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Just got hold of the latest issue of the magazine my old alma mater in Spain sends me regularly. A feature about a movie actor, now also a producer, immediately got my attention. First, a magazine that tries to be serious in character would normally not talk about actors and celebrities. Second, though I’ve heard of the story before in a tangential way, I thought it would just have a short shelf life, just a flash in the pan, you know. In short, the article broke my guiding principles. It deserved to be read. And I did. Now, I feel...

LOS ANGELES — Like many of Jason Jones’ best ideas, this one came in the middle of the night.A member of the production team that put out the pro-life hit movie of 2006, Bella, Jones’ previous nocturnal brainstorm had instigated Bella Hero, a campaign devoted to putting a copy of the film in the hands of every visitor to a crisis-pregnancy center in the United States. Next came Bella on Campus, which raises funds to pay for college screenings.Now, because of a chance meeting with a New York City beggar, drug addict and ex-con to whom he had given...

Steve McEveety CNA STAFF, Jul 23, 2009 / 01:28 pm (CNA).- In a Wednesday evening conference call Steve McEveety, producer of movies such as "The Passion of the Christ" and "Bella," spoke about his Hollywood career, his faith, and how aspiring filmmakers can advance in the entertainment industry. He also discussed the production of movies such as "Braveheart," "The Passion" and "The Stoning of Soraya M."McEveety, a founder of Mpower Pictures, was interviewed by Sean Wolfington, founder of Positive Media and co-owner of Metanoia Films. Members of the media, aspiring young moviemakers and interested laymen listened in and then...

When Christian actor Eduardo Verastegui devoted his career to serving God, he had no idea what might come out of his decision. He certainly couldn’t have imagined that his widely acclaimed movie Bella would literally save lives and souls. But that’s the story that author Tim Drake tells so well in his book Behind Bella.As the book shows, God’s hand was on Eduardo and on the making of the movie from the very beginning. To prepare for his role in Bella, Eduardo wanted to find a real-life Nina—the co-lead in the film struggling with her unwanted pregnancy. So Eduardo...

FReep this Digg!!! (We need FReepers to FReep the Vote over at Buzz too! Any volunteers???) Post your own links exposing ObamaNation on Digg, Buzz, Reddit, etc. Saturate these boards. They're massive and they are crawling with independents and undecideds. And don't post them all in one category, like politics or elections. Finally, repost your links on FR to we can put a protective FReep around them :o) For examples of how to do this, see my history. Let's use our combined FReeperPower to FREEP THE VOTE!!!

MEXICO CITY, October 23, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Mexican-American movie star Eduardo Verastegui has begun campaigning against California's homosexual "marriage" law, and is incurring the wrath of Mexican homosexuals as a result. Following Verastegui's reported decision to lead the campaign for the Hispanic organization "Viva la Familia" (Long Live the Family) enraged members of "Tri Gay", Mexico's self-proclaimed "gay soccer selection" expressed their displeasure against the pro-life, pro-family actor and entertainer. At a press conference on October 22 in the offices of Mexico's Secretary of Health, the team denounced Verastegui. The vice-president of Tri Gay, Eduardo Velasquez, tore up a picture...

Verastegui has spoken at several McCain-Palin rallies. In Miami, the capital of Latin America and the first U.S. city where Verastegui lived, he campaigned for John McCain with McCain’s Senate allies Joe Lieberman and Mel Martinez, as well as Florida’s former governor, Jeb Bush and Governor Charlie Crist. Verastegui said, “There I was, just an actor from Hollywood, not even a politician. “I said more than 45 million babies have been killed by abortion in America and more than 200,000 Latino babies are killed by abortion each year. I told everyone that we need to put an end to this...

The Mexican superstar of Latin America, Eduardo Verastegui, and several of his friends joined the 40 Days for Life prayer campaign outside Family Planning Associates, an abortion business at 601 S. Westmoreland Avenue. He went there for two reasons: to help mothers and their unborn children, and warn people about the number-one abortion celebrity, Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL). Verastegui is cofounder of L.A.-based Metanoia Films and lead actor in the company’s first feature film Bella, which premiered in American movie theaters last October. Until November 2, citizens of 179 cities in 47 of the United States and the District...

