Maria Full of Grace (2004)

Director:

Joshua Marston

Writer (WGA):

Joshua Marston (written by)

Release Date:

2 April 2004 (Colombia)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller | Crime

Tagline:

How far will she go before she's gone too far?

Plot:

A pregnant Colombian teenager becomes a drug mule to make some desperately needed money for her family.

Plot Keywords:

Drug Mule | Colombia | Colombian | Money | Stomach

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 34 wins & 23 nominations

Cast

Catalina Sandino Moreno	...	María Álvarez
Virgina Ariza	...	Juana
Yenny Paola Vega	...	Blanca
Rodrigo Sánchez Borhorquez	...	Supervisor
Charles Albert Patiño	...	Felipe
Wilson Guerrero	...	Juan
Johanna Andrea Mora	...	Diana Álvarez
Fabricio Suarez	...	Pacho
Mateo Suarez	...	Pacho
Evangelina Morales	...	Rosita
Juana Guarderas	...	Female Pharmacist
John Álex Toro	...	Franklin (as Jhon Alex Toro)
Jaime Osorio Gómez	...	Javier (as Jaime Osorio Gomez)
Guilied Lopez	...	Lucy Díaz
Victor Macias	...	Pellet Maker
Hugo Ferro	...	Pharmacist
Ana Maria Acosta	...	Stewardess
Ada Vergara De Solano	...	Carolina
Maria Consuelo Perez	...	Constanza
Ed Trucco	...	Customs Inspector
Selenis Leyva	...	Customs Inspector
Juan Porras Hincapie	...	Wilson
Oscar Bejarano	...	Carlos
Singkhan Bandit	...	Gas Attendant
Patrick Rameau	...	Taxi Driver
Fernando Velasquez	...	Pablo Aristizábal
Patricia Rae	...	Carla
Orlando Tobón	...	Don Fernando
Monique Gabriela Curnen	...	Receptionist
Lourdes Martin	...	Doctor
Bobby Plasencia	...	Enrique (as Osvaldo Plasencia)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Thomas Daniel	...	Tourist (JFK)
Lauren Bonett	...	Airport PA Announcer (voice) (uncredited)
Mark Vincent	...	Soccer player (uncredited)

Directed by
Joshua Marston

Writing credits (WGA)
Joshua Marston		(written by)

Produced by
Becky Glupczynski	....	line producer
Rodrigo Guerrero	....	associate producer
Gigia Jaramillo	....	line producer: Ecuador unit
Paul Mezey	....	producer
Jaime Osorio Gómez	....	co-producer
Orlando Tobón	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Leonardo Heiblum
Jacobo Lieberman

Cinematography by
Jim Denault

Film Editing by
Anne McCabe
Lee Percy

Casting by
Ellyn Long Marshall
Maria E. Nelson
Maria Eugenia Salazar
Jorge Valencia

Production Design by
Debbie DeVilla
Mónica Marulanda		(as Monica Marulanda)

Art Direction by
Yann Blanc

Set Decoration by
Carrie Stewart

Costume Design by
Sarah Beers
Lauren Press

Makeup Department
Lucy Da Silva	....	assistant hair stylist: Colombia/Ecuador
Lucy Da Silva	....	assistant makeup artist: Colombia/Ecuador
Renee Didio	....	key makeup artist: New York
Donna Marie Fischetto	....	hair stylist
Dallas Hartnett	....	key hair stylist: New York
Evelyne Noraz	....	additional key makeup artist
Flore Marina Sandoval	....	hair stylist: Colombia/Ecuador
Flore Marina Sandoval	....	key makeup artist: Colombia/Ecuador

Production Management
Guiselle Jaramillo	....	line production manager
Scott Michael Nabat	....	post-production supervisor
Jeremy Kipp Walker	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jeffrey A. Brown	....	second second assistant director: New York (as Jeff Brown)
Mariela Comitini	....	second assistant director: New York
Diego Falconi	....	second assistant director: Colombia/Ecuador
Carrie Fix	....	first assistant director
Tania Hermida	....	second second assistant director: Colombia/Ecuador

Art Department
Sarah Berney	....	charge/camera scenic artist
Raul Carrera	....	assistant art director
Thomas La Vecchia	....	on-set dresser
Cliff Lane	....	property master
Thomas Lee	....	art department coordinator
Richard Liebgold	....	set dresser
David Murray	....	art production assistant
Sebastian Naranjo	....	on-set dresser
Juan Olmo	....	property master
Jorge Paredes	....	construction supervisor
Dave Reardon	....	lead man
Enrique Vasconez	....	assistant props
Danielle Webb	....	set dresser
Michal Zilbersheid	....	art department intern

