	casting: Ecuador
Luis Sanchez-Cañete	....	casting associate
Felipe Solarte	....	casting: Colombia
Karen Torres-Cox	....	casting assistant
Jorge Valencia	....	casting: Colombia

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jeremy Capilla	....	wardrobe assistant: Ecuador
Mildred Del Rio	....	wardrobe supervisor
Luana Holloway	....	wardrobe intern

Editorial Department
Drew Buckland	....	assistant editor
Joe Finley	....	digital colorist
Luis Ortiz Guillen	....	assistant editor
Adam Hawkey	....	film colorist (as Adam S. Hawkey)
Chris Regan	....	color timer

Music Department
P.J. Bloom	....	music consultant
Lynn Fainchtein	....	music supervisor
James Flatto	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Jim Buckman	....	transportation captain
Mauricio Garcia	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Roberto Aguirre	....	location manager: Ecuador
Calvin Alden	....	production assistant
Andrés Baiz	....	location scout: New York
Nicole Brown	....	production coordinator: New York
Georgina Cabrera	....	additional crew
Andrea F. Cannistraci	....	production legal
Gustavo Chiriboga	....	production assistant: Ecuador
Martha Collantes	....	accounting supervisor
Jean-Christophe Couet	....	office production assistant: New York
Michael Dudek	....	location assistant: New York
Michael Dudek	....	production assistant
Daniel Elefante	....	set production assistant: New York (as Dan Elefante)
John B. Finn	....	post-production accountant
Shawn Hamilton	....	production accountant
Mariana Hellmund	....	script supervisor
Peter Hutchison	....	production accountant
Rosa Jiménez	....	production assistant: first team
Ronnie Kupferwasser	....	location manager: New York
Christopher K. Lagdamen	....	production assistant
Julie Landholt	....	graphic artist: titles (as J. Kathryn Landholt)
Cristina Ramiro Monroy	....	set production assistant
Julio Moreno	....	production associate: New York
Fernando Muñoz	....	production auditor
Adi Nachman	....	office production assistant: New York
Alison Norod	....	set production assistant: New York
Jennifer Quesenbery	....	assistant location manager
David Ray	....	office production assistant: New York
Davin Reich	....	key production assistant: New York
David Velasco	....	location scout
Daniel Villagomez	....	credits administrator (uncredited)

Thanks
Francesca Galesi	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• HBO Films
• Fine Line Features (in association with)
• Journeyman Pictures
• Proyecto Tucan (in association with)
• Alter-Ciné (in association with)
• Santa Fe Productions

Distributors

• Fine Line Features (2004) (USA) (theatrical)
• ARP Sélection (2004) (France) (theatrical)
• Alfa Films (2004) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Artecinema (2004) (Mexico) (theatrical)
• Ascot Elite Entertainment Group (2004) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Golden Village (2004) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Golem Distribución (2004) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Icon Film Distribution (2005) (UK) (theatrical)
• Istituto Luce (2004) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Movie-Eye Entertainment (2005) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Paradiso Entertainment (2005) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Prooptiki (2004) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Rialto Entertainment (2005) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Stadtkino Verleih (2004) (Austria) (theatrical)
• Universum Film (UFA) (2005) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Ascot Elite Entertainment Group (2005) (Switzerland) (DVD)
• Gateno Films (2005) (Peru) (all media)
• Home Box Office Home Video (HBO) (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Imagem Filmes (2005) (Brazil) (DVD) (all media)
• Imagem Filmes (2005) (Brazil) (VHS) (all media)
• Paradiso Home Entertainment (2005) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Universum Film (UFA) (2005) (Germany) (DVD)

Special Effects

• iO Films (opticals)

Other Companies

• El Barco Producciones  casting
• Audioflot  score produced at
• C-5  post-production sound (as C5, Inc.)
• C5  post-production sound services
• Camera Service Center  grip and lighting equipment
• DeLuxe Laboratories  laboratory services
• Entertainment Post  telecine
• Epstein, Levinsohn, Bodine, Hurwitz & Weinstein  legal services
• Falco Ink.  award campaign
• Falco Ink.  publicity
• Film & Video Stock Shots  stock footage
• Hangar Films  grip and lighting equipment (as Hangar Film, Bogota)
• JFA  accounting services
• Kinetic Imageworks  post-production facilities
• Negative People  negative cutting
• Post 391  editing facilities
• Post Media  production unit
• Rocky Mountain Motion Pictures  camera and lenses
• SEKANI  stock footage
• iO Films  digital titles and opticals

Also Known As:

Maria Full of Grace (International: English title)
Maria, llena eres de gracia (Colombia)

MPAA:

Rated R for drug content and language.

Runtime:

101 min

Country:

USA | Colombia

Language:

Spanish | English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:14 | Iceland:16 (video rating) | Canada:14A (Ontario) | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Brazil:14 | Chile:14 | Finland:K-11 | France:U | Germany:12 | Ireland:15A | Mexico:B15 | Netherlands:12 | Norway:11 | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:NC-16 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Zurich) | UK:15 | USA:R (certificate #40648)

Filming Locations:

Amaguaña, Ecuador

Company:

HBO Films

Trivia:

Catalina Sandino Moreno did not practice swallowing pellets during rehearsals. Since the character of Maria did not know how to swallow them, Moreno and Joshua Marston agreed that it would be more realistic for her to try swallowing them for the first time on-camera. The pellets were made of easily digestible substances but neither Moreno nor Marston will reveal what exactly they were made of.

Goofs:

Continuity: After Maria gives Don Fernando the money for Lucy's family, she takes her wallet out twice.

Quotes:

María Álvarez: How many time have you done this?
Rosita: Twice.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 20th IFP Independent Spirit Awards (2005) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Cumbia Sol Marina

It's not grace she's full of...

It's COCAINE!

Small film about a big business.

Poverty, desperation and bravery spiral into a mess and culminate in pregnant 17-year-old Maria sitting in a room, trying to swallow 60 plastic capsules full of narcotics to smuggle for money. When she later on needs to swallow two more, it is a scene so painful that it is almost unbearable to watch. Maria: Full of Grace (2004) is a clear-eyed and relevant portrayal of a young girl in Columbia being exploited by the drug industry - in spite of its dark material, it projects a lot of heart and spirit.

They say that reality is often more frightening than fiction - and this is true for this film; it is so realistic and down-to-earth that it becomes harrowing in almost every scene. Catalina Sandino Moreno is fantastic as the dignified, brave Maria whose high-spirited nature propels the otherwise dark film. She is a girl who speaks little, but says so much. She knows what she needs to do, and she does it like she means business.

The above is also true for Joshua Marston's Maria: Full of Grace (2004) - it does not preach about morals; there is no melodrama, politics, sugar-coating romances or effects, but an understated yet brutal depiction of a young girl's journey in learning to cope and be responsible. Extremely well-crafted and important film that does not claim to be important, and that is endlessly refreshing.

8/10