Los Angeles, October 1, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Saturday, September 27, the Mexican superstar of Latin America, Eduardo Verastegui, and several of his friends joined the 40 Days for Life prayer campaign outside Family Planning Associates, an abortion business at 601 S. Westmoreland Avenue. He went there for two reasons: to help mothers and their unborn children, and warn people about the number-one abortion celebrity, Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL).Verastegui is cofounder of L.A.-based Metanoia Films and lead actor in the company's first feature film, Bella (http://www.amazon.com/Bella-Eduardo-Ver%C3%A1stegui/dp/B0014...), which premiered in American movie theaters last October.Until November 2, citizens of 179 cities in...

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- No sooner had the video gone up of popular Hispanic actor Eduardo Verástegui denouncing presidential candidate Barack Obama on abortion than YouTube officials took it down. The video sharing site removed the full version of the video, which showed graphic images of abortions.It did, however, leave an edited version in place that contains the Bella actor urging Latinos to vote against Obama without the footage of babies who have died from abortions.The Verástegui video has already caught fire across the Internet with more than 8,000 people viewing it in only two days.It features the former...

Los Angeles, CA (LifeNews.com) -- Eduardo Verástegui, the former Mexican singer and actor who starred in the hit movie "Bella," has recorded a new video asking Hispanic voters in the United States to reject Barack Obama because of his pro-abortion views. Verástegui challenges Latino voters to make abortion issues the centerpiece of their voting decisions.In the new video, conducted in Spanish, Verástegui, says Obama is out of step with the overwhelming majority of Hispanics who are pro-life.“We need to put an end to abortion and political candidates play a very important role in this matter,” he says.Verástegui tells viewers...

Hollywood, CA -- Readers of LifeNews.com had the opportunity to purchase a DVD copy of the heartwarming movie Bella weeks ago, and now the general public can purchase the film. Already, the pro-life themed movie is the most popular pre-sell DVD in its category at Amazon.com. LifeNews.com has been covering the progress of Bella since June 2006 when we received a private advanced screening of the unfinished, pre-edited movie. Full story at http://www.lifenews.com/nat3913.html To purchase a DVD copy of the movie, vist http://www.hh76.com/default.asp?r=275

Confirmed reports of the movie Bella so far saving at least 15 mothers and their babies from abortion has spurred its producers to recently launch their bella 10 campaign. The campaign is an unusual, grassroots targeted promotion strategy designed to give individual fans of the movie lots of practical advice and tools to convince 10 people to order a Bella DVD who would in turn convince 10 others to do the same. The campaign asks the rhetorical question, "Can a movie really save a child's life?" to emphasize that by promoting or even giving away purchased copies of the movie...

San Francisco, CA (LifeNews.com) -- The niece of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. will lead an estimated 20,000 people along San Francisco’s waterfront in the fourth annual West Coast Walk for Life. The event is a western equivalent to the national March for Life in Washington and it gives participants a chance to show how abortion hurts women.King's father was slain civil rights activist A.D. King, and their home in Birmingham, Alabama, was bombed during the civil rights struggles.This year's event takes place on Saturday, January 19 and Clenard Childress, another African-American pro-life leader and Gianna Jessen, who survived...

Directed by Roy Royland, this movie (These Wilder Years) has some good actors in it (and familiar names. They are: Jimmy Cagney, Barbara Stanwyck, Walter Pidgeon, and Dean Jones. But the show stealer is the character Suzie, played by Betty Lou Kiem. It is like Bella, but then it is different, as Jimmy Cagney plays a very rich man, but with something in his past that he wants to find out about. That is a son that he abandoned all responsibility years ago when the pregnant came to him for help... Barbara Stanwyck plays the heroine, but is Cagney the...

REDONDO BEACH, Calif., December 10, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - "By the grace of God, I was able to save this baby," said Eduardo Verastegui, star of the movie, "Bella." The famous 33-year-old Mexican actor shared this while holding baby "Eduardito" at a LAPS pregnancy center banquet in Los Angeles. Eduardo always hoped his new film would touch lives and inspire souls, but he never imagined "Bella" would help save a real baby's life before filming even began. The movie is earning top ratings from movie critics.  Moreover it is causing a sensation wherever it goes. At the New York "Bella"...

