NORA'S WILL, Jewish / Mexican comedy opening in Berkeley March 4, 2011

Mexican Jewish Comedy About Lost Faith And Family Bonds

Landmark’s Shattuck Cinemas 2230 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley (510) 464-5980
Tickets are $10.00 for general admission and $8.00 for seniors, students, and children
Showtimes and tickets will be available starting Tuesday, March 2, at: http://www.landmarktheatres.com/tickets and theatre box office

http://www.menemshafilms.com/noras-will.html

When Jose’s ex-wife Nora commits suicide right before Passover (after 14 tries), the atheist Jose (Fernando Lujan) is forced to stay with her body until it can be buried properly. Jewish custom dictates that the body has to be buried quickly, but with the holiday followed by the Sabbath it means almost five days! Meanwhile, the maid follows Nora’s instruction for Passover dinner, irascible rabbi’s come in and out, and Jose threatens a Christian ‘wake-to-go’ – “All religions are the same,” he insists. “All manipulation and money.” He soon realizes it’s all part of Nora’s Machiavellian scheme to bring her family back together, leading Jose to reexamine their relationship and rediscover their undying love for each other. And in the end, Nora finally gets to rest in peace. This directorial debut from Mariana Chenillo is a quick-witted, sharply compassionate exploration of family and faith that proves blood is thicker than Manischewitz.

Mariana Chenillo entered Mexico’s premier film school, the Centro de Capacitación Cinematográfica of Mexico City in 1995. She is at present a professor at the Capacitación Cinematográfica and in charge of the direction class of the first year students. NORA’S WILL is her first feature film as a director and writer. Her latest film, one of ten segments in Revolución, finds her elevated to among the top of Mexico leading young filmmakers including Gael García Bernal and Diego Luna.

One of Kenneth Turan’s Top Ten Films of The Year! LA Times Critic's Pick! "Tremendously appealing…. Writer-director Mariana Chenillo displays great sureness of touch behind the camera. She creates fully imagined eccentric characters (and) places them in a wryly comic and specific world. Most impressive of all is Chenillo's ability to make universal a very particular experience, to make something so firmly grounded in Mexico's Jewish community appealing across the board. That's a talent well worth appreciating." - Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times

"Pure enjoyment… It's difficult to convince some people that a small, foreign-language film they've never heard of offers more satisfaction than most of the big weekend releases I've seen lately... but it's true." - Leonard Maltin, Movie Crazy
“Delightful… A fantastic first feature from rising director Mariana Chenillo. Watch for her." - Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly

“A witty, deceptively wispy tale of family grievances and reconciliation. It’s a wise film that doesn’t insist on its own wisdom.” - Ty Burr, The Boston Globe

"It's winning, funny and carries a sneaky emotional punch. Septuagenarian Mexican TV star Fernando Luján may suddenly become a sex symbol north of the border for his bone-dry performance as José. (He) is magnetic and subtle in every frame." - Andrew O'Hehir, Salon.com

Winner of 7 Ariel Awards (Mexico's Top Film Honors) Including BEST PICTURE OF THE YEAR!

Winner, Jury Award - Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival * Winner, Best Film - Mar del Plata International Film Festival * Winner, Silver St. George - Moscow International Film Festival * Winner, Audience Award - Miami International Film Festival *Winner, Audience Award - Morelia International Film Festival * Winner, A.F.C.A.E Award - Biarritz Int. Festival of Latin American Cinema * Winner, Best Mexican Film - Expresion en Corto Int. Film Festival * Winner - Havana Film Festival * Winner, Silver Colon - Huelva Latin American Film Festival * Winner, Best Screenplay - Skip City International D-Cinema Festival

The film’s running time is 92 minutes; it is not rated. In Spanish; fully subtitled in English.