The Ministers (2009)

Director:

Franc. Reyes

Writer (WGA):

Franc. Reyes (written by)

Genre:

Crime

Plot:

A NYPD detective attempts to avenge the death of her father, but unwittingly becomes involved with one of his killers.

Plot Keywords:

Twin Brother | Twins | Brother Brother Relationship | Religious Zealot | Corrupt Cop

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

John Leguizamo	...	Dante / Perfecto
Harvey Keitel	...	Joseph Bruno
Florencia Lozano	...	Celeste Santana
Diane Venora	...	Gina Santana
Wanda De Jesus	...	Captain Diaz
Manny Perez	...	Detective Manso
Saul Stein	...	Detective Demarco
Benny Nieves	...	Alberto Santana
Luis Antonio Ramos	...	Carlos Rojas
Raquel Castro	...	Nereida
Tammy Trull	...	Liz
Raquel Jordan	...	Alma
Alex Luria	...	Dante / Perfecto 23 years old
Gabriella Fanuele	...	Celeste 18 years old (as Gabriella Loren)
Josh Segarra	...	Luis
Rick Sepulveda	...	Jesse Montoya
Jaime Tirelli	...	Father Gorbia
Susan Porro	...	Karen Rossin
Sally Simone Dealy	...	TV Host
John Hillner	...	Jeff Kane
Adrian Martinez	...	Mike
David Castro	...	Dante / Perfecto 10 years old
Jason Fiore-Ortiz	...	Luis 12 years old
Stracy Diaz	...	Female Detective
Dashia	...	Hispanic Woman
Tibor Feldman	...	Phil Morgan
Tania Santiago	...	Sophia- Young Female Detective
Melina Lizette	...	Kathy
Michael Sirow	...	Young Cop
Tomorrow Baldwin Montgomery	...	Nereida's Friend (as Tomorrow Baldwin-Montgomery)
Monica Steuer	...	Bartender
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Douglas Schneider	...	Waiter
Quinton Aaron	...	Perp (uncredited)
Charlene Biton	...	Girlfriend (uncredited)
Allyssa Brooke	...	Bartender (uncredited)
Ivan Cardona	...	Dante's Father / Photo Op (uncredited)
Peter Conboy	...	Fire Marshal (uncredited)
Jaidig Cruz	...	Carlos girlfriend (uncredited)
Kristina Dargelyte	...	Girl at the Bar (uncredited)
Shalon Delgado	...	Pedestrian (uncredited)
Julia Frisoli	...	Hostess (uncredited)
Takako Haywood	...	NYPD Officer (uncredited)
Dominick Mancino	...	Police Sgt. (uncredited)
Frances Mignano	...	The Ministers Wife / Mrs Mandosa (uncredited)
Michael Angelo Ortiz	...	Chino's Drug Dealer (uncredited)
Adam S. Phillips	...	Driver (uncredited)
Chris Riggi	...	Boy (uncredited)
Antonio Saillant	...	Detective (uncredited)
Henry Santos	...	Carlos Rojas' Soldier (uncredited)
Bill Sorice	...	EMT (uncredited)
Steven Weisz	...	EMT (uncredited)
Bob Weston	...	EMT (uncredited)

Directed by
Franc. Reyes

Writing credits (WGA)
Franc. Reyes		(written by)

Produced by
George Acogny	....	executive producer
Steffen Aumueller	....	executive producer
Claus Clausen	....	executive producer
Jill Footlick	....	producer
Matthew Myers	....	co-producer
Aaron Ray	....	producer
Franc. Reyes	....	producer
Glenn M. Stewart	....	executive producer
Lisa Yesko	....	associate producer
Lisa Yesko	....	post-production producer

Original Music by
George Acogny		(original music composed by)

Cinematography by
Frank Byers

Film Editing by
Tony Ciccone
Philip Pucci

Casting by
Sig De Miguel
Stephen Vincent

Production Design by
Dara Wishingrad

Art Direction by
Laura Ballinger

Set Decoration by
Kate Foster

Costume Design by
Michael Anzalone

Makeup Department
Belinda Anderson	....	key hair stylist
Lynn Campbell	....	makeup department head
Tom Denier Jr.	....	special makeup effects artist
Jason Hayes	....	wig designer
Nicky Pattison	....	key makeup artist
Jeffrey Rebelo	....	hair department head
Anita Roganovic	....	hair stylist (as Anita Lausevic)
Vincent Schicchi	....	special makeup effects artist
Bradley Stenson	....	additional makeup artist

