“HOW I SPENT MY SUMMER VACATION”
PRODUCTION NOTES
How I Spent My Summer Vacation,” an Icon Production starring Mel Gibson, is an
explosive action film infused with dark comedy directed by Adrian Grunberg and produced by
Mel Gibson, Bruce Davey and Stacy Perskie.
It’s been a bad day for Driver and it’s not getting any better. He just made a big haul of
millions that would give him a nice summer vacation on easy street. A good idea that went south
– literally.
During a high-speed car chase with the US Border Patrol and a bleeding body in his back
seat, Driver flips his car smashing through the border wall, tumbling violently, coming to a stop
… in Mexico. Apprehended by the Mexican authorities, he is sent to a hard-core prison where he
enters the strange and dangerous world of “El Pueblito.” Not an easy place for an outsider such
as Driver to survive, unless it’s with the help of someone who knows the ropes -- a 10 year-old
kid.
Filmed in Mexico, the multi-lingual film stars Mel Gibson, Daniel Gimenez Cacho, Jesus
Ochoa, Roberto Sosa, Dolores Heredia, Kevin Hernandez, Fernando Becerril, Mayra Serbullo,
Mario Zaragoza, Gerardo Taracena, Tenoch Huerta and Peter Gerety.
ABOUT THE PRODUCTION
It was called the worst prison in all of Mexico, “la universidad del crimen” crime
university -- nightmare of that symbolized violence, corruption and overcrowding that plagued
many of Mexico’s prisons. It was “El Pueblito,” a society behind bars where inmates were in
control, drugs were openly sold from stores within, and anyone could visit anytime– just as long
as they paid off the guards.
Officially named el Centro de Readaptacion Social de la Mesa, El Pueblito was
constructed in 1956 in Tijuana to accommodate 2,000 prisoners as a new experiment in
corrections – one that went very wrong. Allowing families of those incarcerated to join them and
remain close to them in prison would facilitate inmates’ eventual readjustment to the outside
world … or so it was thought. Wives, children, girlfriends, entire families would live inside the
prison walls, some staying there full time while others came and went at will. Children headrf off
to school each morning return to El Pueblito in the afternoon. Inside, ouples were married; babies
were born; old people died.
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Alejandra Cuervo, a member of the production team, was hired by the producers prior to
the commencement of principal photography to do extensive research, a living history, on El
Pueblito which also included talking with a number of its ex-inmates for first-hand experiences.
El Pueblito, meaning “Little Town,” was just that -- a crowded shantytown with over 700
ramshackle homes and stores build around the prison’s main courtyard. Shops sold almost
anything that was needed, and anything and anybody could be bought for a price.
There were restaurants and food stands selling tacos, pizza, hamburgers, juices and more;
stores renting videos and pay phones; a barbershop and peluqueria; lawyers and doctors on the
premises themselves incarcerated for crimes committed; a casa de cambio giving some of the best
exchange rates in all of Tijuana; and a kiosk selling stolen goods – so popular, in fact, it attracted
a stream of townspeople looking for bargains. Sports teams from outside would come into El
Pueblito to compete with inmate teams in football, basketball and volleyball.
Prison labs made their own crystal meth for sale inside and out. Any kind of drug
imaginable was openly sold including heroine, cocaine and marijuana all operated within El
Pueblito by mini cartels whose leaders lived a life of relative luxury within the prison walls
basically having free reign to conduct their lucrative business. It was a world where only those
prisoners with money and connections could enjoy a more privileged life while other inmates
lived in fear and squalor, sleeping in crowded areas and in the open, and suffering from hunger
and other deprivations.
Money was power. It bought anything and everything especially protection from the
violent world within – and from the prison authorities. Being a career criminal took on a whole
new meaning with professional inmates committing crimes inside and out, and retreating into
their protected world of El Pueblito.
The rich and powerful criminal elite of El Pueblito were called Maizerones meaning
“pigs who eat corn,” a fitting description. And they had their own personal security squad –
forces armed to the hilt with all sorts of weapons, from 38’s to Uzis. The Maizerones and their
security ruled and controlled the prison including the 400 or so prison guards who took bribery to
an art form. Everyone had to pay off the guards to have things happen or not happen in El
Pueblito, to look the other way in the trafficking of arms and drugs, or for brining in a new
refrigerator or Jacuzzi for the Maizerones duplex homes within.
On August 20, 2002 in the wee morning hours, over 2,000 units from the Mexican Army
laid siege to El Pueblito clearing out the prisoners relocating them to the new el Hongo facility.
In a few tumultuous hours, El Pueblito became no more. At the time of the siege, there were
about 80 U.S. citizen inmates and 600 women, children and other family members living among
the nearly 6,000 prisoners, many of those prisoners being organized crime leaders and some of
the most dangerous criminals in the Mexican prison system.
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“How I Spent My Summer Vacation” spent two months filming in the city of Veracruz
primarily in the shuttered Ignacio Allende Penitentiary which served as the setting for “El
Pueblito.” . This was the second time Mel Gibson and his company Icon Productions filmed on
locations in Veracruz, the first time being 2006 when Gibson directed “Apocalypto.”
The Ignacio Allende Penitentiary was built over 105 years ago to replace the old jail
located in the basement of the Municipal Palace of the Port City, and the prison became a model
for other penal establishments of its kind in Mexico. In January 2010 the remaining 300
prisoners were relocated from the building to more modern facilities.)
It was the assignment of Bernardo Trujillo, production designer to design and create the
realistic sets, the world of El Pueblito inside the Ignacio Allende Penitentiary. And with the
creative vision and tireless work of art director Jay Aroesty and set decorator Julietta Alvarez,
they re-created an astonishingly real world of El Pueblito.
“The prison in Tijuana, El Pueblito, was a very chaotic place built out of the inspiration
and money of the inmates without regulations imposed upon them by the administration inside
the prison,” said production designer Bernardo Trujillo. “There was a lot of corruption and also
a lot of spontaneity going on there.”
The biggest challenge of the Art Department was to create production design for the
movie that came from this sort of chaotic mixture of materials, architecture and makeshift
structures and homes that the inmates built from their own ideas and manpower in the real El
Pueblito.
“This created a very specific aesthetic that was not organized at all – and we started with
a very organized canvass here at the Allende prison,” continues Mr. Trujillo. “Fortunately we
had the freedom to tear down walls, to take over empty spaces and to create empty spaces. The
shanty town that you see in our movie El Pueblito began with four empty walls, and we opened
up that big wall in the prison and stated building from scratch.
A large part of Art Director Jay Aroesty’s job was the construction of the sets
coordinating the carpenters, painters, and working hand in hand with Set Decorator Julietta
Alvarez.
Basically we had a non-orthodox way of production design, aid Mr.\ Aroesty. We
constructed a cardboard model of El Pueblito and the prison an then we bean to build it – with
wood, brick, concrete -- with all sorts of real materials and objects you usually don’t use in a
film.
When Penal Allende was closed, the authorities thinking they were doing the production
a favor, painted all the interior walls white. “ So we had to go back to the original walls and
bring out the old textures on the walls and make it look like it was before the walls were painted
white,” said Mr.. Aroesty. “Also, we had to deconstruct a lot because it was very cramped. We
didn’t have a real main square so we had to open up the big wall to get the two courtyards and we
had to take down a couple of buildings.
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When we came in the first couple of days after they had just emptied what was left of the
prison, it wasn’t a nice place to be in,’ he continued. “It’s an improvement, maybe not visually,
because it probably looks more run down than when we got here. But the interiors were pretty
intense – definitely. The real titanic labor was done by decoration.
Said Jay: Deconstruction of the prison started on 1/22 – about one week after the prison
was emptied. The Art Department worked for five weeks on deconstruction and construction,
and Set Decor tin a total of three weeks – and the results are amazing considering all the work
and minute details that went into re-creating El Pueblito with the realism that you would swear
people had been living in those homes, walking in those courtyards, and eating at the kiosks just
moments before the director yelled Action!
Julietta Alvarez remembers first entering the prison. “Actually, we had to add
everything. We had to take everything out because it was in complete in really, really bad
conditions, he smell; we had to throw everything out,” she said. “When my team came already
half of the prison was cleaned out of things that were left behind like TV sets and their things.
And the other half was with some things and in really bad conditions so we couldn’t use it for
putting people inside and things like that.”
The construction, art and set dressing departments created every detail that you see,” said
Mr. Trujillo. “You walk into each one of the cells you see things that look and smell real
because they had the privilege to walk in the prison when it was recently emptied so you could
still see traces of the real life, how the inmates lived here. So they got to see pretty amazing stuff
of how people could actually make a house out of 4 feet by 2 feet space. All the love you can put
into a small bunk to create universe that represents your small space. We had a lot of inspiration
definitely but what you see is a lot of work form a lot of people. The spontaneity of people even
in the worse conditions is amazing. They make a house out of the most depressing space you can
imagine and that is to me beautiful even in the saddest place in the world which I think is jail,”
he concludes.
“All the paintings on the wall, we did it. You have to do it new and then we have to go
through them and make them old, to make to rundown,” said Ms. Alvarez.
