THE BECKER BUGLE

Film Critics recognize Kuno Becker's talent and question the acting capabilities of Diego Luna & Gael Garcia.

Kuno Becker, Diego Luna and Gael Garcia Bernal conform the trio of young mexican actors of their generation. But critics can't say the same thing about Gael Garcia who isn't really the great actor he claims to be.

Experts agree in placing Gael Garcia Bernal as the less talented of the three. And place Kuno Becker as the best one of the three.

Its about a man who became the most acclaimed young actor after the impact of his movie "Lucia, Lucia" aka "Cannibal's Daughter." His career is based on his acting capabilites more than anything. Kuno is an idol whose face and interviews can be found in all magazines, he's an actor who's been compared with Tobey Maguire and who filmed a movie alongside Antonio Banderas and Christopher Hampton.

Critics place Kuno as the greatest phenomenon.

His career in film making is growing rapidly, with gigantic steps. With an impressive development within it. Obtaining his first leading role in the film "Lucia, Lucia" Aka "Cannibal's Daughter", his first film, something that not everyone can do when they start their career in film making. Kuno auditioned like everyone else, and got his first leading role, because of his histronic [acting] qualities and not by his pretty face, like Gael Garcia and Diego Luna who are only pure glamour. Kuno is an actor who dedicates and puts his energy into his work, and what worries him less is fame. To Kuno work comes first, the result of his work is the last thing on his mind. "I love the escence of being on a set because of a character, and not because of the fact that I'm making a movie." the actor said.

DIEGO LUNA

Diego Luna is pointed out as being an actor who has a long way ahead before he can become a hollywood star. Mainly because of the not so good results he has achieved. He worked in hollywood starring in Dirty Dancing Havana Nights, movie that flopped at the box office. And has participated with small roles in movies that have given him a limited projection. 

About Gael Garcia's career, the consulted experts agree in placing him as a young actor who shows more limitations for the execution of his work. "In Gael's case there are a few things to notice," commented the critics, "first, an enormously boring film (the Crime of the Father Amaro, of Carlos Carrera) in where his lack of skill was emphasized in an atrocious way. On the other hand, his role was the most boring and dull. All this made it less interesting. Nobody would have the desire to see him in a film again. "

His role could of been played by anyone and this, say critics, is the worst thing that can be said about the work of an actor. Another expert agrees that Gael Garcia is definately not a film actor. "With his participation in the Crime of Father Amaro', he adds,  "he demonstrated that he is not a movie actor, and that if he wants to be one he is going to have to work very hard. In spite of the invitations that he has to film in Great Britain or Spain, it seems to me that he's still very green ".
In the future, the critics think that acting phenomenons like Kuno Becker always follow the path of success.

"A path that unfortunately is very difficult to go through because celebrities hardly get good histrionic works and they stay like that, like celebrities, in roles that are famous just as long as their publicity and the impact of them in the public lasts." commented a critic about Gael Garcia.

They have lots of work.
Mexican actor Kuno Becker has been invited to starr in productions of diverse parts of the world.

Kuno Becker has demonstrated that he has everything to be a great film actor, with one long filmography of 10 soap operas, now is taking another turn precisely because of his charisma and talent, and carrying out leading roles alongside the greatest actors in Hollywood:
-Kuno made his debut in films like ' Lucia, Lucia ' (Antonio Serrano, 2002) and has carried out  the international productions ' Imagining Argentiná (Christopher Hampton, 2003) and one new production Two Lover's & A Wedding alongside Esai Morales., Kuno said that he has the leading role in this new film.

Kuno feels very happy that "The Cannibal's Daughter" Aka
"Lucia, Lucia" has been very well accepted in the U.S.

Los Angeles. Ca- Actor Kuno Becker commented that the excellent acceptance in the United States that the film Lucia, Lucia (known in Mexico as "The Cannibal's Daughter") had thanks to the audience and the critics make him feel like he's up in the clouds.

The film had a standing ovation in the film's  premiere at the "International Latino Film Festival in Los Angeles, Saturday July 19th..

"I'm very excited because the tickets were sold out at the box office and because the best critics from the greatest media have been something that I can't believe, they have been wonderful, that they accepted the movie, that they liked the film."

"We are so happy because of that, Hollywood critics liked the movie and that's a great honor, they accepted the film, it caught their attention, and they said its very good, they strongly support it." Kuno added.