Production Management
Gabrielle Mahon	....	production supervisor
Matthew Myers	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Louis Guerra	....	second assistant director
Karen Kane	....	first assistant director
Thomas K. Lee	....	second second assistant director

Art Department
Myo Campbell	....	art production assistant
Almitra Corey	....	art department coordinator
Kaem Coughlin	....	camera scenic artist
Thomas A. Delillo	....	leadman
Geoffrey A. Ehrlich	....	art department coordinator
Emily Gaunt	....	charge scenic
Tatille Jackson	....	art department production assistant
Phillip Leung	....	set dresser
Julia Li	....	art department production assistant
Robyn Murray	....	art department production assistant
Kevin L. Raper	....	additional graphic artist
James Sadek	....	construction coordinator
Duke Scoppa	....	property master
Theo Sena	....	on-set dresser
Sylvia Trapanese	....	scenic artist
Sylvia Trapanese	....	scenic foreman
Ramona Wong	....	art department production assistant

Sound Department
Gregg Barbanell	....	foley artist
Danielle Camastra	....	adr loop group
Vincent Camuto	....	sound utility
Jed M. Dodge	....	dialogue editor
Gary Gegan	....	sound re-recording mixer
Robert Getty	....	supervising sound editor
Danielle Ghent	....	dialogue editor
Anguibe Guindo	....	boom operator
Matthew Iadarola	....	sound re-recording mixer
Ken Ishii	....	production sound mixer
Craig Kyllonen	....	adr recordist
Chris Navarro	....	adr mixer
Jan Petrov	....	adr recordist
Eric Raber	....	sound effects editor
Matthew Reale	....	sound mixing recordist
Adam Sanchez	....	additional sound utility
Alec St. John	....	supervising sound editor
Lucy Sustar	....	foley mixer

Special Effects by
Matt Vogel	....	special effects coordinator

Visual Effects by
Glenn Allen	....	visual effects producer: Brainstorm Digital
Sarah Coatts	....	visual effects producer: PIC
Regan Copeland	....	digital intermediate editor
Richard Friedlander	....	visual effects producer: Brainstorm Digital
Eric J. Robertson	....	visual effects supervisor: Brainstorm Digital

Stunts
Sam Hale	....	stunt performer
David Shumbris	....	stunt double
Manny Siverio	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Cesar Baptista	....	grip
Dan Beedy	....	best boy electric
Adam Benlifer	....	additional electrician
Steven Capitano Calitri	....	electrician
Phillip V. Caruso	....	still photographer
Beth Charlesworth	....	camera pa
Edgar Colón	....	Steadicam operator
Edgar Colón	....	camera operator: "a" camera
John Coots	....	electrician
Devin Donegan	....	video playback technician
Tim Ferraer	....	grip
Glenn Fishel	....	grip
Zachary Henderson	....	grip
Bernard James	....	electrician
Robert Kummert	....	dolly grip
Alexander Martin	....	electrician
Matthew Mendelson	....	electrician
Colin Oberschmidt	....	lighting technician
Brent Poleski	....	grip
Andrew Priestley	....	key first assistant camera
Michael P. Prisco Jr.	....	gaffer: rigging
Randy M. Salo	....	best boy grip
Rachael Saltzman	....	electrician
Michele SchianodiCola	....	additional electrician
Jeremy Schroeder	....	key grip
Ken Shibata	....	gaffer
Pierson Silver	....	additional assistant camera
Elizabeth Singer	....	camera loader
Yoshi Sonoda	....	additional electrician
David Woolner	....	rigging electrician

Casting Department
David H. Kramer	....	adr voice casting
Marta Garcia Larriu	....	casting associate
Tuffy Questell	....	extras casting
Serena Rosario	....	extras casting assistant
Ra-Ra Taylor	....	extras casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Cameron Folan	....	wardrobe production assistant
Lucia Lettini	....	set costumer
Cassidy Mosher	....	additional key set costumer
Margaret Moy	....	wardrobe assistant
Alison Parker	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Alastor Arnold	....	digital intermediate editor
Don Broida	....	first assistant editor
Jason Crump	....	colorist: dailies
John Nicolard	....	digital intermediate supervisor
Bill Schultz	....	digital intermediate executive
Walter Volpatto	....	digital color grading supervisor

