Maria Full of Grace (2004)

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

Director:

Joshua Marston

Writer:

Joshua Marston

Stars:

Catalina Sandino Moreno, Guilied Lopez, Orlando Tobón

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 41 wins & 33 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Catalina Sandino Moreno	...	María Álvarez
Virgina Ariza	...	Juana
Yenny Paola Vega	...	Blanca
Rodrigo Sánchez Borhorquez	...	Supervisor (as Rodrigo Sanchez Borhorquez)
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
Jhon Álex Toro	...	Franklin (as Jhon Alex Toro)
Jaime Osorio Gómez	...	Javier (as Jaime Osorio Gomez)
Guilied Lopez	...	Lucy Díaz
Victor Macias	...	Pellet Maker

Storyline

María Álvarez, an independent, feisty, and underpaid seventeen-year-old Colombian rose packager is stuck in a tedious life and a dead-end relationship with her good-for-nothing boyfriend, Juan. And as if things weren't bad enough, an unexpected pregnancy and an ugly altercation with her unfair boss will tempt María to accept the risky offer to become a drug mule, smuggling drugs from Bogotá to New York City. But, as things rapidly spiral out of control, suddenly, the option of an early retirement and a peaceful future for both María and her unborn baby begins to fade away. Is there a way out from this hopeless predicament?

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Plot Keywords:

drug mule | stomach | money | colombian | colombia | 

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Taglines:

These pellets contain heroin. Each weighs 10 grams. Each is 4.2 cm long and 1.4 cm wide. And they're on their way to New York in the stomach of a 17-year-old girl.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for drug content and language

Details

Official Sites:

Fine Line Features [United States] HBO

Country:

Colombia Ecuador USA

Language:

Spanish English

Release Date:

6 August 2004 (USA)

Also Known As:

Maria Full of Grace

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$3,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$139,066, 18 July 2004, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$6,517,198, 7 November 2004

Company Credits

Production Co:

HBO Films,Fine Line Features,Journeyman Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

101 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Catalina Sandino Moreno became the first actress ever to be nominated to Best Actress at the Oscars for a role that it is spoken entirely in Spanish.

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Goofs

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

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Quotes

María Álvarez: What about our money?
Felipe: What about it? You two ran off with the merchandise!
María Álvarez: You have the pellets back!
Felipe: Exactly, we have them back and we don't need you anymore. You're not worth a fuck now.

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Connections

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

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Soundtracks

Abusadora
Written by Miguel A. Figueredo
Performed by Azuquito

User Reviews

HARROWING

Horrowing like nothing I've seen in a while.What a great movie, it was so disturbing at times I could'nt sleep. Reading Ralph Michael Stein comments I realize how differently people's take on the central character of Maria can be, to me she and people like her are not the criminals in this sad story but definitely the exploited. If it were'nt for drug users in wealthy countries like ours, who considered "partying" a fun harmless escape, girls like Maria would never even have the opportunity of risking their lives in such a miserable way. It's definitely put guilt and thought towards those times I might have indulged in irrisponsible behavior in the past, so taking that into consideration, the film's done it's job.