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www.ambiente.us APRIL | ABRIL 2010
Manuela and Manuel is Director Raúl Marchand’s
latest Cross-Cultural/Cross-Dressing Comedy!
By JC Alvarez
In the new film by director Raúl Marchand, Manuela and Manuel our hero...er -- heroine
is faced with an interesting dilemma. Her boyfriend has abandoned her, but she’s got
to keep her pride in check and put on a good show for the crowd at the club (Manuela,
you see, is an outstanding stage performer), and given that she’s constantly dodging
her nosy landlady (girl’s gotta pay the rent), should it come as any surprise when her
best gal pal comes a knockin’ on her door revealing that she’s got a bun in the oven
and can’t face her parents with the news unless -- Manuela (whose also Manuel) poses
as her boyfriend?!
But like any upstanding drag queen who knows -- the show must go on!
In Manuela and Manuel, Manuela played by the very charming Humberto Busto, is
caught in the midst of a typical Hollywood situation comedy trap -- except there’s a slight
twist. In order to ease the tension of his best friend Coca’s unexpected pregnancy
(Coca is played by Latin beauty Elena Iguina) he agrees to play along and convince her
parents that he’s her boyfriend, Scott. Manuela, you see, prefers to live as a female and
performs at the local hot spot to an slew of admirers! Although he is dealing with
his own recent break-up from his scoundrel
of a boyfriend, he agrees for the sake of
his friend to go along with the plan...and
of course, the comedy ensues.
Manuela and Manuel is Director Raúl Marchand’s
latest Cross-Cultural/Cross-Dressing Comedy!
By JC Alvarez
In the new film by director Raúl Marchand, Manuela and Manuel our hero...er -- heroine
is faced with an interesting dilemma. Her boyfriend has abandoned her, but she’s got
to keep her pride in check and put on a good show for the crowd at the club (Manuela,
you see, is an outstanding stage performer), and given that she’s constantly dodging
her nosy landlady (girl’s gotta pay the rent), should it come as any surprise when her
best gal pal comes a knockin’ on her door revealing that she’s got a bun in the oven
and can’t face her parents with the news unless -- Manuela (whose also Manuel) poses
as her boyfriend?!
But like any upstanding drag queen who knows -- the show must go on!
In Manuela and Manuel, Manuela played by the very charming Humberto Busto, is
caught in the midst of a typical Hollywood situation comedy trap -- except there’s a slight
twist. In order to ease the tension of his best friend Coca’s unexpected pregnancy
(Coca is played by Latin beauty Elena Iguina) he agrees to play along and convince her
parents that he’s her boyfriend, Scott. Manuela, you see, prefers to live as a female and
performs at the local hot spot to an slew of admirers! Although he is dealing with
his own recent break-up from his scoundrel
of a boyfriend, he agrees for the sake of
his friend to go along with the plan...and
of course, the comedy ensues.
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“The film itself is a breakthrough!” Shot in 14 days, entirely in Puerto Rico, it is the
6th directorial undertaking by Puerto Rican filmmaker Raúl Marchand, who
himself has taken top honors at the 1st New York Tribeca Film Festival. “To make
a movie like this in Puerto Rico is very risky.” Given to the often machismo attitude
of most Latin American cultures, but as Marchand explained, “when the film was
released in Puerto Rico the ratings were amazing!” And as much a surprise to
him as it was to local programmers, who found that the movie had appealed to
multi-faceted audiences who just wanted to pure joy of the escapism the film
offers. “As an out gay filmmaker, I also wanted to make a film that was family
friendly and crossed gender and generational gaps, and challenged any bias that
anyone could have towards any particular group.”
Originally, the director described, the film was meant to be a very serious drama,
but his instincts told him instead to make the film a comedy. “I didn’t want to see
another story about how hard or difficult it is to be gay in this world; I wanted to
take it in a completely different direction.” Manuela and Manuel did keep some
elements of it’s dramatic genesis, but instead the final film takes a more inspired,
light-hearted and candid look at the gay life and calamity of it’s cross-dressing
lead Manuela. “It’s the kind of film that everyone can relate to; everyones been
alone, everyones been through a break-up and the best thing we have is our
friends and family.”
The characters in the beginning of the film are all dealing with abandonment:
whether from a recent relationship, an unrequited love, or the end of a marriage.
And at the center of it all is Manuela, providing the glue that propels the story
along.
