A Beautiful Life (2008)

Director:

Alejandro Chomski

Writers:

Wendy Hammond (play)
Wendy Hammond (adaptation) ...
(more)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

A love story about the encounter of two drifting souls. Escaping her abusive past, a woman stays the night with an illegal immigrant friend of a friend. The two get closer and fall in love, but face turmoil. |

Plot Keywords:

Homeless | Attempted Rape | Based On Play

Cast

Dana Delany	...	Anne
Bai Ling	...	Esther
Debi Mazar	...	Susan
Ronnie Gene Blevins	...	Henry
Angela Sarafyan	...	Maggie
Jonathan LaPaglia	...	Vince
Saadet Aksoy	...	Denise
Enrique Castillo	...	Don Miguel
Jesse Garcia	...	David
Walter Perez	...	Enrico
Rena Owen	...	Sam
Meltem Cumbul	...	Antanas
Brandon Ficara	...	Homeless Man
Royana Black	...	Cathy
Stefan Banica Jr.	...	Gangster
Tuba Ünsal
Ho-Jung	...	Korean Wife Store Owner
Dan Kelpine	...	Jim
Bree Elise	...	Lady
Bill Lithgow	...	Hippie Vendor
Deidra Edwards	...	Call Center Receptionist
Gloria Alexandra	...	Stripper
Andreea Banica	...	Romanian lady
Tim Moore	...	Building Security

Directed by
Alejandro Chomski

Writing credits
Wendy Hammond		(play)
Wendy Hammond		(adaptation) &
Deborah Calla		(adaptation)
Wendy Hammond		(screenplay)
Deborah Calla		screenplay

Produced by
Serap Acuner	....	executive producer
Brandon Baker	....	co-producer
Deborah Calla	....	producer
Mark Andrew Clark	....	co-producer
Izak Filiba	....	executive producer
Lusi Filiba	....	executive producer
Nesim Hason	....	producer
Sezin Hason	....	executive producer
Robert Holof	....	executive producer
Robert Lansing Parker	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Ruy Folguera

Cinematography by
Nancy Schreiber

Film Editing by
Alex Blatt

Casting by
Adrienne Stern

Production Design by
Natalie Sanfilippo

Art Direction by
Lucila Rafaelli Tepper

Costume Design by
Warden Neil
Carmen Thompson

Production Management
Robb Shelton	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Brian McQuery	....	second assistant director
Anni Speckheuer	....	second second assistant director

Art Department
Elizabeth Roath	....	assistant property master

Sound Department
David Barber	....	sound re-recording mixer
Melissa Bylsma	....	sound coordinator
Lisa Gillespie	....	utility sound
Jay Golden	....	boom operator
Jeff Merritt	....	sound effects editor
Eric Reuveni	....	foley mixer

Visual Effects by
Diane Wright	....	titles producer: TitleWright
Steve Wright	....	end titles: TitleWright

Stunts
Ray Lykins	....	fight choreographer
Ray Lykins	....	stunt coordinator
Jay Torrez	....	stunt double

Camera and Electrical Department
Josh Day	....	grip
Jesse Feldman	....	additional first assistant camera: "b" camera
Chris Garlington	....	grip
Anthony M. Gutierrez	....	first assistant camera
Tom Howard	....	best boy grip
Jay Hunter	....	additional camera operator: "b" camera
Ben Kobbs	....	second assistant camera
Christina Ortiz	....	second assistant camera
Jon Peter	....	first assistant camera
Gregory Peters	....	still photographer
Marlen Schlawin	....	second assistant camera
Harry Souders	....	best boy electric
Keith Talley	....	key grip
Newton TerMeer	....	gaffer
Nick Tully	....	grip
Matt Valentine	....	camera operator
Christopher S. Walters	....	electrician
Bobby Woo	....	lighting technician

Casting Department
Rich King	....	additional casting
Mac Marshall	....	extras casting
Tammy Porto	....	casting associate
Harika Uygur	....	international casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Amanda Cadelago	....	costume assistant
Diana Savone	....	set costumer

Editorial Department
Joseph K. Chen	....	assistant editor
Mike Sowa	....	digital intermediate colorist
Jay Trautman	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Jason Annis	....	music supervisor
Gustavo Borner	....	scoring mixer
Maria Entraigues	....	songwriter
Angie Rubin	....	music supervisor

Transportation Department
Shay Morgan Brook	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Amy Arter	....	script supervisor
Jeremy Craven	....	key set production assistant
Sarah Ehrbar	....	production assistant
Mario Gilbert	....	location manager
Jim Harmon	....	key set production assistant
Stanley Longstreet	....	location manager
Josianne Mailloux	....	assistant production coordinator
Paul McDade	....	audition reader
Paul McDade	....	office production assistant
Frank Torti	....	production coordinator
Marielle Woods	....	production assistant

Production Companies

• Calla Productions
• Bob Holof Productions
• New Films International

Distributors

• Blue Sky Media (2007) (Czech Republic) (all media)
• Be Best in DVD (BBI-DVD) (2010) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Image Entertainment (2011) (USA) (all media)
• New Films International (2007) (worldwide) (all media)

Other Companies

• EMS Payroll  extras payroll (uncredited)
• Juniper Post  sound post-production

Also Known As:

Runtime:

USA:81 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Calla Productions

Soundtrack:

Life is Beautiful

Lives of Quiet Desperation

This modest film focuses on a poignant relationship of a young man and woman, who share a common bond of desperation in their lives. The film is memorable for the two fine performers of the roles of Maggie and David.

The young man is an illegal immigrant seeking to bring his mother into the country, after he has risked his life to escape his lot in Mexico. The young woman has left home due to her abusive father. In the film, the relationship of the couple really evolves over the course of the action.

Although this is not a great film, it is sincere in depicting the emotional lives of the characters. It is also an economical film. It was refreshing to experience a 75-minute movie when compared with so many films that drag on senselessly for over two hours.

It was also interesting to see the role of a library, which impacted the life of the young woman. The kind librarian, who recognized a young woman undergoing a crisis, provided the crucial intervention for potentially saving a life. How many films today depict a library as a safe haven and a librarian as an angel of mercy?

The author Henry David Thoreau wrote that "the mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation." The two young actors really took some risks in exposing the raw, emotional lives of their characters. They deserve acknowledgment for their efforts and achievements in this film.