by Hspanically Speaking News
Patricia Riggen
Mexican-born Patricia Riggen has now signed on to direct the film adaptation of the story of the 33 Chilean miners trapped underground for 69 days, currently titled, “The 33”, according to The Wrap.
Riggen, 42, directed 2007’s La Misma Luna(Under the Same Moon), the story of a young Mexican boy who travels to the U.S. to find his mother after his grandmother dies. She also stepped behind the camera for 2012’s Girl in Progress, which starred Eva Mendes and Disney’s Lemonade Mouth in 2011.
The story of the 33 Chilean minors garnered international attention. On August 5, 2010, a cave-in at a troubled copper-gold mine near Copiapó, Chile trapped the men about 2,300 ft. underground. It was 17 days after the collapse before the men were found via exploratory boreholes. A number of people from various countries worked tirelessly to create a plan to get the men out and on Oct. 13, the men were lifted to safety one by one.
Almost all of the miners were rescued in good medical condition with no long-term physical effects anticipated. However, two miners were found to be suffering from silicosis, with one also having pneumonia. Others had dental infections and corneal problems.
Riggen is said to be in Chile with the film’s producers speaking with the miners and others involved in the incident.
‘It’s been an extraordinary experience to meet the miners in person and hear from them the detailed account of their time underground,’ Riggen said in a statement to The Wrap. ‘Since their rescue a little less than two years ago, the real story of their incredible survival has gone untold. In their darkest hour, they struggled to maintain their unity. The collapse brought out the best and the worst Razain them. Ultimately, the human spirit triumphed and all of them came out alive.’
Filming is expected to begin in January of 2013, with release predicted for the following fall.
Penelope Cruz vows to produce films in Spain to stimulate economy
Spanish actress Penelope Cruz said in an interview published Saturday by Italian daily La Stampa that she plans to produce at least two films a year in her homeland to create jobs amid sky-high unemployment.
“I want to bring jobs to my people … I’ll use my privileged position. It’s what interests me the most right now. I know it’s a grain of sand in the desert, but it’s a responsibility I think I have,” Cruz said.
“I’ll produce a couple of films a year. A way to give work to hundreds of people. It’s a set idea I have.”
Cruz, winner of a best-supporting actress Oscar for her role as an unstable artist in Woody Allen’s 2008 comedy-drama “Vicky Cristina Barcelona,” said she has worked hard but also has had a lot of opportunities in life.