Yahoo! Rating of Movies Currently Playinghttp://movies.yahoo.com/mvc/top10 1. Bella [B+] 2. Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married? [B+] 3. Enchanted [B+] 4. August Rush [B+] ... Top Rated Movies of All Timehttp://movies.yahoo.com/mvc/top10?lid=1 1. The Shawshank Redemption {A-} 2. Lord of the Rings: Return of the King {A-} 3. The Godfather {A-} 4. Star Wars {A-} 5. Raiders of the Lost Ark {A-} 6. Schindler's List {A-} 7. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring {A-} ... 22. Bella [B+] Note that a number of the movies on the All Time [Star Wars Trilogy, Lord of the Rings,...

Bush Urges Americans to Adopt Orphans By Melissa Charbonneau CBN News November 21, 2007 Adopt Us Kids CBNNews.com - The White House is reaching out to faith-based and community groups to find homes for the nation's 115,000 children in foster care, waiting to be adopted. Dawn Cooper, a single mom of four adopted teenage girls, says misperceptions abound - especially regarding the adoption of older children. Watch for more on adopting foster care children, from Jim Daly, president of Focus on the Family. Daly talks about his experiences in foster homes. Some of those misconceptions include the belief "that there's...

REVIEW: 'Bella' is Beautiful By Deacon Keith Fournier 11/20/2007 Catholic Online This movie is about 'Bella', the Italian (and Latin) word for beauty. Bella is also the name of a child through whose eyes we finally see the mystery and meaning of it all as the film concludes.Those who watch this beautiful film are invited to live their lives more beautifully, and live them differently, by making the choice to love. LOS ANGELES (Catholic Online) - I entered the theater with great expectations. Bella exceeded them all. As is the case with many of the showings of this limited release...

The antiwar movie Lions for Lambs is definitely a bomb/dud at the boxoffice. More people give this movie a flunking grade than all other grades combined. The opposite of Lions for Lambs is the movie Bella, which is only playing at under 500 theaters -- despite some good numbers from the box office with nothing but a grassroots mode of telling people about the movie. In the case of Lions for Lambs, the liberal left loonies of Hollywood wanted to come up with an Anti-war movie to hurt the conservatives in time for the 2008 Election. Seems they have instead...

Rarely am I so taken by the beauty and power of a movie that I want everyone I know to see it. “Bella” is a film you must see. The story (I won’t reveal too much, because I don’t want to spoil it for you) concerns a young soccer star whose career is abruptly cut short. He winds up working in his brother’s restaurant in New York City, where he befriends a struggling waitress. The story is rich in messages of redemption, friendship, sacrifice and hope. No wonder the Hollywood crowd is beginning to cut it to shreds. (snip)The film...

Hollywood, CA -- Several new cities saw the premier of Bella last weekend ranging from Pittsburgh and Milwaukee to Honolulu and Albuquerque. The movie, which has struck a chord with the pro-life community because of its theme in favor of respecting life, continued to attract a strong audience despite the limited number of theaters showing it. Over the first few weeks of the film's release, just 186 theaters showed the movie, which gave it the second and third highest per-theater sales figures during late October and early November. The premier this weekend in venues in places such as Green Bay...

One man’s emotional and spiritual resurrection is charted with sweet assurance in “Bella,” directed by Alejandro Monteverde. The movie begins with a bearded, long-haired Jose (Mexico’s Eduardo Verastegui) sitting on a beach - his face reflecting pain, remorse and stoicism. Only gradually do we learn why. Jose is head chef in a Manhattan restaurant run by his petty tyrant of an older brother, Manny (Manny Perez). When Nina (Tammy Blanchard of “The Good Shepherd,” remarkably affecting) is late yet again, Manny gives her the boot. Jose impulsively leaves the kitchen - and everyone in the lurch - to follow her....

