Bella (2006)

A chef with a mysterious past spends the day with a waitress who needs a friend.

Director:

Alejandro Monteverde (as Alejandro Gómez Monteverde)

Writers:

Alejandro Monteverde (as Alejandro Gómez Monteverde), Patrick Million

Stars:

Eduardo Verástegui, Tammy Blanchard, Manny Perez

6 wins.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Eduardo Verástegui	...	José
Tammy Blanchard	...	Nina
Manny Perez	...	Manny
Angélica Aragón	...	Mother
Jaime Tirelli	...	Father
Ramon Rodriguez	...	Eduardo
Armando Riesco	...	Francisco
Sophie Nyweide	...	Bella
Ali Landry Monteverde	...	Celia (as Ali Landry)
Ewa Da Cruz	...	Veronica
Alexa Gerasimovich	...	Loochi
Herb Lovelle	...	Homeless Man
Tawny Cypress	...	Frannie
Doug DeBeech	...	Pieter
Michael Mosley	...	Kevin

Storyline

An international soccer star is on his way to sign a multimillion-dollar contract when a series of events unfold that bring his career to an abrupt end. A beautiful waitress, struggling to make it in New York City, discovers something about herself that she's unprepared for. In one irreversible moment, their lives are turned upside down... until a simple gesture of kindness brings them both together, turning an ordinary day to an unforgettable experience.

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Plot Keywords:

pregnancy | adoption | abortion | character name as title | forename as title | 

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Taglines:

One Day Can Change Your Life.

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for thematic elements and brief disturbing images

Details

Official Sites:

MySpace

Country:

USA Mexico

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

30 November 2007 (USA)

Also Known As:

Beauty

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$3,300,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$1,324,000, 26 October 2007, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$8,108,247, 29 June 2008

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metanoia Films, Bella Production, Burnside Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

91 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Based on a true story.

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Goofs

At the end of the film Nina returns to Long Island on an Amtrack pulled by an engine clearly framed by the camera. The Long Island RR is electrified and is not equipped with an engine. It uses a third rail.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Jose: [voiceover] My grandmother used to say, "If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans."

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Connections

Featured in The O'Reilly Factor: Episode dated 5 May 2008 (2008)

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Soundtracks

Lo que Dios quiera
Written by Marco Flores
Performed by Marco Flores

User Reviews

Bella Wins Top Award at Toronto & Enters Oscar Race

I had the privilege of seeing "Bella" at the Toronto Film Festival and was amazed by this beautiful love story! After i heard the buzz about this little film i decided to go see it with out knowing what to expect and i was blown away. Actually, i think it is best to see this film without knowing anything about the story. A lot of people were surprised when Bella took the top prize at Toronto except for me and the other people who saw the film. Our screening ended in a standing ovation and the Q&A went so long that the moderator had to cut it off. The performances were incredible and the directing was remarkable. It was a powerful experience with a lot of unexpected twists and turns... especially the ending. It is amazing that this little film beat out all of this years Oscar hopefuls to get the most coveted Award at Toronto but it could not have happened to a better film. Congrats!