It looks like the Writer\Producer\Director from Venezuela Jonathan Jakubowicz has just hit the big time as his movie Secuestro express has become the first Venezuelan movie to be signed up for a Hollywood distribution deal. According to Cinematical:
Secuestro Express, a movie about a young couple trying to survive in a car with three kidnappers, has been picked up by Bob Weinstein, and is being touted as the first Venezuelan film to be distributed internationally by a Hollywood studio. The Weinsteins discovered the film during the Los Angeles International Film Festival, and have also signed director Jonathon Jacubowicz for a three-picture deal.
Well done him, although does this mean the sudden demise of his short career now he’s signed up to Hollywood? I would like to see the deal being loose enough for him to create movies in his home country, with his own ideas and team, and getting Weinstein to distribute in Hollywood. Of course, that won’t be it. He’ll be over in Hollywood making his next three movies. I hope he manages to keep his identity.
Has anyone seen this film, or anyone involved in the Venezuelan film community want to comment about the local movie industry? Is this another foreign talent to the slaughter?
Update 10/08/2005:
Wow, I’ve just seen the trailer thanks to a link from Carlanga, and it’s roasting hot. It looks pretty exciting and is one of those trailers that just gives enough away to get you excited, and I am.
It also looks cram packed with style. Very cool. Now I have to get my hands on it somehow.
Hi, I’m Venezuelan and I saw the movie recently. Secuestro Express is an excellent and very well done movie. Well acted and well directed. It is about a sad reality that my country lives. The director doesn’t magnify that reality, that is true. My father 5 years ago went through a “Secuestro Express” which is a kidnapping that takes place in a car for few hours. My sister, months later went through something similar too. I am not sure if that is a reality that all the big cities in south america live, but I am absolutely sure that it is the reality of my country. I am not sure either if Caracas is the most dangerous city in the world but I am also very sure that it is one of the most dangerous. Between 150 and 200 people die every weekend in our Barrios around the country, that tells you how dangerous that country is. Not even in a war dies that amount of people in a week. I highly recommend to see this movie, because it is not fiction is reality. Hollywood bought it, but this is 100% venezuelan production and the director is just 26 years old……..and just to let you know, the venezuelan government prohibited to send the movie to Hollywood to participate in the Oscars 2006. Of course they do not like the world to know that reality. Enjoy the movie.
This is a great movie. Good acting, good direction, good cinematography. And most of all, is very real. This movie shows exactly the kind of horror tales you are exposed to in real life. At the end of the movie, you almost have to cry. I hope it wins an Oscar!
I saw the movie last night and I have to say that I Loved It!!! Why?? Because it is in your face and an eye opener…I am from Venezuela and although I haven’t experienced first hand the horrors of clashes among the social class I know it is a problem we are too stupid to somehow fix. I enjoyed the film in all aspects, from the cinematography to the acting and directing; everything. I felt angry, scared and compasionate, an array of feelings all at once. At the same time, I am extremely happy and proud for the success the film is having and I hope that more Venezuelan films are produced with the same good quality. This film is indeed down the line of “Cidade de Deus” and “Amores Perros” as well as “Man on Fire.” Although this film depicts the “bad side” of Venezuela, it is a beautiful country that has genuine people. When we see a film like this we need to keep in mind that (1) not everyone is the same (2) the film can be seen not just as a “movie” but also help in the reconstruction of a broken down society and (3) Venezuela–despite the political, economic and social problems, among others–has potential to be a better country just like any other turbulent country around the world.
I saw the movie yesterday too. It was funny to see some shots at the same place I was watching it (the sambil mall).
This is the sad reality we (venezuelans) live in.
If you live in Caracas, you MUST see this movie.
hola el guaro I just saw the movie yesterday. It is 100% Caracas. You see Parque Central and torres del este. Its pretty frightening! I liked the way the movie shows some stuff we are used to as bad, evil, and anormal as they truly are. Its like putting some events that happened recently in fron of your face and you realize.. this is absolutely true, this happened 3 years ago. But if you see it in a movie theater it looks even more scary because its not fiction.
So, its diferent from sicario or huelepega because its not so documental but more cinematic. Its not the greatest movie in the history of Venezuela but it has a different point of view. This movie should be called “absolutely worst case scenario”. I√Ǭ¥m happy for it, but now we need some other movie that shows the pretty side of Caracas..
I’m Venezuelan but moved to Australia 3 years ago. Since then I’ve been waiting for a Venezuelan movie to make the trip across the world and Secuestro Express might be what I’ve been waiting for. I agree that the initial remark about “the most dangerous city on Earth” is over the top but I wonder if in the movie they actually say it is Caracas. Maybe it’s just a “Latin American city”.
Anyhow it is still great news that this movie is being talked about and that it will be distributed like no other Venezuelan movie in the past. That is a good thing regardless of what the topic of the movie is. It is true that most Venezuelan movies are about social dramas and cops but that’s the reality directors live in and they can’t escape from it.
One Venezuelan film that I found refreshing becuase it moves away from the police theme is “Una casa con vista al mar” (A house with a view of the sea. http://www.lacinemafe.org/2005/films/film073.htm). A bit naive and slow for my taste, it was still nice not to see any cops around.