If one looks on the main page of Priests for Life, one will find no mention of the pro-life oriented movie Bella. But the movie is mentioned in Archdiocesan websites of Philadelphia, Denver, San Antonio, and Boston. In terms of the Boston website, it is under the Blog of Cardinal Sean O'Malley. The Knights of Columbus has been promoting this movie as well. So what has happened with Priests for Life. I know that Father Denis Wilde, OSA, of Priests for Life was concerned about 10 days ago that at that time Bella had not yet been scheduled to play...

Note: The following commentary includes details from the movie Bella. Do not read on if you prefer not to read about the film before viewing it. When you go see the movie Bella, you will be struck by a series of simple but powerful images: a child running on a beach, a man dancing with a little girl, a butterfly sucked down a sink. The use of evocative imagery helps transform the film into something more than what it looks like on the surface—just a story of two people spending a day together after getting fired from their jobs. You...

With the help of Knights of Columbus councils around the United States, Bella, the major motion picture with a strong pro-life message, had a very good opening at the box office. With a limited release in 165 theaters in major markets around the United States., it grossed $1.3 million and had the highest per screen average ($7,928) of any movie opening on more than two screens the weekend of Oct. 27-28, including the top-grossing movie, Saw IV. For the weekend of Nov. 2-44, it grossed more than $1 million and had the third highest per screen average ($5,381) of any...

Bella begins with a bang Hollywood, Nov 2, 2007 / 10:06 am (CNA).- After a successful opening weekend, Bella promoters are hoping the film will continue to draw in viewers in subsequent weeks. Matt Brannon of Metanoia Films told CNA that despite a very limited release of Bella, the film grossed an amazing $1.3 million and finished in the top 20 films of the weekend even though it played on the fewest amount of screens of all its competitors. Bella was shown on 165 screens. Typically, Hollywood blockbusters are shown on 3,000 screens across the US. The movie also had...

Talk to the creators of Bella, a quiet new film with a pro-life theme, and their faces often get a certain look: incredulous, even wonder-struck. Most of the time, they cannot believe their humble production has come so far. And far it has come for a $3 million movie with an executive producer who had never made films, a director who had never made a feature-length film, and a lead actor who was jobless for three years. Last year Bella won the prestigious People's Choice Award at the world's largest film festival in Toronto, competing against Oscar winners such as...

Bella to Anti-War Movies: Show Me the Money!The independent pro-life film trounced Hollywood's anti-war movies in per-theater revenues, in spite of hostile mainstream media reviews.You won’t see this fun movie fact in any mainstream media outlets, but the little pro-life movie Bella, which just opened, beat the socks off of several anti-war/anti-American movies in opening weekend per-theater revenues. This despite the fact that Bella was panned by critics in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Variety and other mainstream outlets.(For an interesting article on how movie critics inject their politics into reviews, click here.) Here’s the breakdown. Bella opened...

Hollywood, CA -- Bella, the pro-life themed movie that has the potential to change hearts and minds on abortion, opened solidly with $1.3 million over the weekend in a limited release in just 31 cities. Though other movies achieved higher gross sales, they needed significantly more theaters to do so. The film stars Eduardo Verastegui as a former soccer player who learns the value of human life and helps a pregnant waitress, played by Tammy Blanchard, appreciate the value of the baby she's carrying. The number one movie this weekend, according to initial figures, was "Saw IV," a Holloween horror...

Bella, an independent film staring Mexican superstar Eduardo Verástegui, is scheduled for limited release in theatres on October 26. The movie, an inspirational drama set in modern-day New York, has what America's been asking for but what Hollywood refuses to give. Having won the People's Choice Award at last year's Toronto Film Festival, you'd think major Hollywood distribution companies would be crawling over one another for a crack at the film. But such is not the case. Bella's central theme puts a premium on the value of human life - including life in the womb - and that is a...

Saw it. Loved it. Would love to hear what you think. Ideas about promoting the movie also welcome.

...The bohemian worldview of Woodstock Nation is in some ways dominant, and in some ways passe in our popular culture. Hallucinogenic drugs are no longer the rage, but the "free love" spirit of "if it feels good, do it" still runs strong, especially in our entertainment world. And yet, burbling beneath a noisy culture of sexual excess and self-love, there's a quiet undercurrent in our movies carrying subtle, and even obvious, pro-life themes. Last Christmas, there was "Children of Men," a dark science-fiction look into England, 20 years from now, where human fertility has vanished.... Six months later, the small...

