CAST BIOS
Paola Mendoza (Mariana) Ms. Mendoza, most recently stared in the 2007 Sundance Grand Jury Prize winning film SANGRE DE MI SANGRE (aka PADRE NUESTRO). Sangre de mi Sange was nominated for two Independent Spirit Award and the prestigious Goya Award. ON THE OUTS, which she starred in and created was nominated for two Independent Spirit Awards, a Gotham Award and was a recipient of the Audience and Jury Awards at the 2005 Slamdance Film Festival, as well as the Jury Award at the 2005 Deauville Film Festival. She will next be seen in The Undying.
Sebastian Villada Lopez (Gabriel) The directors spotted Sebastian in a park in Flushing, Queens amongst thousands of people at the Colombian Day Parade. entre nos marks Sebastian acting debut. While he had never considered being an actor he was a natural and beat out over three hundred boys the part.
Laura Montana Cortez (Andrea) Laura came to the United States only two years ago. She had always been interested in modeling and acting and it was Laura’s modeling teacher who recommended that she audition for entre nos. While Laura had never acted professionally she was a natural that brought breath into the character of Andrea.
Sarita Choudhury (Preet) Sarita Choudhury was most recently seen in The Accidental Husband, M. Night Shyamalan’s Lady In The Water, and in the Independent Spirit Award nominee, The War Within. She is currently filming the highly anticipated NBC television series Kings opposite Ian McShane, and just completed the pilot for the new Showtime series Possible Side Effects written and directed by Academy Award winner Tim Robbins. Choudhury made her film debut as the love interest to Denzel Washington’s character in Mira Nair’s Mississippi Masala. Other film credits include Kama Sutra, Spike Lee’s She Hate Me, Rhythm Of The Saints, Lee Davis’ 3 A.M., Fisher Stevens’ Still A Kiss, David Atwood’s Wild West, Lisa Cholodenko’s High Art, Bille August’s The House of the Spirits, Sidney Lumet’s Gloria and Andy Davis’ A Perfect Murder.
CREW BIOS
Gloria La Morte (Co-Director/Co-Writer/Editor) Gloria La Morte has taken an active role in her filmmaking career as a writer, editor and now director. Her film career began in 2000 as the writer & co-producer of DETAILS, her first narrative short film that had its television debut on HBO after a notable festival run, including a Best Short Award at the NY International Latino Film Festival. She went on to co-produce the multiple-award winning feature film, WASHINGTON HEIGHTS in 2002. Ms. La Morte won Best Documentary Editor for AUTUMN’S EYES at the 2006 Woodstock Film Festival, a credit she shares with husband and partner Joseph La Morte. She has since edited another award winning feature documentary, WOVEN WAYS and later CONNECT USA. She is currently writing her second feature, a dark comedy, FATHER AND SONS.
Paola Mendoza (Co-Director/Co-Writer) Poverty in America is a common theme in all of Ms. Mendoza’s work. From her directorial debut AUTUMN’S EYES, to ON THE OUTS, to her short documentary STILL STANDING and to her latest film ENTRE NOS, Ms. Mendoza has continually tackled the effects of poverty on family and children. Her films have been embraced at prestigious festivals such as Toronto, Berlin, South by South West, Full Frame, HotDocs and now Tribeca. She was a nominee for the 2008 NALIP Estel Awards, given to Latino filmmakers that show extraordinary promise in the field of directing. As a writer she won the Grand Jury Prize for the Panasonic Digital Filmmakers Award at 2007 IFP Market Award for the script of entre nos.
Joseph La Morte (Producer) Joseph La Morte has been an independent film producer for ten years. His career began in 1999 when, along with his wife Gloria, he founded Ex-Bo Productions. EBP was one of the producing companies for the award-winning feature film WASHINGTON HEIGHTS released in 2002 -Mr La Morte was an executive producer on the film. Washington Heights received the Audience Award at the IFP Los Angeles Film Festival and an honorable mention at the 2002 Tribeca Film Festival. Another film produced by his company was DETAILS which premiered on HBO in 2001. Other producing credits include LOVE & LAUNDRY, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2005 and SANGRE (2005) among others. Creatively, Mr. La Morte is also a film editor. He has edited a number of feature documentaries including AUTUMN’S EYES, which he received the Best Documentary Editing Award at the Woodstock Film Festival in 2006, CONNECT USA (2009), and LOVE & LAUNDRY.
Michael Skolnik (Producer) At thirty years old, Michael Skolnik has been involved in the film business for the past twelve years. Currently, Michael is in post-production for a film he is co-directing about Grammy Award winning artist, Wyclef Jean’s quest to bring peace to his homeland, Haiti. Most recently, Michael directed Without the King, a documentary about the last ruling monarch in Africa, King Mswati III of Swaziland. In 2006, Michael co-directed Lockdown USA, a documentary film about Russell Simmons and his mission to end the Rockefeller Drug Laws. In 2004, Michael Skolnik made his feature film directorial debut with the award winning, On the Outs. On the feature front, Michael has a development deal with Universal Studios and is currently working on a film for Imagine, produced by Brian Grazer.
In 2004, Michael served in a producing capacity for two documentaries for HBO: American Undercover series: Back in the Hood: Gang War II directed by Marc Levin and Heir to an Execution: A Granddaughter’s Story directed by Ivy Meeropol. In 2003, Michael directed Hooked: The Legend of Demetrius “Hook” Mitchell.
Bradford Young (Cinematographer) Bradford Young has lensed an impressive amount of multi-media projects. Bradford completed his fifth feature in 2008, MISSISSIPPI DAMNED, directed by Tina Mabry, which was supported by the Film Independent (FIND) Screenwriting, Directing and Producing Labs. Bradford’s latest documentary feature shot for Alicia Keyes titled Alicia in Africa, debuted on national TV during the 2008 American Idol “Idol Gives Back” program. Bradford was Director of Photography for BLACK SHEEP, WHITE LIES, directed by James Spooner (AFROPUNK), which premiered at the 2007 Toronto International Film Festival.
Gil Talmi (Composer) Gil Talmi is a New York based EMMY nominated film composer with a focus on socially conscious film. Gil's music can be heard in a variety of award winning films and TV programs worldwide, from big productions for Warner Brothers, Paramount and Fox to pro bono collaborations with The International Rescue Committee and StoryCorps.
Gil's most recent feature work includes music for the award winning documentary feature New Year Baby (Broken English Prods/ITVS), winner of the prestigious Amnesty International 'Movies That Matter' Award, Forgotten Ellis Island [PBS]. Between The Folds [Greenfuse Films], Needle Through Brick [Season Of Light Pictures]
Maria E. Nelson and Ellyn Long Marshall (Casting Directors) Orpheus Group Casting is a New York City based company for theater, film and television production. The incorporators, Maria E. Nelson and Ellyn Long Marshall, share over 30 years of proven professional experience in all phases of the entertainment industry. Most recent feature films include: SANGRE DE MI SANGRE (aka Padre Nuestro, winner of Jury Award Sundance Film Festival), CHOKING MAN (winner of a Gotham Award), EL CANTANTE (starring Jennifer Lopez), MARIA FULL OF GRACE (winner of the Audience Award Sundance), PINERO (starring Benjamin Pratt), REAL WOMEN HAVE CURVES (Winner of Audience Award and Best Actress at Sundance) GIRLFIGHT (winner of Best Film at Sundance) SIMPLE JUSTICE 9PBS) ABOVE THE RIM (New Line Cinema), CONDITION RED, CAMINOS Y PUENTES.
