Puerto Rico, Comedy/Drama, 2013
97 min, DVCPro HD, Color
Spanish with English subtitles

By most accounts, Jorge is not remarkable. He lives a routine existence and is seemingly happy with the monotony. But when he discovers his wife Lisa is in need of a life-saving heart surgery, Jorge’s world becomes anything but mundane. Without insurance or the funds to pay for the operation, he’s faced with a serious quandary. How far would you go to save the one you love? Finding inspiration in the movies, he decides to rob a bank. Jorge’s robbery attempts are sabotaged by his awkwardness, infusing this edgy premise with a slapstick sensibility and sending Jorge down a clumsy path towards economic recovery. Jorge’s story is complemented by shifts in perspective that round out the narrative, adding nuance to any simplistic interpretation. Having won the Colab Script Contest for best screenplay in Puerto Rico, LA ESPERA DESESPERA has been delighting audiences at various festivals, including the Chicago Latino Film Festival.

Texas Premiere

www.facebook.com/LaEsperaDesespera

About the director

In 1998, Coraly Santaliz began her Masters in Film and Television Production in Orange, California. She later directed VICTORIA, which won the Paoli Award for best TV movie of Puerto Rico in 2006. She has also worked as a Script Supervisor for several local and international films, including EL CANTANTE with Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony, and THE MEN WHO STARE AT GOATS with George Clooney. Recently, she wrote and directed her fourth short film, LOS SANTOS.

Credits

Producer: Maria José Delgado
Production Companies: Garito Films, Black Dog Production Mansion, Puerto Rico Film Commission
Screenwriter: Coraly Santaliz
Cinematographer: Walter Santaliz
Editor: Coraly Santaliz
Sound Design: José Elí Pérez
Music: Geronimo Mercado
Cast: Carlos Marchand, Marise Alvarez, Lynnette Salas

Print Source: Maria José Delgado, delgadomarita@gmail.com