Mira Sorvino (Mighty Aphrodite) is tipped to take the female lead in Dreaming of Julia, starring Harvey Keitel.
The project confirms the growing trend of Spanish and Latin-American filmmakers to shoot in English, with one obvious eye on the US market. Keitel is taking an active role in casting and will receive some kind of production credit.
Dreaming of Julia will be co-produced by Juan Gerard and Letvia Arza at Puerto Rico's Cinearte Productions and Beatriz de la Gándara and Fernando Colomo at Spain's burgeoning indie Fernando Colomo PC. Gerard will direct.
The Puerto Rico Film Fund has put up US$1.1 million in equity. Further financing will be accessed from a pre-sale on international distribution, Arza and De la Gandara declared at the European Film Market. They are currently in negotiations with sales agent Alexandre Heylen at Mainstream.
Dates allowing, Francisco Rabal will also act in the film, a rights of passage drama set in Cuba in 1958.
The picture should be ready for delivery in September/October 1996.
John Hopewell
