FRANCE: BRITISH FILM DIRECTOR KEN LOACH TOUCHES AUDIENCES AT THE CANNES FILM FESTIVAL WITH HIS NEW MOVIE 'BREAD AND ROSES'

Record ID: 389265

  • Title: FRANCE: BRITISH FILM DIRECTOR KEN LOACH TOUCHES AUDIENCES AT THE CANNES FILM FESTIVAL WITH HIS NEW MOVIE 'BREAD AND ROSES'
  • Date: 15th May 2000
  • Summary: CANNES, FRANCE (MAY 15, 2000) (REUTERS) ( ** BEWARE FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY **) WS OF RED CARPET BREAD AND ROSES CAST ARRIVING PHOTOGRAPHERS CU OF CAST FROM LEFT TO RIGHT : ADRIEN BRODY, PILAR PADILLA, KEN LOACH AND GEORGE LOPEZ
  • Embargoed: 30th May 2000 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: CANNES, FRANCE
  • Country: France
  • Reuters ID: LVA5686XXI0VYL7WK35R5O5XHE
  • Story Text: British Director Ken Loach has touched audiences at the Cannes Film Festival with his movie Bread and Roses that tells of the struggle for survival of Mexican immigrants in Los Angeles. Loach is famous for being one of the few European directors who still says politics and the cinema are inseparable, but the film also has a moving romantic thread.
    British Director Ken Loach's Bread and Roses mixes the political struggles of Mexican immigrants in Los Angeles with a touching love story.
    Maya is a feisty young Mexican woman who risks her family and livlihood by starting a campaign against the employers who exploit her fellow workers.
    The screenplay takes a romantic twist as a love story develops between Maya and Sam, an idealistic American union activist who joins her struggle.
    Loach is reknowned for his passionate political views, and the film's portrayal of the immigrants work as night janitors for corrupt bosses and paltry wages conveys a strong social message.
    "We thought it would be nice to tell the story of the immigrants, because the white Americans tell their story over and over again, and we thought it was time we had a story about the immigrants' experience," Loach said.
    The political element combines with moving drama, reaching a climax in a showdown between Maya and her sister Rosa that leaves barely a dry eye in the audience.
    Maya pleads with Rosa to join the demonstrations to increase the workers' wages and health care, but Rosa fears for her job and has a sick husband to care for.
    Rosa finally explodes into a rage, angrily revealing to her sister that she was forced to work as a prostitute to support her family.
    For actress Elpidia Carrillo, who plays Rosa, acting the scene was a great emotional challenge.
    "There were some times that I was like, no, Ken, I don't think that this is the right thing to do for this woman, at the same time I wanted him to persuade me to do it.
    Because I felt guilty about doing it but at the same time I needed to do it."
    Adrien Brody played the union organiser Sam. He said that while he had loved bringing some mischief into the role, he wanted to make new films that were more than just entertainment.
    "I think there needs to be more film like that. It's not very fulfilling to make movies that are simply entertaining all the time and that do not have some social relevance and do not have a deep meaning," Brody said.
    Loach is no stranger to Cannes, where he has presented "Land and Freedom" and "My Name is Joe" in previous years.
    Bread and Roses could at last hand him the Golden Palm.
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