Kahlo biopic gets new wakeup call
First Look Pictures, Italian film company C.E.P. and Mexico's Imcine have announced that production will begin this September in Mexico on "The Two Fridas ," the life story of the internationally acclaimed artist, to be directed by Luis Valdez ("La Bamba").
Based on Martha Zamora's book, "Frida: The Brush of Anguish," the film will now be budgeted at $ 5 million. Valdez and his wife, Lupe Trujillo Valdez, wrote the screenplay.
Donald Zuckerman and Kevin Benson, who have been involved with the project since its inception, will serve as executive producers. Arturo La Pegna and Massimiliano La Pegna will produce.
The fate of the film, originally titled "Frida and Diego," has been up in the air since last August, when New Line Cinema abruptly pulled out of the project, citing a number of reasons, including lack of financing from outside producers.
While New Line had set the film's budget at $ 10 million and was reportedly going to put up as much as half of that for distribution rights, the Mexican government was going to kick in the remainder until that agreement hit a snag, leading to New Line's pullout.
Another stumbling block for the earlier film had been the casting of Laura San Giacomo as Kahlo, which set off a firestorm of protest among Latino groups, who said that the role should have gone to a Latina actress.
Duality
Valdez said there is still a good chance that San Giacomo will portray Kahlo, as will Mexican actress Ofelia Medina. The director plans to have both actresses play the part, visualizing the dual nature of Kahlo's character.
According to Valdez, Raul Julia is still interested in the part of Kahlo's husband, renowned muralist Diego Rivera.