There was a few graffiti drawings on the walls but not even 5% of what you see in the
production’s set,” said Mr. Trujillo.. The production hired mural and graffiti artists to create all
the art seen throughout the prison in the film. “Everything was created. It’s hard to find the
originals here. It’s been amazing and tremendous work from a lot of people,” he concluded.
“Adrian said just go real and that’s how we researched it, looking a different videos at
different jails similar to this one, talking to people who were here. I am not sure what the camera
will be seeing so I want to cover as much as I can. Everything is a set. And that’s why it’s a big
challenge because it’s huge and it has a lot of details.”
“A lot of what we do is for environment for the crew and the extras to feel as if they are
in jail or in a real place, not a set,” said Mr. Aroety.“ A lot of the decoration of what we do is for
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the crew, for Adrian to feel in a real place, for the extras not to feel like extras but really in a jail.
“
“Basically the aesthetic was to have enough authenticity in the film so people could
actually witness what had happened in this prison but also enhance it in such a way that it’s
interesting for the audience meaning the real place actually had a chaos of colors and a chaos of
textures and a chaos of everything – and in film’s that’s too distracting,” said Mr. Trujillo. “You
have to narrow it down to a smaller color palette and those sort of decisions but definitely based
on some sort of reality. It’s like an enhanced reality from a film perspective but it’s definitely
based on reality.
“How would the people and the production design blend together in a believable way
without creating such a chaos that the audience would be too distracted,” he continued. “It’s a
thin line between becoming too stylized and becoming too realistic. You have the find the right
spot in the middle. We all saw a very sweaty, a very colorless space even though color is there –
there’s a hint of color everywhere but it’s sort of faded away. And it’s allowed in certain items
but only in little details but not in the overall look of the walls or the wardrobe. And in reality
we’re stretching it a little bit be cause in reality someone could wear a fluorescent color t-shirts
and still be in jail but we decided to stay away from those colors; I think it’s too distracting for
the audience. We pretty much narrow it down to a small color palette and started working with
those limited colors to try to create chaos out of that. And I think that’s more interesting.
“And there was humor everywhere in the prison,” reflected Mr. Trujillo. “All the
research we’ve done -- from Mexican prisons to Latin American prisons to African prisons – one
of the things that was repeated over and over was exactly that – how people find humor in every
situation and how people find beauty in the hardest situations that you can imagine. And in a
way, the Third World is very similar whether you’re in Africa or in Indonesia or Central America
or in Mexico – there are so many similarities, especially like in jails, in jail life, in what people
ending up doing trying to lead a normal life even in those conditions is actually beautiful. They
find a way to make their monotonous life not so monotonous and beautiful and colorful. “
Following filming in Veracruz, the production then moved to the town of Perote, 90
minutes outside Puebla and half-way between Veracruz and Mexico City. Salado, a dry lake bed
in the municipality of Tepeyechualco just on the borderline of Perote, was the isolated and barren
setting for the high speed car chase and heart-pounding crash through the US-Mexico border
wall. Solado is surrounding by mountains and lies at an elevation of 7875 feet or 2400 meters. In
nearby Perote, stands the volcano Cofre de Perote or Mauhcampaepetl in Aztec, standing at
14,049 feet or 4282 meters in elevation. The California Highway was filmed outside Puebla less
than an hour from Mexico City with the legendary and majestic volcanoes Popocatepetl (17, 802
feet o4 5426 meters in elevation) which last erupted in 2006, and Iztaccihuatll (17, 342 feet or
5286 meters).
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Following, the cast and crew moved to Mexico City for locations around the city and
stage work at the Churabusco Studios. Production’s final wrap location was Brownsville, Texas,
secondin the border area of between San Diego and Tijuana in Baja California.
ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS
ADRIAN GRUNBERG (Director, Co-Screenwriter) is making his feature film
directorial debut with “How I Spent My Summer Vacation” on which he also shares coscreenwriting credit with Mel Gibson and Stacy Perskie.
Grunberg previously worked with Mel Gibson as 1st Assistant Director on “Apocalypto”
and led the second unit on “Edge of Darkness” which starred Gibson. Among the many feature
film credits as 1st Assistant Director are “Wall Street 2,” “The Limits of Control,” “The Legend of
Zorro,” “Conejo en la Luna,” “Man on Fire,” “Master and Commander: The Far Side of the
World,” “Nadie Regresapor Tercera Vez,” “Recuerdos,” “Vera,” “El Amor de tu Visa” and
“Besame en la Boca.”
He received his college degree at the School of Visual Arts. He was raised in Spain by
Argentine parents, and the family moved to Mexico where he has lived for the past 15 years.
Adrian resides in Mexico City.
MEL GIBSON (Producer) was born in upstate New York and moved with his family to
Australia when he was 12 years old. Gibson attended the National Institute of Dramatic Arts at
the University of New South Wales in Sydney. His stage appearances include “Death of a
Salesman.”
Gibson was eventually brought to the attention of director George Miller who cast him in
“Mad Max,” the film that first brought him worldwide recognition. This was followed by the title
role in “Tim.” Gibson’ s portrayal of a handicapped young man won him an Australian Film
Institute Best Actor Award.
He was further established as an international star by the two hit sequels to “Mad Max” –
“The Road Warrior” and “Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome” – along with Peter Weir’s
“Gallopili,” which brought Gibson a second Australian Best Actor Award. A few years later,
Weir and Gibson again collaborated on “The Year of Living Dangerously.”
Gibson made his American film debut in “The River.” Also, he starred in the worldwide
record-breaking “Lethal Weapon” (1, 2, 3 and 4) franchise. Gibson’s other film credits include
“The Bounty,” “Mrs. Sofel,” “Tequila Sunrise,” “Bird on a Wire,” “Air America” and “Hamlet.”
When Gibson starred in “Hamlet,” directed by Franco Zeffirelli, the film was the first to be
produced by Gibson’s production company Icon Productions. The role brought him the William
Shakespeare Award from the Folger Theatre in Washington, D.C. Also, he starred in the Icon
produced “Forever Young” and “Maverick.” Gibson made his directorial debut and starred in
“The Man Without a Face,” another Icon production. The company has also produced “Immortal
Beloved” and “Airborne,” among many others.
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In 1995, Gibson produced, directed and starred in the critical and box-office success
“Braveheart” which was the recipient of five Academy Awards® including Best Picture and Best
Director after receiving 10 nominations. Gibson received a Golden Globe® Award for Best
Director as well. Also, he received a Special Achievement in Filmmaking Award given by the
National Board of Review and was honored as the 1996 NATO ShoWest Director of the Year, as
well as being the recipient of the Best Director Award given by the Broadcast Film Critics
Association.
In 1996 Gibson starred in “Ransom,” directed by Ron Howard for Disney’s Touchstone
Pictures. A remake of the 1956 MGM picture tells the story of a New York millionaire who must
employ daring tactics to retrieve his kidnapped son. He received a Golden Globe® nomination
for Best Actor in a Motion Picture (Drama) as well as wining the People’s Choice Award for
Favorite Motion Picture Actor.
In August of 1997, Gibson starred in the romantic-thriller “Conspiracy Theory” costarring Julia Roberts and directed by Richard Donner for Warner Bros. In July of 1998, Gibson
starred in “Lethal Weapon 4” grossing more than $300 million worldwide
In February of 1999, he starred in the hard edge thriller “Payback,” an Icon Production
based on Donald F. Westlake’s (writing as Richard Start) novel The Hunter. “Payback” was
distributed in the U.S. and Canada by Paramount Pictures and internationally by Warner Bros.
In 2000, Gibson became the first actor in history to star in three $100 million films
(domestic gross) during the same year. In the summer, Gibson starred in the emotionally charged
adventure “The Patriot” as Benjamin Martin, a reluctant hero who is swept into the American
Revolution when war reaches his home and threatens his family. The Columbia Pictures release
was written by Robert Rodat (“Saving Private Ryan”) and directed by Roland Emmerich. Also,
Gibson lent his voice as the all-American rooster named Rocky in the critically acclaimed
DreamWorks SKG animated adventure comedy “Chicken Run.”
Later that year, Gibson starred in “We Were Soldiers,” a film based on the book We
Were Soldiers Once … and Young, telling the story of the first battle between U.S. and Viet
Cong troops in which 400 soldiers were helicoptered in and surrounded by 2,000 enemy troops,
as told from the vantage point of Harold Moore, commander of the 1st Battalion, 7th Calvary, and
Joseph Galloway, a reporter who was in the scene for the 34-day battle. It was directed and
written by Randall Wallace who was nominated for an Academy Award® for writing
“Braveheart.”
Later that year, Gibson starred in M. Night Shyamalan’s thriller “Signs” for Disney
which opened to a Gibson-starring opening weekend record of $60 million and grossed an alltime individual record of over $400 million.
In 2004, Gibson producer, co-wrote and directed “The Passion of the Christ” starring Jim
Caviezel, Maia Morgenstern and Monica Bellucci. The Ash Wednesday release on February 25th
grossed an industry-record average of $41,295 per screen (3.043 theatres) totaling a five-day
gross of $125.2 million giving it the best five-day opening ever, at that time, for a film with a
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Wednesday opening. The previous record-holder had been “The Lord of the Rings” The Return
of the King” ($124.1 million). The opening three-day weekend numbers totaled $83.848.082
(Friday: $22.9 million, Saturday: $33 million, and Sunday $27.8 million) making it #8 on the alltime opening weekend box-office chart at that time. “The Passion of the Christ” had a worldwide
box-office gross of $610 million making it the highest grossing R-rated film and highest grossing
independent film in history. The film was nominated for three Academy Awards®.