Sound Department
Rick Ash	....	sound re-recording mixer
David Boulton	....	adr recordist
Marko A. Costanzo	....	foley artist
Ricardo Escallón	....	adr engineer: Bogotá
Chris Fielder	....	assistant sound editor
Alejandro Garcia	....	sound recordist: ambience
John Gutierrez	....	boom operator
Ruth Hernandez	....	adr editor
Bobby Johanson	....	adr recordist
Frank Kern	....	supervising foley editor
Toussaint Kotright	....	boom operator
George A. Lara	....	foley artist
Jeff Pullman	....	stand-by sound mixer
Andres Sanchez	....	sound recordist: ambience
Unsun Song	....	additional sound
Unsun Song	....	sound re-recordist
Reilly Steele	....	sound re-recording mixer
Philip Stockton	....	supervising sound editor
Patrick Stoltz	....	additional sound (as Pat Stoltz)
Steven Visscher	....	foley editor
Drew Webster	....	sound re-recording mixer
Alex Wolfe	....	sound mixer
James Wright	....	sound consultant: Dolby (as Jim Wright)
Allan Zaleski	....	sound effects editor
David Warzynski	....	foley librarian (uncredited)

Special Effects by
John von Bergen	....	special effects props

Visual Effects by
Christopher Dusendschon	....	digital imaging
Adam Hawkey	....	lead compositor: iOFilm (as Adam S. Hawkey)
Julie Landholt	....	title graphics (as J. Kathryn Landholt)

Stunts
Elliot Santiago	....	stunt coordinator
Manny Siverio	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Tony Arnaud	....	grip
Pablo Berti	....	second assistant camera
Matt Blades	....	key grip
Hugo Bonilla	....	generator operator
Ethan Borsuk	....	second assistant camera: New York
Luis Chalacán	....	electrician: Ecuador
Hobardo Chicangana	....	grip: Ecuador
Cristobal Corral	....	still photographer
Rodrigo Cueva	....	key grip: Ecuador
Chris Drechsler	....	electrician
George Elias	....	grip
David Elwell	....	rigging gaffer: Ecuador
Stephen Girouard	....	best boy grip (as Steve Girouard)
Michael N. Green	....	best boy electric
Rodrigo Guerrero	....	cinematographer: Colombia
Rodrigo Guerrero	....	photographer: second unit
Thomas Hamilton	....	electrician
Milly Itzhak	....	first assistant camera: New York
Scott Miller	....	gaffer
Ana María Ormaza	....	second assistant camera
Jimy Pazmiño	....	grip: Ecuador (as Jimmy Pazmiño)
Larry Riley	....	still photographer
Darren Ryan	....	24 frame video operator
Ricardo Sarmiento	....	first assistant camera: Ecuador
Jay Silver	....	camera operator
Nicolai Soria	....	best boy grip: Ecuador
Joia Speciale	....	additional cinematographer
Joia Speciale	....	photographer: second unit
Richard Suffern	....	grip
Joshua Van Praag	....	electrician

Casting Department
Diana Camargo	....	casting: Colombia
Mónica Cardona	....	casting: Colombia (as Monica Cardona)
Marcela Castaño	....	casting associate
Myra Cotto	....	casting intern
Sig De Miguel	....	additional casting: New York
Mabel Escobar	....	casting associate
Juan Pablo Felix	....	casting: Colombia
Meredith Jacobson	....	extras casting (as Meredith Jacobson Marciano)
Alexandra Posada	....	casting associate
Liliana Rincon	....	casting: Colombia
Maria Eugenia Salazar	....	casting: Colombia
Mauricio Samaniego	....	casting: Ecuador
Luis Sanchez-Cañete	....	casting associate
Felipe Solarte	....	casting: Colombia
Karen Torres	....	casting assistant
Jorge Valencia	....	casting: Colombia

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jeremy Capilla	....	wardrobe assistant: Ecuador
Mildred Del Rio	....	wardrobe supervisor
Luana Holloway	....	wardrobe intern