Music Department
George Acogny	....	music supervisor
Adam Balazs	....	orchestrator
Sam Crowe	....	musician: piano
Christopher Guardino	....	music arranger
Alan Schlaifer	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Edward Devereaux II	....	transportation co-captain
Charles Spillane	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Kate Bogle	....	production assistant
Lana Burgeson	....	production assistant
Rob Coleman	....	accounting clerk
Rita Colimon	....	production secretary
Dan Cooley	....	key location scout
Logan Wolfe Edler	....	production assistant
Pablo Ferro	....	title designer
Jane Finn-Foley	....	assistant to producer
Sarah Follett	....	location coordinator
Rebecca Garland	....	payroll accountant
Melissa Gelernter	....	production coordinator
Jose F. Guerrero	....	location scout
Takina Holloman	....	assistant production coordinator
Aaron Hurvitz	....	location scout
Ryan David Kohler	....	production assistant
David Laurentin	....	parking coordinator
Phillip Leung	....	production assistant
Patrick Mahoney	....	craft service
Jonathan Medeiros	....	office intern
Melissa A. Messick	....	production assistant
Liliana M. Molina	....	script supervisor
A.D. Pearson	....	deliveries assistant
Philip Pucci	....	title designer: main titles
Jillian Roache	....	production assistant
Dawn Rosado	....	location assistant
Justin Rosini	....	assistant location manager
Kara Ryan	....	production assistant
Eddie Serrano	....	production assistant
Maurice Sessoms	....	production assistant
Mike Sime	....	video playback engineer
Daryl Sledge	....	production assistant
Mitch Spacone	....	system support: FotoKem
Yorgo Stathopoulos	....	location manager
Eric Valentino Jr.	....	production intern (as Eric Anthony Santiago)
Rob van de Laar	....	craft service
Denise Violante	....	production assistant
Sarah Wang	....	production assistant
Self Williams	....	production assistant
Tania Yuki	....	clearances and product placement

Thanks
Jonathan Bell	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Alumbra Films
• Grow Pictures
• Scheherazade
• Sherazade Film Development

Distributors

• Eagle Films (2009) (non-USA) (all media) (Middle East)
• Indies Home Entertainment (2010) (Netherlands) (DVD) (retail)
• Koch Media (2010) (Germany) (DVD)
• Maya Entertainment (2010) (USA) (DVD)
• Maya Entertainment (2010) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Movie Bank (2010) (Netherlands) (DVD) (rental)
• SP Films (2011) (Argentina) (all media)

Special Effects

• Brainstorm Digital

Other Companies

• David Haddad  transportation equipment
• Haddad's  transportation equipment
• Indiepay  payroll provided by
• Lightnin' Production Rentals  transportation equipment
• Mega Playground  video dailies
• Runway  post-production
• Soundtrack  ADR Facility

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for violence and language

Runtime:

89 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (FotoKem)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #43612) | New Zealand:R16 | Netherlands:12 | Singapore:M18 | Argentina:16

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Alumbra Films

Movie Connections:

References Angels with Dirty Faces (1938)

Soundtrack:

Fabulous

Biblical Calling Cards

If The Ministers had a point to make, it didn't make it with me. After watching the film, I'm still puzzled as to what exactly it was all about.

Young Florencia Lozano loses her detective father Benny Nieves in what was a hit carried out by two hooded men who have killed before and leave these Bible tracts at the scenes of their crimes. Years later she is now a detective partnered with Harvey Keitel who was her father's partner and her supervising detective is Wanda DeJesus who was trained by Lozano's father.

The two killers known as The Ministers are also accused in the shooting deaths of a whole drug crew, a rather bloody bit of business that Sam Peckinpah would have been glad to choreograph. The two Ministers are played by John Leguizamo in a dual role as twins. One of the twins was badly burned in an apartment house fire as a child.

In fact Leguizamo has a whole agenda of scores to settle, but he also gets himself involved with Lozano, the non-scarred twin that is.

The Ministers has a confused message, a whole lot of violence and not a lot of rational sense to the plot. Seems a terrible waste of a lot of talented people.