The young actor is very excited, you can tell from miles away.

"I'm really in the clouds because I'm very thankful and very happy. Besides its a Mexican film that's kicking ass."

Kuno who recently filmed a new movie, in which he has a leading role next to Esai Morales who's also making it strong in hollywood, said that the doors to hollywood are opening for him.

"I love the movies, I'm very happy the road my career is taking," Kuno said. "This new film, was a great opportunity, we worked really hard, and what can I say about Imagining Argentina, next to Emma Thompson and Antonio Banderas. I'm very happy with my career."

Kuno said that he's going to continue his search for opportunities in films that help him grow more as an actor.

"I'm really interested in continuing here(In the United States). Its a good base to obtain my goals, which are to stand out, go far and represent my people, my country and my culture." He affirmed.

Los Angeles. Ca-  Kuno is determined to conquer Hollywood. This young actor has everything to obtain his goal, a huge talent, charisma and is a very down to earth guy. Kuno goes slow with his career and each opportunity that he is offered, he enjoys it 100 percet, because what he likes most is filming in a studio. To him fame is of least importance. He wants to succeed because of his work and not because of his physique. We want to congratulate Kuno for his way of thinking, because its more important to think about work than the result itself. 

Working hard and with lots of effort, Kuno has obtained various roles in movies. With his debut in Mexican cinema in the film Lucia, Lucia which premiered January 17 in Mexico and will premiere in the USA July 25th.His second film and his debut in Hollywood is in the film Imagining Argentina alongside Antonio Banderas and Emma Thompson which will premiere this Fall 2003.

Kuno informed us about his most recent film in Hollywood, which doesn't yet have a title, but it's a romantic comedy. "There are many funny things, its very funny!" commented the actor. At this moment much is not known about this new production, but when the time comes Kuno and the rest of the crew will gives all the details of the film. But what we do know is that Kuno is the protagonist of the film alongside american actress Charlotte Ayanna. Kuno told us that he is very happy with this film and with everything that has ocurred since his debut in Hollywood. Kuno Becker deserves each and everyone of the opportunities Hollywood offers him because of his talent and effort. We wish him the best. We are totally sure that Kuno will succeed in Hollywood, because he started his hollywood career on the right foot.

The spanish actress said Kuno Becker has a lot of possibilities of succeeding in Hollywood and world wide cinema; Kuno and Ana worked together in Imagining Argentina.

Huesca, España- The Mexican actor Kuno Becker has a lot of possibilities of succeding in Hollywood and world wide cinema, because of his great talent and his capacity to intervine in the set, said the spanish actress Ana Gracia, who filmed along side Becker, Antonio Banderas and Emma Thompson in the film Imagining Argentina, under the direction of Christopher Hampton.

Although she only filmed one scene with the mexican actor in Spain, Gracia said she remembered him very well because of his enthusiasim and great desposition for work.

"I worked with Kuno one day, he is charming, very funny, he immediately introduced himself and we managed to make a good relation, he's a very talented actor and from what I saw he has a lot of possibilites to make it big in Hollywood." said the actress from various spanish films like "The Red Squirrel" and "A city of Another World."

It was the 27th of August 2002 when Becker, became part of the film in Madrid, although the filming had already begun in Argentina. Gracia, winner of the Award for Best Actress in Spain for the film "One more, One less", commented that the day she filmed with Becker, they also shared the set with Ruben Blades and with Banderas himself.

Imagining Argentina tells the story of an argentine theater director, named Carlos (Antonio Banderas) whose wife, a progressive journalist named Cecilia (Emma Thompson) is kidnapped by the army of the Military junta of Videla.

In the film, Gracia potrays a woman who has also been affected by the disappearances in Argentina.
"It was an incredible experience for me, it was the first time I had filmed in English, with a professional team who are Oscar winners, and because I had made an audition [casting] and because I really admire Hampton as a dramatist."

She also said that she almost participated in Fidel, alongside Gael Garcia, but that at the last moment the producer preferred to save money and gave the role to a local actress.

However, she said that in some occasion she ran into Gael Garica and Diego Luna in Spain and had the opportunity to greet them and congratulate them for their acting in "Y Tu Mama Tambien".

