Published: October 18, 2008
Fine Arts Theater Screens La Cucina in Beverly Hills
By Alan Gray, NewsBlaze
La Femme Film Festival Screens La Cuchina, with hope, love, and life, unveiled and unapologetic.
The Story
La Cucina. The Kitchen. The Heart of The House.
On one warm summer evening, four very important meals are being made.
Thirty year old Lily Ireland (Christina Hendricks) is making an Insalata Caprese for the new and much older man in her life; a photo journalist, born and raised in Spain named Michael (Joaquim de Almeida), who she couldn't be more excited about.
In the apartment just across the courtyard, a very pregnant Shelly Hynd (Leisha Hailey) is making her best attempt at Lasagna, while her husband Chris (Oz Perkins) looks on, knowing he is moments away from ordering a Pizza... and when he does, the highly hormonal Shelly is out the door and straight up the stairs to her friend Jude's (Rachel Hunter) house for some comfort.
Shelly finds her friend lost in her passion, and just beginning an elaborate Italian meal for she and her lover, Celia (Clare Carey), whom they both know won't make it home in time.
And finally, there is the culinary extravaganza being prepared in front of Celia, who works on a movie set, where on that particular day, they are shooting a couple cooking, while the crew devours pizza on the side-line.
Over the course of the evening, all of the cooks and the guests of the kitchen, truly experience why it is called "The heart of the house." The discussions organically flow to a place where they are all about relationships, and they are all about truth, and desire, and no one is allowed off the hook about all that they are not saying amidst their words.
Lily and Michael dance around what they want in life as they dance around the kitchen in a seductive and emotional game that never even allows them to make it to the dining table.
As Shelly unloads all of her fears of motherhood and the future of her marriage, Jude's acceptance and knowledge of Celia's infidelity rises to the surface without a word being said between the bruschetta and the cannoli.
All the while, Chris has settled into an evening of Pizza and Adult Entertainment on DVD, and Celia has decided to reel in a young actress (Kala Savage) curious about lesbians, just for sport.
...And in the end, there is no resolution, but there is hope, and there is love, and there is life, unveiled and unapologetic in La Cucina.
Sunday, October 19th -12noon
Location/Parking: Fine Arts Theater 8556 Wilshire Blvd. Beverly Hills, CA 90211 (310) 360-0455. The Theater is Just West of La Cienega on Wilshire. Street Parking is available and there are lots in the surrounding office buildings with available parking. Tickets are $10, available at the door.
The Players
Christina Hendricks (Mad Men), Joaquim de Almeida (Clear and Present Danger), Leisha Hailey (The "L" Word), Rachel Hunter (Rodeo Girl), Oz Perkins (Legally Blonde), Clare Carey (Jericho), Kala Savage (That 70's Show), Michael Cornacchia (The Bernie Mac Show).
Directors: Allison Hebble & Zed B. Starkovich
Writer: A.W. Gryphon
Producers: Starlotte Dawn Smith, Jackie Olson, Zack Kahn, Allison Wilke
The Festivals
La Femme Film Festival - Official Selection
Beloit International Film Festival - Best Picture
Backlot Film Festival Los Angeles - Best Picture
Hollywood International Film Festival - Official Selection
Bragacine Film Festival, Braga, Portugal - Special Screening
The Cinema Festival - Special Screening
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