A man knows he is going to be killed, but doesn’t react. Moving backwards through his life, we find out why, who he is, why he took the identity of his victim, and what he set out to accomplish before his inevitable demise.
The Wait is an atmospheric movie in which imagery plays a major role because its characters–especially the protagonist–are laconic, solitary, disillusioned. It is also an action movie, with an engaging narrative development. Set within the context of two chess games, one between the protagonist and the ringleader, and one between the protagonist and his victim, parallel the plot, which takes us through a crescendo of narrative, starting with beginning with standstill where nothing is happening to the protagonist.
The story takes place in a Sicilian town, not far from tourism or commerce, nestled with organized crime and gossip; the crime scene, however, is viewed as unobtrusive by the locals, while the gossip is more important than the solidarity of the local community.
Lucia, a an attractive, desirable woman in her mid-thirties, seems to be the infatuation of our protagonist. She is the local gossip but she doesn’t revoke the life she chose. Her loneliness is expressed by her pathetic existence where she lives with mannequins, which she dresses talks to more than she talks to her occasional customers. She sees Beretta as her only escape route from a world she is forced into, yet doesn’t abandon. Like Beretta, she hardly ever leaves the room she lives in. He is the reason why she goes outside, but she doesn’t understand the importance of this exit: she waits for him to take her away for good, but alone, she is not able to risk and abandon her place and her life. They are both lonely and used to struggling, but he finds in his own remorse the strength to redeem himself, while she waits.
The title, The Wait, refers to our protagonist waiting for death, as well as the wait all the others around him experience, not realizing that time passes, inexorably.
The film thrives on the contrast between the attitude of the protagonist, “waiting” for death, and the quick progression of events experienced by the secondary characters who either try to kill him or find the precious bounty. Going back and forth through time highlights this contrast, and connects past causes to present effects. The colors of the day, the brightness of Sicily, its local gossip, tradition, superstitions, and the small tricks which characterize the vitality of outdoor life, all contrast with melancholy, laziness, and “the wait” of the protagonist’s room and sense of time, described through long shadows and almost expressionist images.
The music by Angelo Badalamenti (“Twin Peaks”, “Blue Velvet”, “Mulholland Drive”, “A True Story” by David Lynch and “Holy Smoke” by Jane Campion) serve to define this atmosphere.
The Wait is currently scheduled to begin production in Sicily and New York in Spring 2010.
I Believe in America
Reynaldo Pedro Ferrer (JAMIE HARRIS) , a former terrorist involved in the independence movement for Puerto Rico, is now living as Ronald Peter. He must confront his past after the murder of his eldest son. His father Popo (JAIME TIRELLI) , a high level member of a clandestine faction of the movement, is posing as a double agent in order to protect his family and still preserve the group's quest for freedom.
Still active within the movement is Pedro (COATI MUNDI), a political prisoner who is willing to die for the cause. He secretly assigns a key operative, Cesar (ROGER GUENVEUR SMITH) , to Reynaldo's son, in an effort to lure Reynaldo back into the movement.
Reynaldo must utilize reason, intelligence, and incorporate non-violence in order to avenge his son's death, save his family from ruin and come to peace with his past.
I BELIEVE IN AMERICA is a pilgrimage of this family's journey and an entire culture.
The cast includes actors such as 2009 Academy Award Nominee for Best Actress, Melissa Leo (“Frozen River,” “Righteous Kill,” “21 Grams”), Roger Guenveur Smith (“American Gangster,” “Summer of Sam,” “Malcolm X,” “Do The Right Thing”), Jamie Harris (“The Prestige,” “The New World”), Ann Dowd (“Philadelphia,” “Flags of Our Fathers,” “Garden State,” “The Manchurian Candidate”), Jaime Tirelli (“Carlito’s Way,” “Bella,” “Girlfight”), Robert Funaro (“American Gangster,” “The Sopranos”), Begonya Plaza (“Heat,” “Born on the Fourth of July”) and Jose Yenque (“Traffic”).
Press coverage for “I Believe in America” has been in a variety of sources, including:
Festivals & Screenings
The Board of the Screen Actors Guild requested a private screening of "I Believe in America" which included SAG member Rosie Perez. Due to the overall quality, they decided to sponsor a screening through their "Diversity Screening Series" in New York City and Los Angeles. This event is designed to promote and highlight diversity through showcasing exemplary projects and having the artistic personnel and creative collaborators discuss the project. This program serves as a means for industry decision makers, such as producers and filmmakers, to have greater exposure to see and hear from underrepresented artists and be exposed to the many possibilities inherent in diverse approaches to film and television. The New York screening took place on November 21, 2006 at the illustrious Directors Guild Theater. The film was very well received by the nearly 1,000 people who attended the three showings throughout the day.
In addition, "I Believe in America" was an official selection at the 2007 HBO New York International Latino Film Festival, the 2007 Boston Latino International Film Festival and was a "Best Picture" nominee at the 1st Annual Cinema City International Film Festival, the 2008 7 Islands International Film Festival and the 2008 Indio International Hispanic Film Festival :
Hailed as the "Latin Sundance," the HBO New York International Latino Film Festival ("NYILFF") is the premier Urban Latino film event in the country. The NYILFF's mission is to showcase the works of the hottest emerging Latino filmmaking talent in the United States and Latin America, offer extensive images of the Latino experience, and celebrate the diversity and spirit of the Latino community. Programming includes the flagship film festival in New York City, new music and art showcases, family and community events, scholarships for aspiring filmmakers, and a nationally recognized short film competition in partnership with HBO. "I Believe in America" was one of only 15 domestic features to be showcased at this festival.