"I've loved what Mexico's been doing lately, that Gonzalez  Iñárritu was great with his film "Amores Perros" and the actors are great. I hope I can film with them someday, it would be very rich." She expressed.

Gracia has participated as a judge of the Latin American section of the Festival of Cinema of Huesca.

Mexican short films have given the world something to talk about and yesturday Here Goes The Hymn (Aqui Iba el Himno), by Sergio Umansky, Edgar Dan Juan and Ibon Antuyano, have been able to raise with triumph in contests made in Spain and Japan, respectively.

They won  in the fourth edition of the contest of the Latin American Aid of Short films Spanish Version, the second award they were given was in the Great Prize of the Jury in the Short Films Festival in Tokyo, the most important in Asia. With this, it sums up to 10 international recognitions this mexican short film has recieved in the present year. Una Bala production of Imcine, Conculta and The Lift obtained 2,888.61 dollars, during its exhibtion in theaters in Japan.

Pablo Cruz, producer of "Una Bala", explained that the economical award will be used in the making of new scripts. "I believe we are here for an adventure, more than for an award, but when the ceremony started and we saw the result....wow! It felt great, increible, it was really cool", expresed Cruz by phone from Tokyo.

"We will invest that award into other projects with scripts or with something related because we don't want to stop doing things".

"Amores Perro", recognized, it was the film that opened the way to Mexican Cinema in the Asian continent. "There existes a certain type of love between the Japanese and Mexicans, I believe they were interested in seeing something more of our country", said Cruz, who with the companionship of the film directors, recieved the award from the hands of Seigo Tono, director of the festival.

"Una Bala" was exhibited in the official section as representative of Mexico, where 45 productions from different nations competed, among them Golden Palace 2, of the carioca Fernando Meireles, also creatir of City of God.

Una Bala se exhibió en la sección oficial como representante único de México, donde competían producciones de 45 distintas naciones, entre las que destacaba Golden Palace 2, del carioca Fernando Meireles, también creador de Ciudad de Dios.

Mexican Shortfilm exhibited in Spain television

The award obtained by "Here Goes the Hymn" (Aqui Iba el Himno), of Sergio Umansky, is guaranteed to be exhibited in spanish screens in 5 occasiones, an economical award of about 18,988.42 dollars and the director Sergio Umansky will be interviewed, probably by Pedro Almodovar or Alejandro Amenabar.

For each public exhibition, the producer will recieve about 1,425.82 dollars. To recieve the award, Umansky, who is 29 yrs old, will go to Spain the next weekend, where he will be at for 5 days.

"I believe its a great award, because this, like the others I have won, give a great name to the short film and me the possiblity that people will know me and when I will have another project, the people will support it.

"I don't know if Almodovar o Amenabar will interview me, that I don't know yet, that is what is being rumored to be, I'll  find out when I'm there. And if thats it, then its great", he commented by phone.

"Here Goes the Hymn" (Aqui Iba el Himno) starring Kuno Becker, tells the story of two young guys of high class, who are arrested by judicial agents and who demand ransom to let them go.

In the contested it surpassed 22 other works, among those, the mexican work La Milpa, recent winner of the Oscar of the Golden Student, and some of originating ones of Spain, Argentina and Cuba.

The Mexican film Cannibal's Daughter will premiere comercially in the U.S in July with a new title.

For its exhibition in the neighboring country, the amereican distributor Fox decided to change the title to "Lucia, Lucia", the name of the lead character which is portrayed by the argentine actress Cecilia Roth.

Eduardo Escheverria, vice president of Fox Latin America, commented that during these next weeks the number of copies that will be exhibited in cinemas of the U.S, will be defined.

"From here in Mexico, we showed it to the office in the U.S. and they really liked the film, they changed the title of the film for one that they thought was better and had more of an impact. Right now plans are already being made for the premiere of the film and I am sure that the exhibition of movie will be really important", said the director.

'Its very probable that Antonio (Serrano, the director) and Kuno(Becker) will be going to promote the film, but that is not in our hands, although it is very sure that everything will be done to get the audience interested in the film", he commented.

During its exhibition in Mexico, at the beginning of the year, Lucia, Lucia attracted more then one million spectators, and grossed over 383,853.60 dollars, according to sums that where provided by Imcine, coproductor of the film.

