- Title: USA: FILM "TORTILLA SOUP" PREMIERES IN LOS ANGELES
- Date: 10th August 2001
- Summary: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (AUGUST 10, 2001) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) HECTOR ELIZONDO SAYING "It was not a big story. It was a little story which was highly recognizable to everyone. It's a universal story, as I've said. You turn off the volume and you can still see and hear the story, you know? You can fill in the gaps yourself. It's a dynamic that's h
- Embargoed: 25th August 2001 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES AND FILM LOCATIONS
- Country: USA
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVA52M69OJ72G8Z3YVE8YKNNCPFG
- Story Text: Taking a break from his long-standing professional relationship with filmmaker Garry Marshall, actor Hector Elizondo joined his co-star Raquel Welch at the Los Angeles premiere of their new food filled comedy "Tortilla Soup" on Tuesday, August 14.
Loosely based on Ang Lee's 1995 Oscar-nominated film "Eat Drink Man Woman," "Tortilla Soup" tells the story of a world-class chef, played by Hector Elizondo, who holds sacred his carefully-prepared and elaborate Sunday dinners with his three grown daughters, played by Elizabeth Pena, Jacqueline Obradors and newcomer Tamara Mello.
But, as with any family dinner, each meal comes with plenty of drama, humour, pathos and conflicts, especially as the father, Martin, begins to face the fact that his daughters are growing up and must soon set out into the world on their own, without his help and guidance.
Complicating things further are the characters' love lives. Martin is being pursued by flamboyant and flirtatious grandmother living next door, played by Raquel Welch, Pena's character is secretly infatuated with a baseball coach at the school she teaches at, played by Paul Rodriquez, and Obradors' character is juggling a casual relationship with the demands of her career, which could prompt her to move away from her native Los Angeles for good.
But the biggest and most important role in the film is played by the food, which is lovingly prepared by both Elizondo's and Obradors' characters. To prepare, both actors trained with world-renowned chefs and restaurateurs Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger, also known as the Two Hot Tamales.
The two women also acted as food consultants for the entire film, preparing all the sumptuous dishes seen throughout the movie.
"Tortilla Soup" is directed by Maria Ripoll, a Spanish filmmaker whose feature film debut "Twice Upon a Yesterday"
won the Audience Award at the Seattle and Barcelona Film Festivals. It opens in theatres throughout the United States on Friday, August 24. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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