In 2006, Gibson brought life to his latest epic, visceral action thriller “Apocalypto.”
Gibson produced, co-wrote and directed the thriller that follows one man’s heart-pounding race
through primeval jungles to rescue his family during the fading days of the mysterious, ancient
Mayan civilization. “Apocalypto” opened at #1 in it’s opening weekend grossing $15.2 million
and generated three Academy Award® nominations.
Gibson returned to acting in 2009 with GK Films “Edge of Darkness” in which he starred
as Thomas Craven, a Boston detective who uncovers sinister government conspiracies when he
investigates the brutal shooting death of his only daughter. The psychological thriller was
directed by Martin Campbell.
Up next, Gibson will be seen in “The Beaver,” directed by Jodie Foster, about a man who
finds unusual solace in his beaver hand-puppet.
Following his location filming on “How I Spent My Summer Vacation,” Gibson will
once again step behind the lens and direct Leonardo DiCaprio in a yet-untitled Viking project.
BRUCE DAVEY (Producer) The Academy Award® winning producer began his career
as an accountant and business manager for actors and musicians in his native Sydney, Australia.
He met Mel Gibson in a professional capacity in 1980. When Gibson was putting together
“Hamlet,” Davey moved to L.A. to work with him as his production partner and became
Chairman of Icon Productions, the company he founded with Gibson in 1989.
In addition to “Hamlet” (1989), Davey produced the Icon motion pictures “Forever Young”
(1992); “Immortal Beloved “ (1994); ‘The Man Without a Face” (1993) which marked Mel
Gibson’s directorial debut; “Maverick” (1994); “Airborne” (1993) ; the multi-Academy Award®
winning Best Picture “Braveheart” (1995) for which Davey won his Oscar(s) as a producer;
“FairyTale: A True Story” (1997), recipient of the 1998 BAFTA Award for Best Children’s’
Picture; “An Ideal Husband” (1999); “Payback” (1999); Atom Egoyan’s “Felicia’s Journey”
(1999); Wim Wender’s “The Million Dollar Hotel” (2000); “What Women Want” (2000); “We
Were Soldiers” (2002); “The Singing Detective” (2003); “Paparazzi “ (2004); the Academy
Award® nominated “The Passion of the Christ” (2004); “Seraphim Falls” (2005); the Academy
Award® nominated “Apocalypto” (2006), also directed by Gibson; and “Push” (2009).
STACY PERSKIE (Producer, Co-Screenwriter) is making his motion picture
producing debut on “How I Spent My Summer Vacation.”. He previously worked with Mel
Gibson “Apocalypto” on which he served as 2nd assistant director. He worked in a similar
capacity in Mexico on “Jarhead” and “The Legend of Zorro,” and also worked second unit on
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“Edge of Darkness” which also starred Mel Gibson. He has worked in numerous capacities on a
range of major Hollywood feature films including “Man on Fire,” “Master and Commander: The
Far Side of the World,” “Frida,” “Collateral Damage,” “Original Sun,” Deep Blue Sea” and
“Titanic.”
RAFAEL CUREVO (Line Producer) produced the motion pictures “Marachi Gringo”
and “Espacio Interior,” and was executive producer on “Baja Mordida” and “Vera.” He was line
producer on the feature films “Solo Quiero Caminar,” “La Zona” and “El Bufalo de la Noche.”
He also was unit production manager on “Troy,” “Master and Commader: The Far Side of the
World,” “Frida,” “Collaterral Damage,” “De Ida y Vuelta,” “Deep Blue Sea,” “In Dreams,”
“Luces de Noche,” “Tomorrow Never Dies” and “Bandidos.”
ANN RUARK (Executive Producer) was producer on “The Beaver,” starring Mel
Gibson and direted by Jodie Foster, and on “Claire Dolan.” She was co-producer on Sam
Mendes’ ”Revolutionary Road,” “Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu’s “Biutiful” and “Babel,” and
“Julie Taymor’s “Frida.”
As line producer, her credits include Jim Jarmush’s “Broken
Flowers,” John Waters’ “A Dirty Shame” and “Darren Aronofsky’s “Requiem for a Dream.”
BENOIT DEBIE (Director of Photography), who resides in Belgium, made his feature
film debut as a cinematographer on Gaspar Noe’s controversial motion picture “Irreversible”
which screened at both the Sundance and Cannes International Film Festivals, again worked with
director Gaspar Noe on “Enter the Void” in 2009.
In 2004 his work on director Lucile Hadzihallovic’s “Innocence” won his a Best
Cinematography Award at the Stockholm Film Festival.
This was followed by festival
screenings of film on which he served as cinematographer: Fabrice Du Welz’s “The Ordeal” that
screened at Cannes and the Toronto International Film Festivals (2004), as well as Julia Loktev’s
“Day Night Day Night” at the Director’s Fortnight at Cannes in 2006. In 2007, he again won the
Best Cinematography Award for his work on George Ratliff’s “Joshua” from the Sundance Film
Festival, six years after their original collaboration. In 2009 he worked on Yvan Attal and
Shekhar Kapur on “New York, I Love You,” and director Floria Sigismondi on “The Runaways”
which premiered at Sundance and was released theatrically in March of 2010.
BERNARDO TRUJILLIO (Production Designer) worked as production designer on
the feature films “Dias de Gracia,” “Down for Life,” “The Air I Breathe,” “KM 31: Kilometro
31”” and “Conelo enla Luna.” As Art Director, his credits include “Mao’s Last Dance,”
“Ultraviolet,” “And Starring Pancho Villa As Himself,” “Frida,” “Jugo de Ninos,” “ “Operation
Sandman,” La Paloma de Marsella” amd Cronica de un Desayunio.” He also was the consulting
art director for “Babel,” and the art director Mexico for “Blow.” He also served in the art
department as set dresser on “The Mask of Zorro” and “Le Jour et la Nuit,” as was art director
on TV’s “Fidel.”
In 2006, Trujillo was nominated for an ADG Excellence in Production Design Award as
Consulting Art Director, Mexico for the motion picture “Babel.” Prior to this in 2004, he won the
award as Art Director for his work on “And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself.”
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STEVEN ROSENBLUM, A.C.E. (Film Editor) is a three-time Academy Award®
nominee for Best Film Editing. He nabbed his first nomination on Ed Zwick's Civil War drama
“Glory,” for which he also won the A.C.E. Eddie Award. Rosenblum received his second
nomination for Mel Gibson’s Oscar® winning Best Picture “Braveheart,” and garnered his third
Academy Award® nomination for the highly-acclaimed “Blood Diamond,” toplined by Leonardo
DiCaprio.
Mr. Rosenblum most recently edited the upcoming "Love and Other Drugs," starring Jake
Gyllenhaal and Anne Hathaway. He has also edited “Defiance,” “Legends of the Fall,” “Courage
Under Fire,” “The Siege” and “The Last Samurai” for Zwick – a long and fruitful relationship
dating back to the successful television series “thirtysomething,” for which Mr. Rosenblum won
an Emmy® and his first A.C.E. Eddie Award.
Rosenblum's feature credits also include Michael Mann’s “Public Enemies” (additional
editor), George Tillman Jr.’s “Notorious,” Bryan Singer’s “X-Men,” Shekhar Kapur’s “The Four
Feathers,” Michael Bay’s “Pearl Harbor,” Tom Dey’s “Failure to Launch,” Lee Tamahori’s "xXx:
State of the Union” and Marshall Herskowitz’s directorial debut “Jack the Bear.” Rosenblum's
first foray into 3-D filmmaking was on the 2008 box office hit “Journey to the Center of the Earth
3-D," directed by Eric Brevig.
ANTONIO PINTO (Composer) received a Best Original Song Golden Globe®
nomination in 2008 for “Despedida,” co-written with Shakira from the motion picture “Love in
the Time of Cholera” directed by Mike Newell. Additionally, Antonio also scored “Perfect
Stranger” for Sony Pictures, and “Lord of War,” directed by Andrew Niccol for Lionsgate.
Previously Antonio was celebrated for his brilliant score to the independent box-office hit
“City of God” (2003). He has been scoring films for around a decade including many award
winning pictures including “Central Station” (1998), “Behind the Sun” (2002), and “Midnight”
(2000). He has worked with such directors as Fernando Meirelles, Walter Salles, Sergio
Machado, Heitor Dhalia, as well as up-and-coming Ecuadorian director Sebastian Cordero in
“Cronicas,” starring John Leguizamo and produced by Alfonse Cuaron and Jorge Vergara.
Antonio Pinto’s gift is his understanding that music is something going on around us all
the time. He can hear and bring to life a world and a spirit taken directly from the streets and
hearts of the people who live in his films’ illustrated worlds. And for those who have never felt
what his music describes, his music creates for them a new reality. His sense of story is musically
driven and can cut to the center of the deepest emotion with the simplicity of a lingering note -and just as smoothly can blazon its way instinctively into complicated dance techno samba with
an ever-flowing energy that continually compliments its narrative. He creates a flow and adds
logic to vision. He can depict any mood and has over a thousand ways to musically describe
human passions. as he orchestrates his instruments.
