By David Poland poland@moviecitynews.com
Toronto: 'Bella' is the People's Choice
Congratulations to Mexican-born, Texas-educated, Los Angeles-based filmmaker Alejandro Monteverde, whose feature debut BELLA won the Toronto Film Festival’s People’s Choice Award. As part of the Contemporary World Cinema programme, Bella didn’t arrive at the fest with huge advance buzz, but this modest, warmly observed two-hander about a washed up soccer star (Eduardo Verastegui) and a lonely, pregnant waitress (Tammy Blanchard) might just have stuff to be a breakout indie hit.
Toronto audiences have a knack for picking interesting and popular films–many of them go on to be Academy Award nominees and IFC award winners. Previous people’s choice winners include AMERICAN BEAUTY, TSOTSI, WHALE RIDER, CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON, and STRICTLY BALLROOM
If I were a betting woman, I should have heeded two good omens about BELLA: first, the movie’s leading man was the cause of the one impromptu female movie fan freakout I witnessed on Cumberland Street. Walking to a screening, there was a sudden, high pitched shriek–two young women all but lunged at a very handsome dark haired man walking near the four seasons. It was Verastegui, who obliged them by posing for autographs. Other women stopped just to get a look. Others strayed from their male companions. “Who is that guy?” one abandoned husband huffed. I should have known.
Second omen–actually, the first. The night before the festival began, I got in to Pearson airport very late–my flight had been delayed six hours–and I wandered around in confusion, looking for my ride to town. We never connected. Who should offer me a ride but writer director Alejandro Monteverdo, who was on pins and needles awaiting the premiere of his film, BELLA.
So not only is he a winner, he’s a nice guy, too. Congratulations again.