Who was the first person to tell you about "The Passion of Christ"? Admit it – it was me. Long before the controversy, long before the hype, I told you it was coming and would change the face of Hollywood forever – not to mention impact the lives of millions. Was I right then? Yes, I was. And today I want to tell you about another independent film that is coming – probably many months from now – that is, in its own way, as miraculous and compelling, as powerful and redemptive. This time, it's not the work of a...

An invited audience including Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez gathered at the National Geographic Society's auditorium in Washington Monday night for a screening of "Bella," an independently produced feature film. No mere movie, it offers hope for the beleaguered anti-abortion movement to reverse the political tide running against it. This was the eighth such screening in Washington. Monday night's audience reflected the reaction in more than 100 showings nationwide: an emotional experience for a stunning exhibition of cinema art that unexpectedly won a Toronto Film Festival award. It is no propaganda film but a dramatic depiction of choices facing an...

Who was the first person to tell you about "The Passion of Christ"? Admit it – it was me. Long before the controversy, long before the hype, I told you it was coming and would change the face of Hollywood forever – not to mention impact the lives of millions. Was I right then? Yes, I was. And today I want to tell you about another independent film that is opening tomorrow and is, in its own way, as miraculous and compelling, as powerful and redemptive. This time, it's not the work of a wealthy superstar like Mel Gibson who...

The hotly debated question in politics right now is whether or not Republicans will nominate a pro-life candidate for president. But for those of us who bemoan the lack of healthy entertainment choices, there’s a more immediate question that will be decided not at the ballot box but the box office this coming weekend. That question is: Can a beautifully-crafted film with an equally beautiful life-affirming message make it on the big screen? The movie at issue is “Bella.� It is a moving work of art that is full of heart. “The film shows there is a time in everyone’s...

"Bella," the heart-warming independent film that took the 2006 Toronto Film Festival by storm, has now officially secured a major distributor for US audiences. The Hollywood Reporter confirms a July 26 scoop by LifeSiteNews.com that had reported "Bella" would be released nationwide in U.S. theaters by October 26 by a major distributor Metanoia Films, the producer, finalized the contract with the distributor. http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2007/jul/07072609.html) Now it is reported that Roadside Attractions has acquired the rights to distribute "Bella," making the independent film its first acquisition since its partnership with Lionsgate in July. While Metanoia Films has not marketed "Bella" as a...

Not long ago, Eduardo Verástegui was named one of the 50 Most Beautiful People in the world by the Spanish version of People magazine. He was an impossibly handsome Latino soap star, and women around the globe threw themselves at him as a member of Mexican heartthrob pop group Kairo. He was a Calvin Klein underwear model. He played the leading role in the 2003 film Chasing Papi, where his character had three gorgeous girlfriends. He even was the requisite hunk of macho eye candy in a J-Lo music video. Verastegui in his modeling days Verástegui was not only playing...

Cardinal Justin Rigali, Archbishop of Philadelphia, is urging the faithful throughout the Archdiocese to see the powerful new film "Bella" which opens in select local theaters on Friday, October 26, 2007. Cardinal Rigali said, "This film has a message that is so connected to life: to the problems of life, the challenges of life, the value of life. This film, I believe, is destined to have an extraordinary impact on people's lives." Bella is a film with wide audience appeal. It was the 2006 winner of the People's Choice Award at the Toronto Film Festival, an honor received by former...

Bella, an independent film staring Mexican superstar Eduardo Verástegui, is scheduled for limited release in theatres on October 26. The movie, an inspirational drama set in modern-day New York, has what America's been asking for but what Hollywood refuses to give. Having won the People's Choice Award at last year's Toronto Film Festival, you'd think major Hollywood distribution companies would be crawling over one another for a crack at the film. But such is not the case. Bella's central theme puts a premium on the value of human life — including life in the womb — and that is a...