He is most at home in Brazilian styles of orchestrated street music, but is inventive and
draws from many styles including jazz, funk, and rock. His choices of instrumentation are
imaginative and diverse.
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KEVIN O’CONNELL (Re-Recording Mixer) is one of the most prolific and in-demand Sound
Mixers in the motion picture business today, and has received 20 Academy Award® nominations
for his work on some of the most notable films in recent history including “Transformers,”
“Apocalypto,” “Memoirs of a Geisha,” “Spider-Man” and “Spider-Man 2,” “Pearl Harbor,” “The
Patriot,” “The Mask of Zorro,” “Armageddon,” “Con Air,” “The Rock,” “Twister,” “Crimson
Tide,” “A Few Good Men,” “Days of Thunder,” “Black Rain,” "Top Gun,” “Silverado,” “Dune”
and “Terms of Endearment.”
In addition to these film, he has work on numerous other motion pictures running the
gamut from action-adventure to more intimate human dramas and comedies: “Secretariat,” “The
Sorcerer’s Apprentice,” “Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time,” “Public Enemies,” “Spider-Man
3,” “The Pursuit of Happyness,” The Da Vinci Code,” “Glory Road,” “The Island,” “Bewitched,”
“National Treasure,” “Man on Fire,” “The Passion of the Christ,” “House of Sand and Fog,”
“Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines,” “Men in Black II,” “Spy Game,” “Gone in 60
Seconds,,” Rules of Engagement,” “Godzilla,” “Lolita,” “Speed 2: Cruise Control,” “The Mirrors
Has Two Face,” “The Fan,” “The Juror,” among many others.
He also represents the Sound Branch on Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture
Arts & Sciences.
JAY AROESTY (Art Director) was art director on the films “Dias de la Gracia” and
“Sindrome de Linea Bianca.” As set decorator, he worked on “Purple Mountain,” “Apocalypto”
and “And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself.” He also worked in the art department on the films
“Frida” and “The Mask of Zorro.”
CARLOS SANCHEZ SERRANO (Key Make-Up) is a native of Mexico City. He won
an Ariel Awards for his work in make-up for the motion picture “Profundo Carmesi,” and
received three Ariel nominations for his work in the films “Sexo, Pudor Y Lagrimas,” “El
Evangello de las Maravillas” and “Santitos.” He also won a Goya Award for the film “Perdita
Durango.”
Among his many film credits in make-up are “Calda Libre,” “Abel,” “Chicogrande,”
“This Is Not A Movie,” “Solo Quiero Caminar,” “La Ultima y Nos Vamos,” “Amor, Dolor y
Vicecersa,” “El Viaje del Teo,” “Love in the Time of Cholera,” “Sleep Dealer,” “La Zona,” “Dos
Abrasos,” “El Carnival de Sodoma,” “Border Town,” “The Legend of Zorro,” “Matando Cabos,”
“La Casa de los Babies,” “La Hija del Canibal,” “La Virgen de la Lujuria,” “Vivir Mata,” “In the
Time of the Butterflies,” “Y Tu Mama Tambien,” “Sin Dejar Huella,” “Invisible Man,” “El
Coronel no Tiene Quien le Escriba,” “Men with Guns” and Cronos.”
MARIBEL ROMO (Key Hair Stylist) has worked on the feature films “Chicogrande,”
“Rabioso Sol, Rabioso Cielo,” “Love in the Time of Cholera,” “Reevoluccion,” “Apocalypto,”
“Babel,” “Un Mundo Maravilloso, “Troy,” “Sin Dejar Huella,” “Inesperado Amor,” “Maldido
Amor: Demassiado Tarde” and “Wagons East.”
JJ PERRY (Stunt Coordinator) has been working in stunts and fight choreography for
motion pictures and television since 1987 moving up the ranks to stunt coordinator. His motion
picture stunt work includes “The Green Hornet,” “Warrior,” “Edge of Darkness,” “Avatar,”
“Angel of Death,” “Blood and Bone,” “Iron Man,” “Beowulf,” “Night at the Museum: Battle of
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the Smithsonian,” “Pineapple Express,” “Iron Man,” The Shanghai Border Patrol,” “Click,”
“Black Dawn,” “Anger Management,” The Scorpion King,” Instinct to Kill,” “Planet of the
Apes,” “Wild Wild West,” “Batman & Robin,” “Blade,” among many others. His TV stunt
credits are many with highlights being “Sharpshooter,” “Urban Justice,” “Fallen,” Walker, Texas
Ranger, “ “24,” “Alias,” “Mortal Kombat: Annhilation,” “Nash Bridges,” and “The X-Files.”
BALO BUCIO (Stunt Coordinator, Mexico) worked as stunt coordinator for the
feature films “Gracias de Dia,” Espacio Interior,” “Bala Mordida,” “El Traspatio,” “Sin
Nombre,” “La Ultima Muerte,” Solo Quiero Caminar,” La Noche de Mateo,” “Conozca de la
Cabeza de Juan Perez” and “El Viaje de Teo,”
SANTIAGO NUNEZ (Sound Mixer) received his M.A. in 1994 in Sound Engineering
at Centro de Estudios de Sonido in Madrid. In 2003 he received the Ariel Award in Best Sound
from the Academia Mexicana de Artes y Ciencias Cinematograficas for “The Crime of Father
Amaro.” He was the sound mixer on numerous feature films including “El Infierno,” “Abel,”
“Chicogrande,” “Persons Unknown,” “Daniel y Ana,” “This is not a Movie,” “Deseo,” X-mas,
Inc.” “Sin Nombre,” “Beverly Hills Chihuahua,” “Rudo y Cursi,” Vantage Point,” “City of Your
Final Destination,” “Species: The Awakening,” “La Misma Luna,” “El Bufalo de la Noche,”
“Nacho Libre,” Un Mundo Maravillosp,” Bandidas, “El Cuarandero,” “El Matador” and “Frida.”.
In addition to his work on short films, he has worked on more than 450 commercials for major
companies.
ANNA TERRAZAS (Costume Designer) is a fashion and costume designer from
Mexico City. She has specialize in costume design for motion picture and theatrical productions,
and among her notable credits are “Abel,” “Solo Quiero Caminar,” “Rudo y Cursi,” “Deficit,”
and on stage the musical “Cabaret,” directed by Felipe Fernandez del Paso which was staged at
the Teatro de los Insurgentes in Mexico City. She also has designed costumes for hundreds of
advertising commercials production by many of the major production companies in Mexico and
around the world.
VICKIE THOMAS (Casting Director) is one of the most gifted and prolific casting
directors working today. Combining a lifelong passion for film and television with a keen insight
into human nature, Ms. Thomas he has worked her craft on a wide range of extraordinary films,
both studio and independent. Among her many feature films are “Lay the Favorite,” “Love and
Other Drugs,” “Cheri,” “Defiance,” “Talk to Me,” “Blood Diamond,” “The Lords of Dogtown,”
“Ali,” “High Fidelity,” “The Last Samurai,” “Bulworth,” “Amistad,” “Crimson Tide,” “Tin Cup,”
“Devil in a Blue Dress,” “Ed Wood,” “Sid and Nancy,” “Edward Scissorhands,” “The Grifters”
and “The Piano.”
ALEJANDRO REZA (Mexico Casting) has worked in casting for the motion pictures
Espacio Interior,” “Sangre de Familia,” “Oveja Negra,” Viaje Redondo,” “Cinco Dias Sin Nora,”
Carretera del Norte,” “Deficit,” “El Bufalo de la Noche,” KM 31: Kilometro 31,” Con Luio de
Detalle,” “Primera Comunion,” “Tierra de Gringos,” “Nadie Regressa por Tereca Vez” and “De
la Calle.”
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JUAN PABLO NOVAL (Location Manager) worked as a location manager and in
locations on the feature films “Fast & Furious,” “Love in the Time of Cholera,” “Resident Evil:
Extinction,” Miami Vice,” “The Legend of Zorro,” “Man on Fire,” “Sin ton ni Sonia,” “Frida,”
“Collaterral Damage” and “Original Sin,” among others.
JULIO TOLDEO (Mexico Extras Casting), based in Mexico City, has cast for
numerous motion picture and television projects in Mexico in addition to commercials for leading
international companies. Among his credits are “Dragon Ball,” “De la Infancia,” “Desafio,”
“Daniel & Ana,” “Backyard,” “La Zona,” “Bufalo de Noche,” “Malos Habitos,” “The Air I
Breathe,” Dos Abrazos” and “Troy.”
ABOUT THE ACTORS
MEL GIBSON (“Driver”) was born in upstate New York and moved with his family to
Australia when he was 12 years old. Gibson attended the National Institute of Dramatic Arts at
the University of New South Wales in Sydney. His stage appearances include “Death of a
Salesman.”
Gibson was eventually brought to the attention of director George Miller who cast him in
“Mad Max,” the film that first brought him worldwide recognition. This was followed by the title
role in “Tim.” Gibson’s portrayal of a handicapped young man won him an Australian Film
Institute Best Actor Award.
