New theatres have been added this weekend.
Last weekend was great!
Tony Bennett loved Bella!
"This film is a work of art.... This is one of the masterpieces.... This is a film that, with our social problem right now between Mexico and the United States, this is the most important film that every citizen in America should go see."
The October 26 "Friday Five" Citizen interview with Eduardo Verastegui included his brush with abortion and his save:
Q: You visited an abortion clinic as part of your research for your part in Bella. Tell me about that.A: This is the biggest, hardest role I’ve done in my life, and on top of that I was producing as well.
I ended up going to an abortion clinic because I wanted to do research - to understand my character and understand the pain she was going through so I could help her. I thought it would be very simple and easy - just get in there, stop the first young lady and ask her a few questions. Of course, I was very naive and I didn't know what was going to happen.
When I got there, I was in shock because I saw all young ladies - 16, 17 years old - going in, and I forgot about the film and I didn't know what to say.I see a group of people outside trying to convince a lady not to do it. A lady in that group pointed me to a couple who didn’t speak English, only Spanish. The couple recognizes me from the soap operas, and we start talking for like 45 minutes and became friends. We talked about life and faith and Mexico and her dreams. And she missed her appointment.
I called her the next day and said, "Listen, I don't believe in coincidences; I was there for a reason." So we built a friendship through the phone.
Months later I receive a call from a man who was there that day and he tells me he has great news: his baby was born yesterday, and he wanted to ask me permission to name him Eduardo.
I couldn’t even talk. I just started crying.
I didn’t plan to do that, but I was used by the grace of God as an instrument to save this beautiful baby. Even if Bella doesn’t sell one ticket, I rejoice in the Lord for little Eduardo.
[HT: Citizen article: reader Sheri K.]
Comments:
Argh! Still nowhere near New England. Jasper, you live in MA, are you as frustrated by this as I am?
Posted by: Bobby Bambino at November 2, 2007 11:33 AMWhat's Bella all about, anyway?
Posted by: Stephanie at November 2, 2007 11:58 AMI have a group of about 10 so far planning to go this weekend.
Posted by: hippie at November 2, 2007 1:56 PMStephanie, hi. How do you like your EMS job?:)
Posted by: heather at November 2, 2007 2:08 PMhi, hippie!
Posted by: heather at November 2, 2007 2:08 PMStephanie, it's about a waitress who gets fired for being late, and the chef who walks off the job to appologize for what a jerk his brother was when he fired her. They spend the day together opening up. She's pregnant and alone, he has a troubling secret.
Posted by: Christina at November 2, 2007 2:52 PMOh My God, Thank you for making that man...He is SOOOOOOOOO Beautiful! I'd like to see him puttin' together some cribs for the womens center...yesirree!
Posted by: mk at November 2, 2007 4:50 PM(psssst...I wasn't talking about Tony Bennett either)
Posted by: mk at November 2, 2007 4:54 PMFrom: Texas Alliance for Life
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=89108854&MyToken=c22e8651-3204-43f7-af72-8f3f8f2b7809
Bella's promo team sent us 100+ tickets for the show in AUSTIN at 4:55pm tomorrow (Saturday) at Tinseltown and 20+ tickets for the Sunday 7:15pm show at Great Hills Arbor.
Message us with your name, email address, and the show you want (Sat or Sun) and get on the list. RSVP by 2pm Saturday!
Tell your friends!
www.bellathemovie.com
Posted by: Zeke13:19 at November 2, 2007 5:00 PM"Argh! Still nowhere near New England. Jasper, you live in MA, are you as frustrated by this as I am?"
Bobby, yes...I was going to go this weekend...I didn't know it wasn't playing until you mentioned it...I wonder if pro-aborts are behind this....
Posted by: jasper at November 2, 2007 10:10 PMBobby, yes...I was going to go this weekend...I didn't know it wasn't playing until you mentioned it...I wonder if pro-aborts are behind this....
Posted by: jasper at November 2, 2007 10:10 PM
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yes. It's a huge conspiracy.
