Sensitive film boosts pro-life movement

Chicago Sun Times ^ | November 30, 2006 | ROBERT NOVAK

[Alex Murphy]

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. 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 unmarried pregnant woman.

''Bella,'' unknown to the general public, has generated excitement and anticipation in conservative Catholic and other anti-abortion circles. The problem is getting the film in theaters around the country for its public premiere in April. That is never easy for an independent film with no box office names, but the problems are magnified when its message runs counter to the social mores of Hollywood.

''Bella'' arrives in an environment grown bleak for enemies of abortion. The Democratic Party has become so much the party of abortion rights that of 41 freshmen Democrats elected to the House, only three are anti-abortion. Pro-life forces in the House suffered a net loss of 13 members. That means statutory restrictions on abortion, which must be renewed by each Congress, are in serious jeopardy.

The loss of numerical strength on Capitol Hill reflects a public relations and political victory by the abortion lobby. Republican politicians tend to give only lip service to the issue, typified by President Bush's silence on it. GOP candidates have accepted support from pro-life forces -- then kept quiet about abortion, leaving the field open to pro-choice advocates.

Thus, the anti-abortion movement sees ''Bella'' as providential. Although Monday's screening was sponsored by the National Council for Adoption, the word ''adoption'' is uttered only once in the film. There are no tirades against abortion. Indeed, it acknowledges a woman's pain of carrying a baby to term only to give it up for adoption. In the end, however, the film is a heart-wrenching affirmation of life over death.

''Bella'' was conceived by three young conservative Catholic Mexican men -- producer, director and lead actor -- who want to make movies removed from Hollywood's culture of sex and violence. Bankrolled by a Catholic Philadelphia family, they shot the film in 24 days in New York City.

The star is Eduardo Verastegui, a Mexican heartthrob as a performer in TV soap operas who now lives in Los Angeles. A devout Catholic, he told me he was tired of movies showing Latinos as disreputable and immoral. He has learned to speak English in three years well enough to play the lead role mostly in English (with subtitles over the Spanish).

It was a stretch to get ''Bella'' shown at Toronto. ''Going into the festival,'' said the Hollywood Reporter, ''absolutely no one, including the team of filmmakers that made 'Bella,' ever imagined it would capture the People's Choice Award, voted on by festival audiences.'' Even with the Toronto prize, which in the past has led to Academy and Golden Globe awards, however, it is hard to get the film in movie houses, and it may be necessary for the filmmakers to form a distribution company. The avowed reason for the difficulty is inexperience of the director and a cast with names unfamiliar to American moviegoers. But the film's producers say the same left-wing Hollywood establishment that attacked ''The Passion of The Christ'' is sniping at ''Bella.''

If the crucifixion in ''The Passion'' was hard to take for non-Christians and some Christians, ''Bella'' on one level is a drama without religious overtones. But while the audience at Monday's screening was moved to tears, reaction from a commercial theater audience -- including women who have chosen an abortion -- could be different. The pro-life movement hopes, in the absence of effort by supposedly pro-life politicians, it will point to a different way to deal with an unwanted pregnancy.

[Nihil Obstat]

now this sounds like a good movie

[Nihil Obstat]

from http://www.rottentomatoes.com/vine/showthread.php?t=508869

..."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!"

[livius]

Sounds very good! I hope it gets distributed where I live (near Jacksonville, FL).

Another film I think Freepers are going to find interesting is Children of Men, based on the PD James futurist novel where people have ceased to have children - and then a young woman appears, pregnant. It's already opened in Europe, but it won't open here until Christmas Day (or perhaps Christmas Eve, I forget). Oddly enough, the director for that one is also Mexican. He's directed a number of high-profile films in this country, however, and is well known.

[Salvation]

Here's another short CD

Angel in the Waters -- New Pro-Life book for children [Tissue Alert]

[Nihil Obstat]

trailer and info available here -

http://www.bellathemovie.com/

caution for you though -- I wish I hadn't watched the trailer and read the synopsis, 'cause I think I figured out the surpise ending already.

[RightoLIfe]

Thank you for letting us know about this movie, we will certainly promote it.

