Most CitizenLink calls to action involve petitions or phone calls to senators — not a trip to the Cineplex. Yet this one — a call to see the movie Bella during its opening weekend — is also important.
Bella is a small-budget underdog film with a big message that illustrates the inherent value of life. That’s why Eduardo Verástegui, the film’s leading actor and producer, dedicated three years of his life to the project.
He realized "80 to 90 percent" of what was coming out of the media was "poisoning our society.” So Verástegui set out to make films that not only entertain, but also make a difference — a far cry from the projects that sprung him into superstardom in his native Mexico and across Latin America.
Bella opens in select theaters this weekend. Verástegui talked to CitizenLink about his faith and his journey.
1. In the movie, Jose’s life changes in an instant. What was the defining moment of your life?
When I moved to Los Angeles, I hired an English teacher. This young lady happened to be a very devout Christian who not only taught me English but also changed my life because she started questioning a lot of things in my life. For example, she asked, “Eduardo, what is the purpose of life? Who is guiding your life? Do you know your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit?” I believe this young lady was the answer to my mother’s prayers.
Six months later, I realized that she was pretty much right in everything. And I remember that day. Everything changed in my life because I went to my knees, started crying, and asking God to forgive me.
The good news is that God not only forgave me, but he changed my heart, changed my whole, made me a new man. He became my boss, my manager, my father, the center of my life, my redeemer, my creator, my everything. I promised Him that I would never compromise my faith anymore. I would never use my talents for anything that would offend Him. I knew I wasn’t born to be a movie star or to be famous or to be a producer. I was born to know and to love and to serve Jesus Christ.
2. This commitment to not compromise your beliefs in your professional life — it cost you a lot. What price have you had to pay?
At that time, five years ago, I wanted to leave Hollywood. I was afraid to be there because Hollywood is the capital of temptation. I wanted to give two years of my life and just detach myself from all the dreams that I had. I wanted to go to Brazil, to the jungle, to do missionary work. I wanted to discern what God has for me.
I told my friend that. He looked at me and said, “Hold on. Hollywood is a bigger jungle. It doesn’t belong to the studios, it belongs to God, and we need to take it back. So don’t run away, don’t escape; this is where you need to be." He convinced me to stay.
For four years, I couldn’t work because the offers I was receiving were exactly the thing I didn’t want to do because it required me to compromise. I didn’t have money to pay my rent. I was broke, but I had so much peace in my heart and joy and serenity and happiness.
I decided to be the light in the darkness, and that’s when I was inspired to open this production company (Metanoia Films). And you know what? There’s nothing more beautiful than waking up in the morning and fighting for something that you believe is bigger than yourself.
3. Bella won the People’s Choice Award at the 2006 Toronto Film Festival — often considered a precursor to the Oscars. How would you define success for Bella?
Well, this movie changed my life. It is a love story about a man who had everything. He lost it all, but in losing it all, he found everything that matters in life, which is family and true love and friendship and a lot of beautiful things.
The intent for this film is to promote life and family values. My goal was to make a film that I could invite my mother and my grandmother to and not have to cover their eyes during any scene.
Therefore, my Oscar is when someone tells me, “Your film changed my life.”
4. You visited an abortion clinic as part of your research for your part in Bella. Tell me about that.
This is the biggest, hardest role I’ve done in my life, and on top of that I was producing as well.
I ended up going to an abortion clinic because I wanted to do research — to understand my character and understand the pain she was going through so I could help her. I thought it would be very simple and easy — just get in there, stop the first young lady and ask her a few questions. Of course, I was very naive and I didn’t know what was going to happen.
When I got there, I was in shock because I saw all young ladies — 16, 17 years old — going in, and I forgot about the film and I didn’t know what to say.
I see a group of people outside trying to convince a lady not to do it. A lady in that group pointed me to a couple who didn’t speak English, only Spanish. The couple recognizes me from the soap operas, and we start talking for like 45 minutes and became friends. We talked about life and faith and Mexico and her dreams. And she missed her appointment.
I called her the next day and said, “Listen, I don’t believe in coincidences; I was there for a reason.” So we built a friendship through the phone.
Months later I receive a call from a man who was there that day and he tells me he has great news: his baby was born yesterday, and he wanted to ask me permission to name him Eduardo.
I couldn’t even talk. I just started crying.
I didn’t plan to do that, but I was used by the grace of God as an instrument to save this beautiful baby. Even if Bella doesn’t sell one ticket, I rejoice in the Lord for little Eduardo.
5. Why is it important for people to support this film, especially during its opening weekend?
Bella is not Superman. We have (a) small budget, but we also have a lot of heart.
When you don’t have a major studio behind you — millions and millions of dollars of marketing and publicity — then distributors will only release the film in a few cities because they don’t want to spend their money in a film they don’t know will work.
So the first weekend is very important because if the film does well, then the second weekend they will add more theaters and more cities. And if during the second weekend it does well, then it goes to national release, which means the film will be in every theater in the country. That’s why this Friday, Saturday and Sunday is very important.
Also, we ask that people help us with their prayers.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
To find out when the movie is coming to your area, visit the Bella Web site.
Read Focus on the Family's Plugged In review of Bella.
(NOTE: Referral to Web sites not produced by Focus on the Family is for informational purposes only and does not necessarily constitute an endorsement of the sites' content.)