Carlucho, there are some examples of good movie making in Venezuela (i write in english so everybody can understand). You have “borron y cuenta nueva” wich i havent seen, or “florentino y el diablo” (wich was unfairly cursed by Chavez when he made it look like another “the revolution will not be televised” with his personal campaing. The producer made it clear that he was discusted with the hole situation). What we need in Venezuela is an idustry, so producers dont have to sell their cars or motorcicles and call their friends or family to act in the movies. If an industry rises, new ideas will emerge, different from cheap, “reality” movies.
Hi i√Ǭ¥m Venezuelan, i haven√Ǭ¥t yet see the movie but i can√Ǭ¥t wait to see it. I√Ǭ¥m curious about how a Hollywood budget can change the typical Venezuelan movie about violence, poverty, drugs, wich “Secuestro Express” isn√Ǭ¥t a pioneer. Venezuelan social situation in Caracas and in many principal cities has been the main subject in so many movies of this genre, that i dont think i can name all of them, like “sicario”, “huelepega”, wich are the most recent. Anyway, i wish venezuelan creativity would get deeper in finding other topics, instead of showing us the reality we see and live everyday. I dont think these movies are making a great concience change, a change of mind in our people or goverments, instead right now we have a goverment that glorifies violence.
I agree with the person about the trailer√Ǭ¥s comment “the most dangeorous city on Earth”. This is an insult for most Venezuelans. Caracas is dangerous, but is not “the most dangerous”, and at the same time is too much of a sensacionalism frase, so tipical of the common action-swasenneger mega film. People are going to be afraid of going to Caracas!
Well Im Venezuelan, but moved to to the US 4 years ago after I lived a similar story to the one in the movie. I personally feel very proud that a Venezuelan director with my same age is being recognized around the world with this movie. Unfortunately my country is passing through a lot of political, economic and social problems and is not something that we cant hide. I know that after seeing this movie, there will be thousands of people who wont go to Venezuela because they will feel unsafe and it is really sad. But is the truth, this is whats going on in Caracas. And the most important part of this movie is the message at the end that is made to all of us who live in a dangerous southamerican country. Hopefully people can see the point of the making of this movie and understand the positive message that is brings to our incredibly unbalanced society.
Well if there aren’t many movies coming out of Venezuela then shouldn’t you be applauding the ones that do, even if they are slightly inaccurate? Surely it’s better than your feelings for movies such as “Jungle 2 Jungle”.
It may be a necessary evil to make the move towards better movies, get foreign exposure, build an export industry and an influx of money, and then start making the movies you really want to about the city?
I’m not sure if this particular “Venezuelan movie” or this movie “about Venezuela through the eyes of Hollywood” should be that much of a source of excitement to all venezuelans. Particularly when the trailer opens with “In the most dangerous city in the world…”
Particularly, when there are thousands of stories to tell about Venezuela’s past and present that range from the political drama (pick up a newspaper any day of the week) to epic heroism (see 1999 floods). Instead, we get another movie about kidnappings in South America (see Man on Fire).
Is it preferable to the ridicule made of Venezuelan Yanomami tribes in “Jungle 2 Jungle”? Is it preferable to the disgusting Chavez propaganda (“The revolution will not be televised”) released in every left-leaning art house of America? Maybe, but far from doing justice to the great stories that could really be told.
Thanks for the links Carlanga. Unfortunately, and embarassingly for me, I only speak English and with the trailer being so small I couldn’t really get the flavour of “Punto y Raya”. I’d be interested to find out if there is a subtitled version out there, I might go trekking.
As for Express, wow, that trailer is hot!
I am really hoping to see this movie soon, I am from Ecuador and the topic of the movie is something that we see all day in the news.
I am very glad to hear that Hollywood is taking more interest in movies from Latin America.
And for your links on secuestro express the trailer can be seen here http://www.apple.com/trailers/miramax/secuestro_express.html
You are right the trailer of Cyrano Fernandez was removed from the page. I√Ǭ¥m sorry I haven’t realized that before. And yes, is a reworking of Cyrano de Bergerac in a Caracas favela.
The venezuelan film industry is really small. In the last couple of years just few movies have come up.
Punto y Raya is one of the most popular, is a story that takes place in the Venezuela and Colombia border, with many awards in international film festivals. Is an antiwar film. The main role is performed by Edgar Ramirez a venezuelan actor that is in the cast of Domino (Tony Scott) -is one of the characters (Choco) that appears in the poster-, he also plays the leading rol in Cyrano Fernandez. (You can see the trailer of Punto y Raya here: http://es.movies.yahoo.com/db/f/2/0/2000681-6.html)
Thanks for the review links J – sounds interesting, although the reviews are more overviews of the movie, the last paragraph gives us some insight into how the reviewer felt about the film.
Carlanga – Just checked out the link. The trailer isn’t there yet, but the story is a reworking of the classic tale of Cyrano De Bergerac. It would be interesting to see.
Carlanga, any other Venezuelan movies to recommend for us to see? What is the main output of the country’s industry? What are the top movies?
Hi, I am from Venezuela and I use to read The Movie Blog all the time. I’m very glad to see a post about a venezuelan movie. I recommend you to see the page of another venezuelan movie Cyrano Fernandez (http://www.cyranofernandez.com/), that is actually in postproduction. In the page you can see the trailer.
My blog is http://www.blogacine.com
Regards
This film is already playing in Los Angeles.
Here are two articles about it from the LA Times:
http://www.calendarlive.com/movies/cl-ca-secuestro7aug07,0,5499284.story?coll=cl-movies-top-right
http://www.calendarlive.com/movies/reviews/cl-et-secuestro5aug05,0,3249457.story?coll=cl-mreview