by the El Reportero’s news services
Mexican director Sergio Arau and his wife, actress Yareli Arismendi, prepare the sequence of the film A day without Mexicans.
Mexican director Sergio Arau and his wife, actress Yareli Arismendi, are working on a sequel to the film “A Day Without a Mexican” to keep the subject of immigrants in the public eye.
“It’s going to be called Another Day Without a Mexican, and of course we’re a little scared because ‘Part 2’ of anything is rarely good, but we think we have to keep the public focused on this subject,” the filmmaker told Efe in an interview.
While the original film got moviegoers thinking about what would happen to the city of Los Angeles if someday all its Hispanics disappeared, the sequel will address the harsh immigration law Arizona adopted in 2010, SB 1070, and copycat measures in states such as Alabama and Utah, Arau said.
“I see it as similar to when Robert Rodríguez made El Maricahi and later made Desperado – it’s really the same movie but done bigger, with more investment and a much wider distribution, because what really excites us is getting the message to more people,” he said. A Day Without a Mexican, which came out in 2004, was the second biggest box-office hit in the history of Mexican movies, but in the United States it was basically seen only in California, Arau said.
The fact of having made it with a Mexican studio put some limitations on its distribution, so this time he’s going at it with more financing as well as a more complete, more up-to-date screenplay, but always keeping Arau’s characteristic sense of humor and critical thinking.
If all goes as planned, Another Day Without Mexicans will be in movie theaters by late 2012. “We hope to be in theInforaters before the Mayan prophecy comes true,” he laughed.
At 60, Arau also plans to assemble an integrated collection of his work as painter, musician and caricaturist, passions he has indulged simultaneously since he was a teenager.
“I’ve been very critical with my caricatures and drawings, a defender of Mexican identity with my paintings, and created with my buddies in the Botellita de Jérez group our own version of Mexican rock, full of satire and humor,” he said.
Colombian Designer Adriana Castro nominated for Rising Star Award
Colombian designer Adriana Castro is among the nominees for the Fashion Group International’s Rising Star Award in the category of Accessories.
Castro recently received the 2011 Miami Award in the Women’s Handbags category and also had the honor of opening the 3rd Bogota International Fashion Week.
Her accessories and handbags of exotic animal skins that include alligator, ostrich and python have been welcomed into the wardrobes of celebrities like Eva Longoria, Jennifer Lopez, Kim Kardashian, Heidi Klum and Sarah Jessica Parker.
Famed stylist Patricia Field chose five of her handbags to accessorize leading ladies in the movie “Sex and the City 2.” Her designs have also been featured in Vogue. This is the third straight year that Castro has received this nomination. On previous occasions the prestigious award went to such trendsetters as Joseph Altuzarra and Tory Burch.