He was further established as an international star by the two hit sequels to “Mad Max” –
“The Road Warrior” and “Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome” – along with Peter Weir’s
“Gallopili,” which brought Gibson a second Australian Best Actor Award. A few years later,
Weir and Gibson again collaborated on “The Year of Living Dangerously.”
Gibson made his American film debut in “The River.” Also, he starred in the worldwide
record-breaking “Lethal Weapon” (1, 2, 3 and 4) franchise. Gibson’s other film credits include
“The Bounty,” “Mrs. Sofel,” “Tequila Sunrise,” “Bird on a Wire,” “Air America” and “Hamlet.”
When Gibson starred in “Hamlet,” directed by Franco Zeffirelli, the film was the first to be
produced by Gibson’s production company Icon Productions. The role brought him the William
Shakespeare Award from the Folger Theatre in Washington, D.C. Also, he starred in the Icon
produced “Forever Young” and “Maverick.” Gibson made his directorial debut and starred in
“The Man Without a Face,” another Icon production. The company has also produced “Immortal
Beloved” and “Airborne,” among many others.
In 1995, Gibson produced, directed and starred in the critical and box-office success
“Braveheart” which was the recipient of five Academy Awards® including Best Picture and Best
Director after receiving 10 nominations. Gibson received a Golden Globe® Award for Best
Director as well. Also, he received a Special Achievement in Filmmaking Award given by the
National Board of Review and was honored as the 1996 NATO ShoWest Director of the Year, as
well as being the recipient of the Best Director Award given by the Broadcast Film Critics
Association.
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In 1996 Gibson starred in “Ransom,” directed by Ron Howard for Disney’s Touchstone
Pictures. A remake of the 1956 MGM picture tells the story of a New York millionaire who must
employ daring tactics to retrieve his kidnapped son. He received a Golden Globe® nomination
for Best Actor in a Motion Picture (Drama) as well as wining the People’s Choice Award for
Favorite Motion Picture Actor.
In August of 1997, Gibson starred in the romantic-thriller “Conspiracy Theory” costarring Julia Roberts and directed by Richard Donner for Warner Bros. In July of 1998, Gibson
starred in “Lethal Weapon 4” grossing more than $300 million worldwide
In February of 1999, he starred in the hard edge thriller “Payback,” an Icon Production
based on Donald F. Westlake’s (writing as Richard Start) novel The Hunter. “Payback” was
distributed in the U.S. and Canada by Paramount Pictures and internationally by Warner Bros.
In 2000, Gibson became the first actor in history to star in three $100 million films
(domestic gross) during the same year. In the summer, Gibson starred in the emotionally charged
adventure “The Patriot” as Benjamin Martin, a reluctant hero who is swept into the American
Revolution when war reaches his home and threatens his family. The Columbia Pictures release
was written by Robert Rodat (“Saving Private Ryan”) and directed by Roland Emmerich. Also,
Gibson lent his voice as the all-American rooster named Rocky in the critically acclaimed
DreamWorks SKG animated adventure comedy “Chicken Run.”
Later that year, Gibson starred in “We Were Soldiers,” a film based on the book We
Were Soldiers Once … and Young, telling the story of the first battle between U.S. and Viet
Cong troops in which 400 soldiers were helicoptered in and surrounded by 2,000 enemy troops,
as told from the vantage point of Harold Moore, commander of the 1st Battalion, 7th Calvary, and
Joseph Galloway, a reporter who was in the scene for the 34-day battle. It was directed and
written by Randall Wallace who was nominated for an Academy Award® for writing
“Braveheart.”
Also that same year, Gibson starred in M. Night Shyamalan’s thriller “Signs” for Disney
which opened to a Gibson-starring opening weekend record of $60 million and grossed an alltime individual record of over $400 million.
In 2004, Gibson producer, co-wrote and directed “The Passion of the Christ” starring Jim
Caviezel, Maia Morgenstern and Monica Bellucci. The Ash Wednesday release on February 25 th
grossed an industry-record average of $41,295 per screen (3.043 theatres) totaling a five-day
gross of $125.2 million giving it the best five-day opening ever, at that time, for a film with a
Wednesday opening. The previous record-holder had been “The Lord of the Rings” The Return
of the King” ($124.1 million). The opening three-day weekend numbers totaled $83.848.082
(Friday: $22.9 million, Saturday: $33 million, and Sunday $27.8 million) making it #8 on the alltime opening weekend box-office chart at that time. “The Passion of the Christ” had a worldwide
box-office gross of $610 million making it the highest grossing R-rated film and highest grossing
independent film in history. The film was nominated for three Academy Awards®.
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In 2006, Gibson brought life to his latest epic, visceral action thriller “Apocalypto.”
Gibson produced, co-wrote and directed the thriller that follows one man’s heart-pounding race
through primeval jungles to rescue his family during the fading days of the mysterious, ancient
Mayan civilization. “Apocalypto” opened at #1 in it’s opening weekend grossing $15.2 million
and generated three Academy Award® nominations.
Gibson returned to acting in 2009 with GK Films “Edge of Darkness” in which he starred
as Thomas Craven, a Boston detective who uncovers sinister government conspiracies when he
investigates the brutal shooting death of his only daughter. The psychological thriller was
directed by Martin Campbell.
Up next, Gibson will be seen in “The Beaver,” directed by Jodie Foster, about a man who
finds unusual solace in his beaver hand-puppet.
Following his location filming on “How I Spent My Summer Vacation,” Gibson will once again
step behind the lens and direct Leonardo DiCaprio in a yet-untitled Viking project.
DANIEL GIMENEZ CACHO (“Javi”), who resides in Mexico City, was born in Spain
and studied acting, theater and dance in Mexico and Europe. Since the 1980’s he has built a
successful career in film, theater and television earning a well-deserved place as one of the most
important actors in Mexico and Latin America. He presently is starring in the television series
“Locas de Amor.”
Among his many feature film credits are “Expediente del Atentato,” “La Leccion de
Pintura,” “Somos lo que Hay,” “Amor en Fin,” Arrancame la Vida,” “Voy a Explotar,” “La
Zona,” “The Black Pimpernel,” “Las Vidas de Celia,” “Voces Inocentes,” “La Mala Educacion,”
“Perder el Cuestion de Metodo,” “Nicotina,” “Asesino en Serio,” La Virgen de la Lujuria,” “Aro
Tolbukhin,” “No Somos Nadie,” “Vivir Mata,” “Sin Verguenza,” “El Principe del Pacifico,”
“Celos,” “El Coronel No Tiene Quien le Escriba,” “Profundo Carmesi,” “Nadie Hablara de
Nosotros Cuando Hayamos Muerto,” “El Callejon de los Milagros,” “En Medio de la Nada,”
“Ambar,” “La Invecion de Cronos,” “Solo con tu Pareja,” “Cabeza de Vaca,” “Camino Largo a
Tujuana” and “Algunas Nubes.”
He has won numerous awards for his outstanding performances including Ariel Awards
for Best Actor for “Profundo Carmesi” (1997), and for “Aro Tolbukhin” (2003) and Ariels for
Best Supporting Actor for “La Invencion de Cronos” (1993) and for “Nicotina” (2004). He also
won awards as Best Actor from La Union de Cronistas y Criticos de Teatro for “Largo Viaje de
un Dia Hacia La Noche de Eugene O’Neil” (1993) and for “Monologo por Sexo, Drogas y Rock
‘n Roll” (2005). Other awards include
Ondas Award in Spain for Best Actor for “Sin
Verguenza” (2001), and the Diosa de Plata Award for Best Actor for “En El Aire” (1995) and
“Arrrancame la Vida” (2009) for which he also won the Canacine Award for Best Actor.
For theatre, he directed “Estas Ahi,” “Los Perdedores,” “Un Placer Contagioso,” “El
Homosexual o la Dificultad de Expresarse,” “Rosete se Pronuncia” and “Persona.” As an actor,
he has starred in stage productions of “El Bueno Canario” which was directed by John
Malkovich, “Rosette,” “Hamlet,” “Sexo, Droges y Rock ‘n Roll,” “Belize,” “Eva Peron,” “El
Cantara Roto, “Roberto Zucco,” El Jardin de la Pasion,” “Terra Incognita,” Largo Viaje de on
Dia hacia al Noche,” Sexo, Pudor y Lagrimas,” “Los Enemigos,” “Doble Casa,” Concilio de
Amor” and “Donna Giobanni,” among others.
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JESUS OCHOA (“Caracas”) was raised in Ures, a small town in Sonora, Mexico and
presently resides in Mexico City. He began working as a teacher but in 1979 decided to go to
Mexico City to study drama at the Institute of Performing Arts. Since graduating, Ochoa has
enjoyed a successful career as an actor in theater, film and television. He has appeared in over 30
films in Mexico and around the world working with directors such as Fernando Sariñana on “El
Segundo Aire,” Tony Scott on “Man on Fire,” Luis Mandoki on “Voces Inocentes” and
Christopher Zalla on “Padre Nuestro.”