We've also stolen all of the Goobers and Raisinettes, as well as that petroleum-based butter-flavored goo that goes on the popcorn.
Doug, I'm continuing our discussion here since the other one got bumped into the archives... and this post seems to only have a few posts on it anyway:
You had written:
********************
"I do not want to suffer needlessly. I think we all have a point where we'd say, "the heck with it..." Different people would draw the line different places. At what stage does the "needlessly" begin applying?
Doug"
**************
Doug, how do you know that any suffering you might endure is not for a reason?
If you want to give up and die at the first moment you start suffering, you probably could, but I would be the first to try to convince you otherwise, and to give you reasons to continue living on this earth, if this were to ever happen to you.
I would remind you of all the good that you could accomplish before you die, I would remind you that you could be a loving support, who could uplift others who were suffering in your exact situation (in a way that others cannot- you would have empathy, not just sympathy), to help them not give up hope.
Lance Armstrong suffered with cancer for a long time...was it needlessly? What if he had given up? But he didn't give up, he fought it with every fiber of his being, and look at all that he was able to accomplish, not only for himself, but as an inspiration and hope to others who have struggled with cancer.
I don't believe that suffering is necessarily ever "needless". I believe that suffering, in any form, can produce good, and can have a purpose.
You understand that exercising is a struggle that produces a positive result...that climbing a mountain is a struggle that can produce a positive result.
So, why do you seem to be against the idea that a person can suffer, even to death, and not be suffering "needlessly"?
Why do you not see that much good can come out of all kinds of suffering?
Posted by: Bethany at November 3, 2007 6:19 PMBethany: Doug, how do you know that any suffering you might endure is not for a reason?
I think that depends on what we believe, first of all, Bethany. If there can be "for a reason" anyway. I don't think that "things happen for a reason" as if there is any bigger game going on, so I don't really see it as applying. I have had challenges in the past, and I see some good in them, but that does not mean that a time cannot come when I wouldn't want to live. Likewise, if another person says they want to die, and I trust them enough on it, then I would not say that them dying is really a bad thing.
......
If you want to give up and die at the first moment you start suffering, you probably could, but I would be the first to try to convince you otherwise, and to give you reasons to continue living on this earth, if this were to ever happen to you. I would remind you of all the good that you could accomplish before you die, I would remind you that you could be a loving support, who could uplift others who were suffering in your exact situation (in a way that others cannot- you would have empathy, not just sympathy), to help them not give up hope.
:: shaking head :: Bethany, you are so sweet. I believe you would, and I'm grateful for that; you undeniably have a good heart. I'm really not talking about the first moment of suffering, though, I'm talking about people who have suffered long and intensely.
......
Lance Armstrong suffered with cancer for a long time...was it needlessly? What if he had given up? But he didn't give up, he fought it with every fiber of his being, and look at all that he was able to accomplish, not only for himself, but as an inspiration and hope to others who have struggled with cancer.
No, of course it wasn't needless for him. He wanted to live.
......
I don't believe that suffering is necessarily ever "needless". I believe that suffering, in any form, can produce good, and can have a purpose. You understand that exercising is a struggle that produces a positive result...that climbing a mountain is a struggle that can produce a positive result. So, why do you seem to be against the idea that a person can suffer, even to death, and not be suffering "needlessly"? Why do you not see that much good can come out of all kinds of suffering?
I do see that much good can come from it. My point is that sometimes not enough good, or not any good at all, will come from it.
Posted by: Doug at November 3, 2007 7:59 PMI have seen Bella twice, and thought it very good in every way.
The second time I saw it (yesterday), I learned that Tammy Blanchard is living out the role of Nina in real life, only as an actress, not a waitress. She learned that she was pregnant by a "lover" who left her near the end of filming this. The producer asked her what she was going to do; she said that after filming Bella, there was no way she would get an abortion. Other children's lives have also been saved by this film; a great thing, especially if you are one of them.
I understand that Bella did even better this weekend than last; hopefully, this will lead to a much deserved wider distribution.
Posted by: flynn at November 5, 2007 3:50 PM