Ricardo C
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- Ricardo C
This is a translation from the Spanish article I just read on Terra:
"Bogotá, Sept. 24- American filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola admitted today that he would like to make a film about Simón Bolívar, which could be based ona novel by Colombian author Gabriel García Márquez.
'I'd like to do a film on Bolívar with García Márquez's help', said the filmmaker on a phone interview with Radio Cadena Nacional's 'La FM´ radio station.
According to Coppola, for this work on the Latin American independence hero, he would rely on the Colombian writer's novel The General in his Labyrinth. 'These are my plans for when I'm old. I want it to be my final film', said the award-winning director.
Coppola, who was the subject of an homage at the recently concluded San Sebastián Film Festival, also said that he is not interested in making a film about The Borgias based on the book of the same name by his countryman Mario Puzo -author of The Godfather, but rather with a self-penned script.
'In the film I'm writing, and plan to make, I want to show the beauty of the world, and how we're capable of making a better world... A better future for all', said the director.
Coppola regretted having rejected an invitation to preside the Jury at the Cartagena de Indias International Film Festival, received from the Colombian Culture Ministry, though he admitted there's a possibility he'll visit the country 'to meet Colombian artists and intellectuals'.
He added that he'll be in Colombia soon, to visit 'a person I admire greatly and whom I consider a friend: Gabriel García Márquez.'
As a Venezuelan, the possibility of a Coppola-helmed film about Bolívar excites me to no end , even if it won't be for quite a few years yet. A proper retelling of Bolívar's life, and his campaign to win independence from Spain would put "Braveheart" and its ilk to shame.
As much as I'd love for a big-budget epic on Bolívar to use venezuelan and Colombian talent, I doubt Coppola and his backing studio would go for it, so using mostly American talent, I'd cast:
Harrison Ford as Bolívar. This would pose a problem when showing Bolívar as a young man, but I can picture Harrison reciting Bolívar's speeches and... Whoa. Let's not even talk about his dying moments, or I'll get misty-eyed.
Ahh, the possibilities... Aitana Sánchez-Gijón as Manuela Sáenz, Kevin Spacey as José Antonio Páez, León as Pedro Camejo, Shane West as Atanasio Girardot... I'd love to have Ewan McGregor as Antonio José De Sucre, if he could do a Spanish accent convincingly
The Battle of Carabobo alone would be worth the price of admission
"Bogotá, Sept. 24- American filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola admitted today that he would like to make a film about Simón Bolívar, which could be based ona novel by Colombian author Gabriel García Márquez.
'I'd like to do a film on Bolívar with García Márquez's help', said the filmmaker on a phone interview with Radio Cadena Nacional's 'La FM´ radio station.
According to Coppola, for this work on the Latin American independence hero, he would rely on the Colombian writer's novel The General in his Labyrinth. 'These are my plans for when I'm old. I want it to be my final film', said the award-winning director.
Coppola, who was the subject of an homage at the recently concluded San Sebastián Film Festival, also said that he is not interested in making a film about The Borgias based on the book of the same name by his countryman Mario Puzo -author of The Godfather, but rather with a self-penned script.
'In the film I'm writing, and plan to make, I want to show the beauty of the world, and how we're capable of making a better world... A better future for all', said the director.
Coppola regretted having rejected an invitation to preside the Jury at the Cartagena de Indias International Film Festival, received from the Colombian Culture Ministry, though he admitted there's a possibility he'll visit the country 'to meet Colombian artists and intellectuals'.
He added that he'll be in Colombia soon, to visit 'a person I admire greatly and whom I consider a friend: Gabriel García Márquez.'
As a Venezuelan, the possibility of a Coppola-helmed film about Bolívar excites me to no end , even if it won't be for quite a few years yet. A proper retelling of Bolívar's life, and his campaign to win independence from Spain would put "Braveheart" and its ilk to shame.
As much as I'd love for a big-budget epic on Bolívar to use venezuelan and Colombian talent, I doubt Coppola and his backing studio would go for it, so using mostly American talent, I'd cast:
Harrison Ford as Bolívar. This would pose a problem when showing Bolívar as a young man, but I can picture Harrison reciting Bolívar's speeches and... Whoa. Let's not even talk about his dying moments, or I'll get misty-eyed.
Ahh, the possibilities... Aitana Sánchez-Gijón as Manuela Sáenz, Kevin Spacey as José Antonio Páez, León as Pedro Camejo, Shane West as Atanasio Girardot... I'd love to have Ewan McGregor as Antonio José De Sucre, if he could do a Spanish accent convincingly
The Battle of Carabobo alone would be worth the price of admission