By Jan Hamilton
In this dark but hopeful drama, the leading lady is also the writer and director of the film. Luciana (Ana Asensio) plays a struggling immigrant in New York who is trying to get past the death of her child in Spain. Tall, beautiful and graceful, Luciana works a series of demanding, low paying jobs. She hurries from one to the next each day, constantly trying to make rent to avoid being put out onto the street by her roommate.
When Olga, her only local friend and also an immigrant, tells her of a party where she can make great money, she is intrigued. Olga assures Luciana that she need not worry; she will not be have to do anything she does not want to do. When she find out what really goes on at these parties, Luciana finds out she is not allowed to leave. How she handles this and what she does makes for an exciting and dramatic conclusion. Luciana finds out just how much humanity she has left to draw upon. With wonderful performances from all, this film won the Grand Jury Award for Narrative Feature.
The Bottom Line: A must see film, full of determination and spirit.
Director: Ana Asensio
Producer: Ana Asensio and others
Screenwriter: Ana Asensio
Cinematography: Noah Greenberg
Editor: Carl Ambrose, Francisco Bello
Sound Editor: Matt Howard
Sound Design: Jeffery Alan Jones
Music: Jeffery Alan Jones
Principal Cast: Ana Asensio, Natasha Romanova, David Little, Nicholas Tucci,
Larry Fessenden, Caprice Benedetti, Anna Myrha, Ami Sheth