Among his many other feature film credits are “Salvando al Soldado Perez,” “Labios
Rojos,” “Quantum of Solace,” “Divina Confusion,” “40 a la Sombra,” “Beverly Hills
Chihuahua,” “All Inclusive,” “Paraiso Travel,” “La Leyenda de la Nahuala,” “Equinoccio y la
Piramide Magica,” Ano Una,” “J-ok’el,” “Perrito Bomba,” “Padre Nuestro Interrupcion en el
Continuo Espacio Tiempo,” “Un Mundo Maravilloso,” “Solo Dios Sabe,” “Sexo, Amor y Otros
Pervisiones 2,” “La Sombra del Sahuaro,” “Conelo en la Luna,” “Man on Fire,” Ladies Night,”
“Hijos de su Madre: Las Buenrostro” and “Nicotina” among many others. He also lent his
voice to the Walt Disney motion picture “South of the Border” as Piper Perabo as well as to the
film “Dragones: Destino del Fuego.”
In addition to acting he has served a director and screenwriter on the feature films
“Zapato;” director, producer, screenwriter and editor on “Tiro de Gracia,” and director of “No
Corro” and “Ezquiel el Volador.
He was awarded the prestigious Silver Ariel for his work in “Between Pancho Villa and
a Naked Woman” (which was later made into a feature film) and “Baja California.” Among his
acting roles for the stage are “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged),”
directed by Antonio Castro, and “Moonlight and Party Time,” written by Harold Pinter and
directed by Ludwik Margules. Besides his accomplishments in acting, Ochoa has directed and
produced many short films for the Olympics and World Cup.
Jesus Ochoa also is an accomplished actor on television appearing in the shows “Tiempo
Final,” “Se Busca un Hombre,” “Demasiado Corazon” and “Madame Marisol,” among others.
ROBERTO SOSA (“Carnal”), a native of Mexico City, has over 30 years experience
as an actor in film, theatre and television. He also teaches while studying at Conservatorio
Nacional de Arte Dramatico, the National Circus School of Annie Fratelini in Paris as well as
being Associate Fellow at the John S. Knigh Fellowship at Stanford University in California.
He began his career in at age seven with the film “High Risk,” directed by Stewart and
has since accumulated a vast and prestigious filmography of over 100 motion picture acting
credits among them “El Caballito Volador,” John Huston’s “Under the Volcano,” “Como Ves?,”
“Barrocco,” “Latino Bar,” “Dollar Mambo,” Oliver Stones; “Salvador,” El Tres de Copas,” “Las
Inocentes,” “La Rebelion de los Colgadoa,” “Old Gringo,” “Lola,” Rojo Amanacer,” “Cabeza de
Vaca,” “El Patrullero,” “Death and the Compass,” “Ciudad de Ciegos,” Anel de Fuego,” “Lolo,”
“Fibra Optica,” “La Reina de la Noche,” John Sayles “Men With Guns,” “Cronica de un
Desayuno,” “Ciudades Oscuras,” “Enemigos Intimos,” Tony Scott’s “Man on Fire,” Richard
Shepard’s “The Matador,” “Borderland,” and “Tres, Tres” among many others.
For his work in motion pictures, Roberto Sosa won the prestigious Ariel Award in 1989
for his work on “Lola,” and in 1991 he won the Concha del Plata Award from the Festival de San
Sebastian for his role in “El Patrullero.”
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In theater, Sosso has participated in over 20 productions receiving several awards
inclusing el Premio Nacional de la Juventud; ” el Premio al Mejor Actor de Teatro three times for
his work as Beat Actor in Theatre for “Enemigo de Clase” (1992), “Equus” (1997) and
“Trainspotting” (1999); and the Citation of Excellence by the Government of Mexico.
In addition, he has worked in numerous television series, among them “Ciudad en
Guerra,” “Lo que es el Amor,” “Todo por Amor,” “Demasiado Corazon,” “El Amor de mi Vida”
and “Entre Vivos y Muertos,” among others as well as an educational series produced by the
Secretary of Public Education in Mexico.
DOLORES HEREDIA (“Kid’s Mother”) has worked tirelessly in film, television and
theater. Her first feature film was “Pueblo de Madera” in 1990 with director Juan Antonio de la
Riva. Since then, she worked in the telefilms “Pueblo Viejo” by Carlos Garcia Agraz, and
“Disparen a Matar” by Gabriel Retes, returning to work with Rivas on the movie “La Mundanza”
based on the work of the same name by Alex Cox. She also has been seen in director Jose Luis
Garcia Agraz’s “Desierto Mares;” Jim McBrides’ “The Wrong Man” and “Vagabunda” directed
by Alfonso Rosas Priego.
In 1995 she played Lucero played in the film version “Dos Ceimenes” directed by
Roberto Sneider for which she received her first Ariel nomination for Best Actress. Following
this, she worked on the film “En el Aire” directed by Juan Carlos de Llaca, which was followed
the “La Hija del Puma,” a co-production with Mexico, Sweden and Denmark directed by Asa
Pharynx and Ulf Hultberg.
Heredia starred in “1999 in Santitos” directed by Alejandro Springall, and she was
nominated for a second Ariel for Best Actress, and won an award for her performances at Los
Festivales de Amiens Y Cartagena. This was followed by her work in “De la Calle” by director
Gerardo Tort; “Ciudades Oscuras” by director Fernando Sariñana; and the Mexican, Columbia
and Spanish co-production of “La Historia del Baul Rosado” directed by Libia Stella Gomez.
In the past two years, Dolores Heredia has starred in the motion pictures “Fuera del
Cielo,” directed by Javier Patron Fox; “Desierto Adentro,” directedby Rodrigo Pla; “Mujer
Alabastrina,” directed by Elisa Salinas; “Amor, Sexo y Otras Perversiones,” directed by Fernando
Sariñana; “In God We Trust,” by Paul Leduc; and “Conozca la Cabeza de Juan Perez,” directed
by Emilio Portes, which won the Mayahuel Award at the Festival de Guadalajara. Her upcoming
films are“180 Grados,” directed by Fernando Kalifa,, “Dios de la Gracia” and “Rock Mari.”
She also has appeared in numerous television programs including “Deseo Prohibido” and
“Capadocha,” and the mini-series “La Virgen de Guadalupe.”
As a producer, Dolores Heredia founded her own company called Por Amor
Producciones , and she is working with Daniele Fizi and the Teatro Sunil in Switzerland, as well
collaborating on production of Cirque du Soleil.
KEVIN HERNANDEZ (“Kid”) is an up and coming young actor that got his start
playing Pepillo Salazar in the Movie of the Week “Expecting a Miracle” where he worked along
side Cheech Marin and Jason Priestley. He then went on to work on Daved Mamet’s “The Unit”
as Mateo Rocha in the episode “Dancing Lessons,” directed by Steve Gomer. Soon after, he
landed a role on a Halloween themed episode of “My Name is Earl” for which he was praised for
his comical performance as Oskar among the stellar cast. His most recent work in the short film
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“Eye of the Future” was seen by international politicians at the United Nation’s climate
conference this past year that took place at the world famous Copenhagen Imax in Denmark.
Meanwhile he has maintained straight A’s at Bancroft middle school where he participated in the
performing arts program.
FERNANDO BECERRIL (“Prison Director”) returned to Mexico in 1997 after
pending 26 years working in France in film, television and theatre. He has appeared in numerous
motion pictures over this stellar career, among them “Arrancame la Visa,” “De Dia y de Noche,”
“180 Grado,” “La Noche de las Flores,” “La Mitad del Mundo,” “”Fibra Optica,” “The Mask of
Zorro and the Legend of Zorro,” “Ravenous,” “Rito Terminal,” “El Crimen del Padre Amaro,”
“Pancho Villa por el Mismo,” “Don de Dios,” “A Tiempo Completo,” “Zapata,” “Maria en el
Elevador,” “La Ultima Noche,” “Kilometro 31,” “La Zona,” “Los Fabulosos,” and many more.
His televsion credits include the miniseries “Zapata” and the Azteca TV series “Lo que
Callamos las Mujeres,” “El Poder del Amor,” “Momentos de Decision.” Also for HBO he did
three movies: “Fidel,” “American Family” and “En el Tiempo de las Mariposas.”
On stage, Fernandu Becerril has performed in numerous Shakespearan productions for
the Compania Nacional de Teatro; and the plays “La Cantanra Calva,” “Pan y Cebolla,” “El
Lector por Horas,” “Bodas Ineditas,” “La Celestina,” “El Divan” and “La Vida es Sueno.”
JOSE MONTINI (“El Pueblito Doctor”) is an accomplished actor in film, television
and stage. He studied at the Instituto de Arte Escenio. He has starred in numerous motion
pictures among them “Adios Mundo Cruel,” “La Perla Blanca,” “Man on Fire,” “Hoy Por Tio,
Manana Por Mi,” Matelos la Hiena,” “The Librarian (for TNT), “One Ling Night,” “Pig’s Feet,”
“100 Anos de Perdon,” Sexo, Amor y Otras Perversiones,” “Asidel Precipio,” and “La Verdodera
Historia del Arte.”
On television, he has appeared in episodes of “La Otra,” “Entre el Amor y el Odio,” “Las
Vias del Mar,” “Clase 406,” “Rebelde ,” “Lolo,” “Erase una Vez,” “Bajo la Misma Piel,” “Rubi,”
“Palabra de Mujer,” “Vecinos,” “Piloto,” and “La Fea Mas Bella.”