Editorial Department
Drew Buckland	....	assistant editor
Joe Finley	....	digital colorist
Luis Ortiz Guillen	....	assistant editor
Adam Hawkey	....	film colorist (as Adam S. Hawkey)
Chris Regan	....	color timer

Music Department
P.J. Bloom	....	music consultant
Lynn Fainchtein	....	music supervisor
James Flatto	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Jim Buckman	....	transportation captain
Mauricio Garcia	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Roberto Aguirre	....	location manager: Ecuador
Calvin Alden	....	production assistant
Andrés Baiz	....	location scout: New York
Nicole Brown	....	production coordinator: New York
Georgina Cabrera	....	additional crew
Andrea F. Cannistraci	....	production legal
Gustavo Chiriboga	....	production assistant: Ecuador
Martha Collantes	....	accounting supervisor
Jean-Christophe Couet	....	office production assistant: New York
Michael Dudek	....	location assistant: New York
Michael Dudek	....	production assistant
Daniel Elefante	....	set production assistant: New York (as Dan Elefante)
John B. Finn	....	post-production accountant
Shawn Hamilton	....	production accountant
Mariana Hellmund	....	script supervisor
Peter Hutchison	....	production accountant
Rosa Jiménez	....	production assistant: first team
Ronnie Kupferwasser	....	location manager: New York
Christopher K. Lagdamen	....	production assistant
Julie Landholt	....	graphic artist: titles (as J. Kathryn Landholt)
Cristina Ramiro Monroy	....	set production assistant
Julio Moreno	....	production associate: New York
Fernando Muñoz	....	production auditor
Adi Nachman	....	office production assistant: New York
Alison Norod	....	set production assistant: New York
Jennifer Quesenbery	....	assistant location manager
Cesar Quinones	....	location manager
David Ray	....	office production assistant: New York
Davin Reich	....	key production assistant: New York
David Velasco	....	location scout
Trish Gray	....	location consultant (uncredited)
Daniel Villagomez	....	credits administrator (uncredited)

Thanks
Francesca Galesi	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• HBO Films
• Fine Line Features (in association with)
• Journeyman Pictures
• Proyecto Tucan (in association with)
• Alter-Ciné (in association with)
• Santa Fe Productions

Distributors

• Fine Line Features (2004) (USA) (theatrical)
• ARP Sélection (2004) (France) (theatrical)
• Alfa Films (2004) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Artecinema (2004) (Mexico) (theatrical)
• Ascot Elite Entertainment Group (2004) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Golden Village (2004) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Golem Distribución (2004) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Icon Film Distribution (2005) (UK) (theatrical)
• Istituto Luce (2004) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Movie-Eye Entertainment (2005) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Paradiso Entertainment (2005) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Prooptiki (2004) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Rialto Entertainment (2005) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Stadtkino Verleih (2004) (Austria) (theatrical)
• Tayrona Entertainment Group (2004) (Colombia) (theatrical)
• Universum Film (UFA) (2005) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Ascot Elite Entertainment Group (2005) (Switzerland) (DVD)
• Gateno Films (2005) (Peru) (all media)
• Home Box Office Home Video (HBO) (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Imagem Filmes (2005) (Brazil) (DVD) (all media)
• Imagem Filmes (2005) (Brazil) (VHS) (all media)
• Paradiso Home Entertainment (2005) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Rialto Distribution (2005) (Australia) (all media)
• Rialto Distribution (2005) (New Zealand) (all media)
• Solopan (2004) (Poland) (all media)
• Transeuropa Video Entertainment (TVE) (2005) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Transeuropa Video Entertainment (TVE) (2005) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Universum Film (UFA) (2005) (Germany) (DVD)

Special Effects

• iO Films (opticals)

Other Companies

• El Barco Producciones  casting
• AON/Albert G. Ruben Insurance Services  insurance
• Audioflot  score produced at
• C-5  post-production sound (as C5, Inc.)
• Camera Service Center  grip and lighting equipment
• Coast to Coast Catering  catering (New York)
• DeLuxe Laboratories  laboratory services
• Dollar Rent a Car  vehicles
• Entertainment Post  telecine
• Epstein, Levinsohn, Bodine, Hurwitz & Weinstein  legal services
• Explotours, Ecuador  vehicles
• Falco Ink.  award campaign
• Falco Ink.  publicity
• Film & Video Stock Shots  stock footage
• Hangar Films  grip and lighting equipment (as Hangar Film, Bogota)
• JFA  accounting services
• Media Services  payroll
• Negative People  negative cutting
• Post 391  editing facilities
• Rocky Mountain Motion Pictures  camera and lenses
• SEKANI  stock footage
• Tayrona Entertainment Group  film production services
• iO Films  digital titles and opticals