Director: Alejandro Gomez Monteverde Writers: Alejandro Gomez Monteverde and Patrick Million Release Date: 26 October 2007 (USA) more view trailer Genre: Drama Tagline: One Person Can Change Your Life Forever more Plot Outline: Sooner or later every one of us will face an irreversible moment that will change our lives forever. If it hasn't happened to you yet...it will. BELLA is a true love story about how one day in New York City changed three people forever. more Awards: 2 wins more User Comments: There is hope for Hollywood See Also [LifeSite Articles]Life Site News Scoop on Release Date of...

"Valley of Elah," Lions for Lambs", "Redacted"...Sheesh. Doesn't anybody make movies anymore?

LifeSiteNews.com Scoop Confirmed: "Bella" the Movie to be Released Across United States October 26 By Peter J. Smith NEW YORK, August 31, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - "Bella," the heart-warming independent film that took the 2006 Toronto Film Festival by storm, has now officially secured a major distributor for US audiences confirming a . The Hollywood Reporter confirms a July 26 scoop by LifeSiteNews.com that had reported "Bella" would be released nationwide in US theaters by October 26 by a major distributor once Metanoia Films finalized the contract. (http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2007/jul/07072609.html)Now it is reported that Roadside Attractions has acquired the rights to distribute "Bella,"...

        Abortion Methods     PoliticsInternationalWhat Can I Do? Educational InformationNews PartnersCulture Features Crisis Pregnancy Support Free DailyE-News Subscribe Friends New on LifeSite Donate About Us Contact Site Map Thursday July 26, 2007 Printer friendly version Email to a friend   Toronto Film Festival Winner "Bella" Finds Major Distributor, Anticipates Opening October 26 By John JalsevacJuly 26, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Bella, the heart-warming independent film that took the 2006 Toronto Film Festival by storm, winning the prestigious "People's Choice Award," has been picked up by a major U.S. distributor, a representative at Metanoia Films told LifeSiteNews.com.According...

Most movies coming out of Hollywood these days leave an audience completely removed from the characters. Moviegoers walk out of a theater and soon forget the plot—if there was a plot. Now we look forward to Bella—the beautiful inspiring film that opens around the country this fall. Bella stars Eduardo Verastegui and already it has won scores of awards. At the pre-release screenings that I attended— including one with the toughest crowd of all, college students—Bella got standing ovations. Yet that’s not the most fascinating part. Behind the scenes of this feature film is a story that may very well...

Eduardo Verástegui, Leo Severino and Alejandro Monteverde have a plan. And if everything goes according to script, come Aug. 15’s feast of the Assumption, the movie actor, producer and director, respectively, will offer a prayer of thanks to Mary for her intercession on their labor of love, a film called Bella. “Our mantra is what Mother Teresa said: ‘I didn’t come to be successful; I came to be faithful to God.’ And if success comes, it’s a blessing,” Severino said. All modesty aside, Bella seems primed for success. The film took one of the top honors at the 2006 Toronto...

Scheduled for release in August, Bella bucks the desire to provide a neat and painfully obvious Christian message in favor of a realism and moral complexity that may affect the lives of women struggling with abortion. In Passion: Films, Faith, and Fury, a recent British documentary on the tumultuous relationship between religion and film, a Christian filmmaker was interviewed concerning his involvement in the 1979 epic film Jesus. Also known as The Jesus Project, the film has been translated into hundreds of languages and show at gigantic screenings across the globe. The filmmaker described the project as being inspired by...

Los Angles, CA (LifeNews.com) -- With its movies and music, Hollywood can make a significant impact on society and can change the face of the nation's attitudes on any topic. And changing the way the public approaches the issue of abortion is the top goal of the producers of Bella, a film that continues to generate a buzz within the pro-life community. Bella was shown for the second time at the National Right to Life convention in Kansas City last week and once again an audience of hundreds rose to its feet with teary eyes, thunderous applause and offers to...

If the story of the rich young man from the Gospel of Matthew had a sequel updated for modern times, it might resemble the life of actor Eduardo Verastegui, a Catholic who stars in the new film Bella. In the Gospel account, a rich young man asks Jesus what he needs to do to inherit eternal life. Jesus tells him to sell all he has and follow him. But the man goes away sorrowful because he had great wealth. In the modern day sequel, Verastegui, a rich young man, does sell all he has and is prepared to give up...