On stage, he has appeared in “El Hombre de las Maletas,” “Jacobo o la Submision,”
“Entre Meses Mexicano” and “Sueno de una Noche de Verano.”
PETER GERETY (“Embassy Guy”) Among his many film credits are “Public
Enemies,” Clint Eastwood’s “The Changeling,” George Clooney’s “Leatherheads,” Mike
Nichols’ “Charlie Wilson’s War,” Spike Lee’s “Inside Man,” the independent feature “Things
That Hang From Trees,” “Syriana,” “War Of The Worlds,” “ K-Pax,” “People I Know,” “Magic
Hour,” “Montana,” “The Legend of Bagger Vance,” “Mrs. Winterborne,” “Surviving Picasso,”
“Hollywood Ending” and “The Curse of the Jade Scorpion.”
His television credits include “Brothers And Sisters,” the Tom Fontana/WB series “The
Bedford Diaries,” HBO’s “The Wire,” “Conviction,” “Homicide,” “Law and Order, “ “Ed,”
“Central Park West,” “Third Watch” and “The Return To Lonesome Dove.”
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His theatre credits include the Broadway production of Martin McDonaugh’s “The
Lieutenant Of Inishmore “ which transferred after a successful run off-Broadway at the Atlantic
Theatre Company; the Broadway production of “Never Gonna Dance;” the Butcher in Susan
Lori Park's “Fucking A,” and as Fluellan in “Henry V” at New York’s Shakespeare in the Park.
Peter Gerety worked predominantly on stage for over 30 years, performing in over 100
productions with the legendary Trinity Repertory of Providence, R.I. alone (Adrian Hall,
director). He has also performed with the Seattle Repertory, the Dallas Theater Center, ART in
Cambridge, the Huntington in Boston, as well as in Edinburgh, Scotland, Madrid, Mumbai,
Calcutta and Damascus, Syria. He also has been in numerous Broadway and off-Broadway plays
and is an accomplished director, primarily with the Dallas Theater Center and Trinity Repertory.
PATRICK BAUCHAU (“Surgeon”), a native of Belgium who divides him time living
in Paris and California, became interested in film in the early 1960’s working as an assistant to
French filmmaker Eric Rohmer which lead to his being cast as Adrien in the Rohmer’s 1967 “La
Collectionneuse.” After appearing in the film “Tiset Street,” also released in 1967, he moved
away from acting, building furniture and also working with Salvador Dali in constructing large
pillow-like animal structures.
He returned to film acting in 1980 in Robert Kramer’s “Guns,” and was cast in the lead
role in Wim Wenders’ “Der Stand der Dinge,” and made his American film acting debut in 1984
in Alan Rudolph’s romantic comedy “Choose Me.” From that point, he appeared in numerous
low budget art and exploitation films in Europe and America. In 1991 be scored an impressive
role in Michael Tolkin’s drama “The Rapture,” and the director again cast him in his film “The
New Age” four years later.
Mr. Bauchau’s television appearances include the series “Kindred: The Embrace” and in
a series regular role in “The Pretender.” His higher profile on the small screen helped the actor
land more notable roles in such major motion pictures as “Clear and Present Danger,” “The Cell,”
“Ray” and “Panic Room, and the independent features “Twin Falls Idaho,” “The Secretary,”
“Boy Culture” and “The Gray Man,” among others.
Prior to his role in “How I Spent My Summer Vacation,” he appeared in Roland
Emmerich’s “2012,” “Sweet Smell of Success,” and “Extraordinary Measures” with Harrison
Ford. In Europe, he recently completed the film “Suzanne” (France), “Ladrones” (Spain),
“Glenn” (Belgium), “Chrysalis” (Italy) and Michael Houellebecq’s “Possibility of an Island”
(Spain).
Mr. Bauchau was a series regular on HBO’s “Carnivale” and on NBC’s “Revelation” and
ABC’s “Alias,” and also had guest starring roles among them on “Castle,” “CSI,” ”How to Make
it in America,” “Numbers,” “Women’s Murder Club,” “House” and “24.”
MAYRA SERBULO (“Nurse”) was born in Xalapa del Marquez in the state of Oaxaca
and resides in Mexico City. In addition to Spanish, she speaks Nahuatl and a little Zapoteco and
English. She is an accomplished actress in her native Mexico working in motion pictures,
television, theater and dance, and recently received an Ariel Award nomination as Best
Supporting Actress from the Academia Mexicana de Artes y Ciencias Cinematografias for the
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motion picture “Mezcal” (2004), which won an Ariel Award as Best Motion Picture. Her acting
credits in films include “Cuento de Hadas para Dormir,” “El Grito,” “Piedras Verdes,” “Ave
Maria,” “Un Embrujo,” “Fibra Optica,” “El Santo Luzbel,” “ Un Hjito de Sangre,” “A Reina de
la Noche,” “El Jardin del Eden,” “Cortometraje Haciendo la Lucha,” Desiertos Mares,” Novia
Que Te Vea” and “La Ofrenda.” On television, she has appeared in “La Reina Roja” for
Discovery Channel, National Geographic’s “Lost Kingdoms of the Mayas,” the telefilms “Todo
por Amor” and “Yacaranday,” and the programs “Lo que Callamos las Mujeres” and “Encuentro
de dos Mundos.”
GERARDO TARACENA (“Romero”) was born and presently lives in Mexico City.
He studied acting at el Centro Universarsitario de Teatro de la Universidad National Autonoma
de Mexico (UNAM), and has performed in motion pictures, theatre and dance. He worked with
the dance group Integro de Peru in 1992 performing in the II Encuentro Latinoamericano de
Danza Contemporanea Independiente in la Sala Miguel Covarrubias and in the V Festival
Latinoamericano de Teatro de Cordoba ’92 in Argentina. He continued to work in dance through
1996 in various festivals throughout Mexico and Latin America.
On stage, Gerardo acted in over 30 plays participating in the Festival Internacional
Cervantino on three occasions; the Festival de la Ciudad de Mexico, the Festival Latinoamericano
de Teatro Cordoba in Argentina, Programa Iberoamericano de Teatro in Buenos Aires, the
Festival de las Artes in Costa Rica, and the Japan Street Theatre Festival in Tokyo and
Jamamatsu. He also was a member of the theater group, Teatro Mito.
Gerardo has acted in films both in his native Mexico and the USA including “Espacio
Interior,” “Salvando al Soldado Perez,” “Deseo,” “La Casa de las Sanaciones,” “El Ultimo
Chichiluco,” “Cronicas Chilangas,” “SinNombre,” “La Zona,” “El Violin,” “Club Eutanasia,”
“Man on Fire,” “American Family,” “Al Rescate de la Santisima Trinidad,” “The Mexican,” Sin
Dejar Huella,” “De Ida y Vuelta,” and “La Hija del Puma,” among others.
MARIO ZARAGOZA (“Vazquez”) won three Ariels for his acting achievements in
motion pictures. In 2009 he was awarded Best Actor (Major Role) for his role in “Desierto
Adentro” as well as the Mayahuel Award for Best Actor from the Guadalajara Film Festival as
Best Actor. In 20008, he received the Ariel Award for Best Supporting Actor for “La Zona,” and
in 2002 as Best Actor (Minor Role) for “De la Calle..”
Zaragoza has appeared in numerous motion pictures in his career since his tole in “Un
Embrujo” in 1998 including “Suave Patria,” “Dias de Gracia,” “Seres: Genesis,” “Sin Ritorno,”
“Peregrinacion,” “Mexican Dream,” “El Benegador,” “Arrancame la Vida,” “El Juramento,”
“Todos Hemos Pecado,” “La Santa Muerte,” “ Todos Hermos Pecado,” “La Santa Muerte,” “La
Zona,” “El Quierdo,” Mojigangas,” “Paso de Ovejas,” “Las Vueltas del Citrillo,” Un Mundo
Maravilloso,” “La Canada,” “Otro Ladrillo en la Pared,” “Man on Fire,” “Palea de Gallos,”
“Sonaras,” “La Luna de Antonio,” Enamorate” and “Ciudades Oscuras.”
TENOCH HUERTA MEJIA (“Carlos”), a resident of Mexico City,. was nominated in
2009 for an Aried Award as Best Supporting Actor in the film “Nesio.” He also has starred in the
feature films “Dias de Gracia,” “Nomads,” “Chicogrande,” “Despositarios,” “Marea Alta,”
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“Sleep Dealer,” “El Homo,” “Sin Nombre,” “Solo Quiero Caminar,” “Soy Mi Madre,” “Casi
Divas,” “Café Paradiso,” “La Zona,” “Deficit,” “Malamados en la Soledad Todo Esta Permitido”
and “Asi del Precipicio.” In addition, his television experience includes “Gyspy” and “Zapata”
as well as other programs. Tenoch also worked in more than a dozen short films including
“Coffee Paradise,” which won five awards incuding Best Actor in the Short, Short Film Festival
in Mexico City and winner of an Ariel for Best Short Film in 2008.