[incredulous joe]

"It offers hope for the beleaguered anti-abortion movement to reverse the political tide running against it."

Obviously liberal op-ed. I wasn't even aware that I was "beleaguered".

[Dr. Scarpetta]

Bump

[cgk]

Pro-Life/Pro-Baby ping!

Please FReepmail me if you would like to be added to, or removed from, the Pro-Life/Pro-Baby ping list...

[cgk]

''Bella'' was conceived by three young conservative Catholic Mexican men -- producer, director and lead actor -- who want to make movies removed from Hollywood's culture of sex and violence. Bankrolled by a Catholic Philadelphia family, they shot the film in 24 days in New York City.

Now that's refreshing to read. :).

[cpforlife.org]

Pro-Life PING

Please FreepMail me if you want on or off my Pro-Life Ping List.

[MountainFlower]

thanks for the ping! will this make it to the midwest? i want to see it!!

[eleni121]

http://www.bellathemovie.com/

see the trailer here

[cyn]

if I am anti-abortion, then it is so obvious that the other side is anti-life.

[TigersEye]

"It offers hope for the beleaguered anti-abortion movement to reverse the political tide running against it."

I have read that a significantly larger percentage of the whole population is pro-life now than a couple of decades ago. In addition we are seeing quite a number of pro-life initiatives at the state level winning or coming close to winning. A few years ago these things didn't even make it to the ballot.

What is beleaguered are the trite and patently false arguments for abortion.

Abortion is not about saving women’s lives!

Studies Find Abortions Have Long-Term Effects

45,951,133

Total Abortions since 1973

------------------------------------------------------------

Why the drop after 1960? (in deaths of women from illegal abortions)

The reasons were new and better antibiotics, better surgery and the establishment of intensive care units in hospitals. This was in the face of a rising population. Between 1967 and 1970 sixteen states legalized abortion. In most it was limited, only for rape, incest and severe fetal handicap (life of mother was legal in all states). There were two big exceptions — California in 1967, and New York in 1970 allowed abortion on demand. Now look at the chart carefully.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Abortion Statistics - Decision to Have an Abortion (U.S.)

· 25.5% of women deciding to have an abortion want to postpone childbearing

· 21.3% of women cannot afford a baby

· 14.1% of women have a relationship issue or their partner does not want a child

· 12.2% of women are too young (their parents or others object to the pregnancy)

· 10.8% of women feel a child will disrupt their education or career

· 7.9% of women want no (more) children

· 3.3% of women have an abortion due to a risk to fetal health

2.8% of women have an abortion due to a risk to maternal health

----------------------------------------------------------------------

So how many women’s lives have been saved by abortion?

Only about 3% of abortions since 1972 were reported to be “due to a risk to maternal health.” A reasonable person would recognize that not all of those cases represent a lethal risk. But let’s say they did. That means that nearly 45 million fetuses were butchered to save the lives of about 1.3 million women. Or put another way; 35 babies are killed to save each woman.

Abortion was legal in all 50 states prior to Roe v. Wade in cases of danger to the life of the woman.

Roe v Wade: FULL Text (The Decision that wiped out an entire Generation 33 years ago today)

[G Larry]

BUMP!

[TigersEye]

The Democratic Party has become so much the party of abortion rights that of 41 freshmen Democrats elected to the House, only three are anti-abortion.

Sheesh! One would think that Robert Novak would know that it's the 'Democrat' Party and that the word 'democratic' is an adjective. Just another nominally conservative Beltway Bozo I guess.

[incredulous joe]

"I have read that a significantly larger percentage of the whole population is pro-life,..."

I suppose this really depends on how the questions may be issued. I live in a conservative area - a much higher percentage is pro-life.

I'm not trying to be snarky or anything here, but I think one possible reason for this phenomenon is that the other side is simply killing off their next generation of potential pro-abortionists.

[irishjuggler]

One would think that Robert Novak would know that it's the 'Democrat' Party and that the word 'democratic' is an adjective.

That's what they call themselves: "The Democratic Party." It's there in big letters on their main web page:
http://www.democrats.org