Also Known As:

"Maria Full of Grace" - International (English title)
"Maria, llena eres de gracia" - Colombia
"Maria llena eres de gracia" - Argentina, Peru (imdb display title), Spain (imdb display title)
"Maria Cheia de Graça" - Brazil (imdb display title), Portugal (imdb display title)
"Maria voll der Gnade" - Austria, Germany
"Üdvözlégy Mária, kegyelemmel teljes..." - Hungary (imdb display title)
"Keharitomeni Maria" - Greece (transliterated ISO-LATIN-1 title)
"María llena eres de gracia" - Mexico (imdb display title)
"Maria Full of Grace" - Finland
"Maria laski pelna" - Poland
"Maria pleine de grâce" - France

MPAA:

Rated R for drug content and language

Runtime:

101 min

Country:

Colombia | USA | Ecuador

Language:

Spanish | English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:14 | Iceland:16 (video rating) | Canada:14A (Ontario) | Peru:14 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Brazil:14 | Chile:14 | Finland:K-11 | France:U | Germany:12 | Ireland:15A | Mexico:B15 | Netherlands:12 | Norway:11 | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:NC-16 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Zurich) | UK:15 | USA:R (certificate #40648)

Filming Locations:

Amaguaña, Ecuador

Company:

HBO Films

Trivia:

This is Catalina Sandino Moreno film debut. An anonymous admirer who had seen her in a play told her mother about the open casting call.

Goofs:

Continuity: After Maria gives Don Fernando the money for Lucy's family, she takes her wallet out twice.

Quotes:

María Álvarez:We have to get out of here.

Movie Connections:

Featured in 11th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards (2005) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Acaso No Me Crees

A riveting human odyssey that transcends simplistic messages

In Joshua Marston's small budget film Maria Full of Grace, a headstrong Colombian girl of seventeen (Catalina Sandino Moreno), determined to escape from a country where the average annual income is about $1700 US, seizes an opportunity to earn $5000 by ingesting and transporting illegal drugs to New York at considerable risk to herself and her unborn child. Inspired by a woman in his Brooklyn neighborhood who told him her story of swallowing capsules of heroin and boarding a plane for the United States, first-time director Marston has escaped the clichés of social realist films to offer a riveting human odyssey that transcends simplistic messages of good and evil. Shot in documentary style with a hand-held camera in Ecuador and New York, the film's authenticity is greatly enhanced by its use of Colombian actors speaking in their native Spanish language.

Maria Alvarez along with her best friend Blanca (Yenny Paola Vega), works at a job stripping thorns from roses in a village near Bogota, Colombia. Despite low wages and deplorable working conditions, her pay provides support for her grandmother, mother, sister, and infant nephew to sustain their meager household. After she has words with her boss, she quits her job and soon discovers she is pregnant by a local boy Juan (Wilson Guerrero) whom she does not love and refuses to marry. Feeling trapped, she quickly accepts when Franklin (Jhon Alex Toro), a friend she recently met at a dance, offers her a huge sum of money to smuggle drugs into the U.S. The trick is that she must swallow up to 100 heroin pellets sealed with latex and dental floss, knowing that certain death follows if one of them bursts.

The lovely Ms. Moreno, in an Oscar-worthy debut performance, is no cardboard character but a fully developed human being who epitomizes the desperation of people who are willing to do almost anything to better their life. The tension is almost unbearable as we follow Maria's odyssey into danger. She soon meets drug kingpin Javier (Jaime Osorio Gomez), who explains the operation, and in secret, talks with Lucy (Guilied Lopez), who shares her experience in carrying drugs to America and allows her to practice by swallowing large grapes.

After barely escaping the probing of U.S. Customs Officers in New York, things begin to go wrong and Maria and Blanca must rely on their tremendous resolve to survive in a confusing and lonely environment. Winner of the Dramatic Audience Award at Sundance and two major awards at the Berlin Film Festival, Maria Full of Grace is not only a hard-hitting jab at a global economic system that allows exploitation of the poor to satisfy the pleasure of the rich, but a richly nuanced coming-of-age story that delivers its hard-edged message with understanding and compassion. One of the best films of the year.