PETER STORMARE (“Frank”) Swedish-born actor/director Peter Stormare is in high
demand across big and small screens. Stromare recently wrapped production on the feature films:
“Henry’s Crimes” opposite Keanu Reeves, “Janie Jones” with Abigail Breslin,” “Dead of Night”
with Brandon Roth, “Small Town Nurder Scenes” directed by Ed Gass-Donnelly, and voiced the
role of Snufkin in the Swedish 3D animated film “Moomins and the Comet Case” alongside
Stellan Skarsgard and Alexander Skarsgard. He has upcoming television guest appearances in
“Weeds” and the highly anticipated “Hawaii Five-O.”
He can also be seen in: “The Killing Room” with Chloe Sevigny, “Insanitarium” for
Screen Gems, and “Horsemen” for Mandate Pictures. He starred opposite Willem Dafoe in
“Anamorph,” and “Witless Protection” with Larry the Cable Guy released in 2008. Prior to that,
he starred in “Premonition” with Sandra Bullock, “Unknown,” “The Brothers Grimm” opposite
Matt Damon, “Constantine” with Keanu Reeves, and “Birth” with Nicole Kidman.
Stormare starred as John Abruzzi on the first season of the hit Fox television drama
“Prison Break” executive produced by Brett Ratner. He can also be seen in episodes of
“Entourage,” “CSI” and “Monk.” Other past television credits include the CBS telefilm “Hitler:
The Rise of Evil,” “Watching Ellie” and guest appearances on “Joey” and “Seinfeld.”
Stormare has consistently worked with exceptional directors throughout his career. He
appeared in Penny Marshall’s “Awakenings,” Steven Spielberg’s “Minority Report” and “The
Lost World: Jurassic Park,” the Coen brothers’ “Fargo” and “The Big Lebowski,” Joel
Schumacher’s “8MM” and Michael Bay in “Bad Boys II” and “Armageddon.” Other work
includes Lars Van Trier’s “Dancer in the Dark,” Lasse Hallstom’s “Chocolat,” Wim Wenders’
“Million Dollar Hotel,” Jonas Akerlund’s “Spun,” John Woo’s “Windtalkers,” and Kevin
Donovan’s “The Tuxedo.” He began his acting career in his native land at the Royal National
Theater of Sweden under the direction of the legendary Ingmar Bergman where he performed
leading roles in “Long Day’s Journey Into Night,” “Miss Julie,” “King Lear” and “Hamlet.”
SCOTT COHEN (“Frank’s Lawyer”) has become increasingly recognizable from his
many character portrayals in television, theater and film. A very versatile actor, Cohen has
garnered rave reviews for his varied, wide range of performances.
Cohen stars opposite Nathalie Portman in Don Roos' soon-to-be-released film adaptation
of “Love and Other Impossible Pursuits” in which they play parents coping with loss of a child.
He recently appeared in the Robert DeNiro film, “Everybody’s Fine” and in the new Nicole
Holefcener project, "Please Give.” Cohen can soon be seen in Ed Zwick’s film, “Love and Other
Drugs.” He also stars in the indie drama “Iron Cross” with the late Roy Scheider and “Winter of
Frozen Dreams” alongside Thora Birch. On stage Cohen starred in the Playwrights
Horizons production “Three Changes” alongside Dylan McDermott and Maura Tierney and in the
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American premiere of Caryl Churchill's “Drunk Enough To Say I Love You” at the New York
Public Theater. Cohen was in demand on television this spring starring in episodes of hit shows
“Grey’s Anatomy,” “CSI” and “Castle.”
Cohen starred in the hit film and critical favorite, “Kissing Jessica Stein.” His other film
appearances include “Jacob’s Ladder,” “A Brother’s Kiss,” “The Mambo Kings,” "Private Parts,”
“Knots” and “Brother’s Shadow.”
In television Cohen is best recognized for his work on “Gilmore Girls” starring as Max
Medina, the love interest to Lauren Graham’s Lorelai. He also starred in the Showtime hit series,
“StreetTime,” playing a dysfunctional probation cop who is assigned a convicted drug dealer
played by Rob Morrow. Cohen scored a network hat trick when he played on all three networks
simultaneously: he turned out a masterful performance as troubled detective Harry Denby on
ABC’s “NYPD Blue;” an equally acclaimed turns as the ‘Wolf’ in NBC’s “10th Kingdom,” and
Detective Steve Thomas in the CBS miniseries about Jon Benet Ramsey “Perfect Murder, Perfect
Town,”. It prompted Entertainment Weekly to dub Scott Mr. February in 2000. Cohen recently
played businessman Marcus Sonti, love interest to Parker Posey, in the FOX sitcom “The Return
of Jezebel James,” and appeared on ABC’s "Cashmere Mafia.” His other television credits
include: “Law and Order: Trial By Jury,” Dick Wolf’s fourth installment of the “Law and Order”
franchise, and popular turns on“The Practice” and "Without a Trace."
His many made-for-television movies including Mitch Albom’s “For One More Day”
presented by Oprah Winfrey, “Fatal Contact: Bird Flu in America,” “GIA” with Angelina Jolie,
“Gotti,,”,and Kiss My Act” alongside Camryn Manheim.
On stage, Cohen starred in the Broadway comedy “Losing Louie” for the Manhattan
Theater Club; David Ives’ “The Other Woman,” and “A Nervous Smile” opposite Amy
Brennerman. He joined John Spencer in “Glimmer, Glimmer and Shine,” Warren Leight’s
follow-up to “Side Man,” also at the Manhattan Theatre Club. Cohen’s prolific stage work also
counts numerous appearances at the Williamstown Theater Festival including “The Big Knife”
and “La Ronde,” both directed by Joanne Woodward. Recently, Cohen was seen at Voice and
Visons in the play “In Audela,” written by his wife Anastasia Traina. Along with his acting
projects, Scott Cohen also serves on the Columbia County Film Festival Advisory Board now in
its tenth year.
BOB GUNTON (“Thomas Kaufman”) has played a potpourri of memorable roles in
notable productions in theatre, television and film over his distinguished 32-year career.
His feature film works runs the gamut from farce to drama, and he has worked with some
of Hollywood’s most celebrated directors appearing in Oliver Stone’s “JFK,” Edward Zwick’s
“Glory,” John Woo’s “Broken Arrow,” and as the Warden in Frank Darrabont’s “The Shawshank
Redemption.” Among his many film appearances are the motion pictures “Patch Adams,” “Ace
Ventura: When Nature Calls,” “Dolores Claiborne,” “Cookie,” “Matewan,” “Scenes of the
Crime,” “Dead Silence,” “Highland Park,” “The Irishman” and “Lincoln Lawyer.”
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His many telefilms and miniseries include “Mission of the Shark,” “Wild Palms,” “When
Billy Beat Bobby,” “Running Mates,” “61*,” “Sinatra (appearing as Tommy Dorsey), “Kingfish”
(as FDR), “Elvis Meet Nixon (as Nixon) and “Judas and Jesus.” He also was a series regular on
“Courthouse,” “Greg the Bunny,” “Hothouse” and “Peacemakers,” and has had recurring roles on
“Mr. Sterling,” “Desperate Housewives,” “E-Ring,” “Nip/Tuck” and “24.”
On Broadway, he received Tony Award® nominations for his “Sweeney Todd,” and for
his portrayal of Juan Peron in “Evita.” He also received an Obie Award® for playing 21
characters in “How I Got That Story” as well as the Clarence Derwent Award for The Most
Promising New NY Actor in 1980. In 2004, he was nominated for a Barrymore Award for
playing the eponymous role in the pre-Broadway production of “The Great Ostrovsky.” On
stage, he also was featured in “Big River,” “Passion,” “King of Hearts,” “Working” and “Happy
End,” and in the acclaimed 2002 revival of Sondheim’s musical “Follies.”
DEAN NORRIS (“Bill“) Veteran film and TV actor Dean Norris is currently earning
raves for his performance as Hank Schrader in the critically acclaimed and Emmy winning
original series “Breaking Bad” on AMC.
Norris has been extremely busy these days, moving easily from television to film and
from action to family fare. He is currently shooting the highly anticipated Disney movie “Prom”
costarring Faith Ford and Aimee Teegarden from the acclaimed series “Friday Night Lights.”
Known for his ability to portray both serious as well as comic roles, Norris has appeared in over
130 films and television shows. Other recent movie credits include “The Heartbreak Kid,” “Little
Miss Sunshine” and “Evan Almighty.” His many film roles include starring in “The Negotiator,”
“Starship Troopers,” “The Firm,” “The Cell,” “Gattaca,” “Hard To Kill,” “The Last Seduction,”
“Total Recall,” “Terminator 2” and “Lethal Weapon 2.”
On television, Norris has had recurring roles in “The West Wing,” “Medium,” “The
Unit,” “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles,” “American Dreams” and “Grey’s Anatomy”
as well as a regular stint playing W.D. Twitchell in the Sci-Fi original series cult classic
“Tremors.” His most recent guest spots include appearances on “True Blood,” “Lost,” “Criminal
Minds,” “Bones,” “Saving Grace,” “Nip/Tuck,” “Dark Blue,” “Facing Kate,” and “Lie To Me.”
Born and raised in South Bend, Indiana, Norris graduated from Harvard University and
attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. He is married with five children and
calls Southern California home.
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