The Boston Latino International Film Festival (BLIFF) aims to present the latest films produced by Latinos and the latest films pertaining to social issues of Latino communities in the US and Latin America. The festival also focuses on alternative films with social content from Latin America in addition to films addressing Latino issues in the United States.
Debuting its first year in 2007, the Cinema City International Film Festical "CCIFF") is dedicated to being a premiere outlet for today's greatest talents, a place for new filmmakers to be discovered and a home for all those celebrating filmmaking excellence. Due to its proximity in the heart of Hollywood, it is also an excellent attraction for tourists, guests and the local community to celebrate all that Los Angeles and the Southern California area has to offer.
The Cinema City International Film Festival experienced a highly competitive submissions process, which resulted in an outstanding array of diverse and exciting features, documentaries, and short films. It also presented an elaborate schedule of red carpet events, parties, and student showcases. "I Believe in America" was nominated for the "Best Picture" award and received a red carpet, featured screening.
The 7 Islands International Film Festival, held in Mumbai, India, intends to expose the Indian youth to films that brings new ideas, methodology, solutions and experimentation for social change through non-violence and global disarmament.
More than 5,000 elite and intellectual people of, in, and around Mumbai will have the privilege to view the rare films & pass the message across the society of non-violent resistance and global disarmament throughout the world.
The Indio International Hispanic Film Festival, held in Southern California, brings films from the around the Hispanic/Latin world and the U.S. to the Coachella Valley. Its goal is to bring films to the Coachella Valley that its community wouldn't normally see and at the same time showcase local filmmakers and talent from the community.
Hooked Up
“This Is Not Your Dad’s Fishing Show!”
“Hooked Up” is a slightly twisted, off-the-wall, sexy, variety/talk fishing show.Most fishing shows feature a host talking to a guest star on a boat while engaging in serious (boring) fishing.In “Hooked Up,” the host (Maz) will be on a dock, talkin’ trash, interviewing guests, playing games and partying while the tiki bar is in full swing.The best way to describe it is as a combination of Howard Stern, The Man Show, Centerstage with Michael Kay and Saturday Night Live all rolled into one.They will be teaching actual fishing techniques while throwing in as many jokes and laughs as possible.Each week they will be fishing from a “different” part of the world for “different” fish even though they will actually be at the same dock every time.The dock will be transformed into the location in which they are fishing (but not enough so that you can’t tell where we actually are–that’s part of the joke).
Biscari 1943: lo sbarco
At the heart of the documentary lie the grave facts of the Biscari Massacre of 1943, as described in the book by Gianfranco Ciriacono “The Forgotten Massacre.” The discussion ensues between historians after the story was almost relegated to oblivion.It uncovers the details of a nearly forgotten event which, after an American court martial which presided over the trial, ordered a sergeant to exonerate the officers involved for obeying orders.
The film explores two war crimes: the killing of seven peasants in “Piano Stella” (Sicily) by a patrol of American soldiers, and the execution of 74 Italian soldiers and 2 German soldiers, who after having surrendered, were shot for no reason by orders handed down by Lt. Compton and Sergeant West.
The story is told starting from the commemoration of the 41 American paratroopers killed during patrol of the area immediately prior to the U.S. landing in Sicily. In particular, we focus on an American citizen, the nephew of a U.S. paratrooper who died while he was defusing a bomb in the countryside, who is invited to the commemoration ceremony and accompanied to the spot where his uncle died.
The mourning for this episode is realized by the historic commemoration of two events occurring which are carried out in parallel–by Italian students from the University of Catania in Sicily, and by American students at Queens College in New York City.
The testimony, the acts of U.S. military trial, the interview with Gianfranco Ciriacono, grandson of one of the laborers killed in Piano Stella and author of the book that brought to light these facts, accompany the fiction of the historical reconstruction by the film’s actors.
It turns out that tension exists, on the one hand, towards the search for historical truth, often betrayed by the fact that history is written by the winners, and on the other hand by the belief that war crimes are the result of the war itself.
Solidarity among the Italian civilians and American soldiers, who came to liberate them from the nightmare of a dictatorship that had dragged the country into an unwanted war, clashes with the military mentality that treats men as pawns in a chess game where everything, even human life may be sacrificed for victory on the battlefield.
The film, weaving together the events of 1943 and the research of several people who want to understand what really happened, aims to restore the historical truth to serve as a warning to prevent these events from ever happening again.
The film is a docu-fiction which shifts between contemporary events and the reconstruction of the historical events which underlie the modern-day discussion, interchanging between the perspective of American students and Italian students. It’s set to be shot in Catania, Sicily and New York City beginning in the Summer 2010.
Additional Projects
Triplicity Entertainment worked with Academy Award Nominated screenwriter Steve Rivele (Ali; Nixon) in the development of a crime drama.