It’s refreshing that it’s not comedically dependent on Manuela’s sexual
orientation; it’s not cluttered with obvious gay jokes or gimmicks. It takes a page
from the classic Hollywood “mistaken identity” slap-stick of yesteryear to get in the
good laughs, especially when an unexpected caller comes inconveniently
knocking on Manuela’s door when he’s in the
6th directorial undertaking by Puerto Rican filmmaker Raúl Marchand, who
himself has taken top honors at the 1st New York Tribeca Film Festival. “To make
a movie like this in Puerto Rico is very risky.” Given to the often machismo attitude
of most Latin American cultures, but as Marchand explained, “when the film was
released in Puerto Rico the ratings were amazing!” And as much a surprise to
him as it was to local programmers, who found that the movie had appealed to
multi-faceted audiences who just wanted to pure joy of the escapism the film
offers. “As an out gay filmmaker, I also wanted to make a film that was family
friendly and crossed gender and generational gaps, and challenged any bias that
anyone could have towards any particular group.”
Originally, the director described, the film was meant to be a very serious drama,
but his instincts told him instead to make the film a comedy. “I didn’t want to see
another story about how hard or difficult it is to be gay in this world; I wanted to
take it in a completely different direction.” Manuela and Manuel did keep some
elements of it’s dramatic genesis, but instead the final film takes a more inspired,
light-hearted and candid look at the gay life and calamity of it’s cross-dressing
lead Manuela. “It’s the kind of film that everyone can relate to; everyones been
alone, everyones been through a break-up and the best thing we have is our
friends and family.”
The characters in the beginning of the film are all dealing with abandonment:
whether from a recent relationship, an unrequited love, or the end of a marriage.
And at the center of it all is Manuela, providing the glue that propels the story
along.
It’s refreshing that it’s not comedically dependent on Manuela’s sexual
orientation; it’s not cluttered with obvious gay jokes or gimmicks. It takes a page
from the classic Hollywood “mistaken identity” slap-stick of yesteryear to get in the
good laughs, especially when an unexpected caller comes inconveniently
knocking on Manuela’s door when he’s in the
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middle of rehearsing a new
act for his night club cabaret.
And there are truly relatable
moments of longing in
glimpses of Manuela as he
envies the bride-to-be’s
wedding dress. The audience
understands that in his lonely
world he would want nothing
more than to be married --
even if his preference is to
be married in a beautiful,
designer gown. Actor
Humberto Busto beautifully evokes Manuela’s most tender moments wonderfully
and subtly, camping it up only when it’s most espected and not for the cheap
laugh.
The film thrives on the naturalness of it’s Latino cast, and Marchand’s admits he
was very lucky with the players that he got to participate in the film especially his
lead Busto. “Puerto Rico gets pretty hot and Humberto had to perform elaborate
dance numbers in heavy wigs,” he laughs. “Yeah...it was pretty hot!”
“I’m hopeful the film will find it’s audience with it’s US release,” Marchand humbly
admits. Manuela and Manuel is set to cross various target markets in the US,
distributed by Here Films/Regent Releasing and begins with a New York City
premiere in late March, before continuing it’s march across the States. With the
continual mainstream acceptance and success of drag personalities, most
notably credited to television reality shows like RuPaul’s Drag Race it’s no doubt
that certainly on the isle of Manhattan Marchand’s film will have no problem filling
seats. “I prefer to make film’s that people will see,” he jokingly adds, “There’s
literally nothing worse than making a movie and having to keep it in the closet.”
And there is no keeping
act for his night club cabaret.
And there are truly relatable
moments of longing in
glimpses of Manuela as he
envies the bride-to-be’s
wedding dress. The audience
understands that in his lonely
world he would want nothing
more than to be married --
even if his preference is to
be married in a beautiful,
designer gown. Actor
Humberto Busto beautifully evokes Manuela’s most tender moments wonderfully
and subtly, camping it up only when it’s most espected and not for the cheap
laugh.
The film thrives on the naturalness of it’s Latino cast, and Marchand’s admits he
was very lucky with the players that he got to participate in the film especially his
lead Busto. “Puerto Rico gets pretty hot and Humberto had to perform elaborate
dance numbers in heavy wigs,” he laughs. “Yeah...it was pretty hot!”
“I’m hopeful the film will find it’s audience with it’s US release,” Marchand humbly
admits. Manuela and Manuel is set to cross various target markets in the US,
distributed by Here Films/Regent Releasing and begins with a New York City
premiere in late March, before continuing it’s march across the States. With the
continual mainstream acceptance and success of drag personalities, most
notably credited to television reality shows like RuPaul’s Drag Race it’s no doubt
that certainly on the isle of Manhattan Marchand’s film will have no problem filling
seats. “I prefer to make film’s that people will see,” he jokingly adds, “There’s
literally nothing worse than making a movie and having to keep it in the closet.”
And there is no keeping
it in the closet.” And
there is no keeping
Manuela and Manuel in
the closet as it comes
to a theater near you!
CLICK HERE for more
JC Alvarez
Copyright © AMBIENTE
MAGAZINE.
there is no keeping
Manuela and Manuel in
the closet as it comes
to a theater near you!
CLICK HERE for more
JC Alvarez
Copyright © AMBIENTE
MAGAZINE.