Based on the book by the spanish author Rosa Montero, the film is about the adventure of Lucia alongside a student (Kuno Becker) and an anarchist (Carlos Alvarez-Novoa) to try to find and rescue her husband from an apparent kidnapping, with out knowing that she will be confronted by a terrible secret.

LOS ANGELES, CA - Fox Searchlight Pictures announced today that it has acquired rights to LUCIA, LUCIA (LA HIJA DEL CANIBAL), which on January 17 became the third biggest opening ever in Mexico for a Mexican film. Based on Rosa Montero's best-selling novel of the same name, LUCIA, LUCIA was written and directed by Antonio Serrano, whose debut SEX, SHAME AND TEARS (distributed by Twentieth Century Fox) was also a smash hit in Mexico and earned him an Ariel Award(r) for Best Screenplay.

LUCIA, LUCIA features Goya Award-winning actress Cecilia Roth, who has been featured in five of Pedro Almodóvar's films including most recently ALL ABOUT MY MOTHER, which won the Oscar(r) for Best Foreign Film in 2000. Roth is joined on screen by novela superstar KUNO BECKER, who will next be seen in IMAGINING ARGENTINA opposite Antonio Banderas and Emma Thompson; and Carlos Álvarez-Novoa, who received a Best New Actor Goya(r) in 2000 for Benito Zambrano's SOLAS.

In LUCIA, LUCIA, a wry comedy unfolds when Lucía's (Cecila Roth) husband mysteriously disappears leaving her to discover that her life is not what it seems. In the search for her husband, Lucia finds two new friends who help her on her quest: Adrián (Kuno Becker), a charismatic 25-year-old; and Félix (Carlos Alvarez-Novoa), a seasoned veteran. Together they discover the value of friendship and passion while Lucía reinvents her life, finding a world she had forgotten, her ability to smile and her freedom.

Fox Searchlight Pictures President Peter Rice said, "LUCIA, LUCIA is part of the new wave of Mexican cinema being embraced by the U.S. market and the world. Its huge hit status in Mexico earns it a place alongside Y Tu Mama Tambien, Amores Perros, El Crime del Padre Amaro, and Antonio Serrano's own SEX, SHAME AND TEARS. Fox Searchlight recognizes the importance of bringing international voices to the U.S. as evidenced by our releasing of the UK smash hits BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM and 28 DAYS LATER, and France's well received L'AUBERGE ESPAGNOLE.

Writer/Director Antonio Serrano said, "I'm very happy that a film with such a diverse group of Hispanic talent will reach North American audiences and beyond. I attribute much of the success of the film's opening in Mexico to Fox International and look forward to continued success in other parts of the world."

LUCIA, LUCIA re-teams producers Matthias Ehrenberg and Christian Valdelièvre, (SEX, SHAME AND TEARS, VIVIR MATA), with Epigmenio Ibarra, with whom they produced LA HABITACIÓN AZUL.

Fox Searchlight has attained rights to North America, the remainder of Latin America, Australia, New Zealand, France, Japan and some smaller Asian and mid-East territories. Fox Searchlight Executive Vice President Joseph de Marco and Senior Vice President of Acquisitions Tony Safford brokered the deal with the filmmaker's representatives from Traction Media's Rosanne Korenberg and Doug Stone. Claudia Lewis, Executive Vice President of Production for Fox Searchlight Pictures, will be the creative executive on the film.

Fox Searchlight is a filmmaker-oriented company that focuses on distinctive films helmed by world-class 'auteurs' and exciting new talents. It has its own marketing, distribution and publicity operations, and its films are distributed internationally by Twentieth Century Fox. Fox Searchlight Pictures is a unit of Fox Filmed Entertainment, a unit of Fox Entertainment Group.

Kuno has worked in over ten soap operas in "Televisa".  He became famous in the popular soap "Dreamers", as Iran Castillo and Angelica Vale's love interest. Soap opera in which Kuno gained fame, and became an idol to girls of all ages! "Decieved Women" was another one of his most known soap operas, where he portrayed a ladies man who suffers because of his father's betrayal when he cheated on his mother. "First Love....1000 miles per hour" was his first lead role in soaps, a soap that consecrated him, but even so his future was far from the teen genre.

Kuno left tv  for the big screen! He decided to go where not everyone is acepted, a place in which they only look for actors with talent like him, that place is Hollywood. After his debut in the spanish film "Lucia, Lucia", Kuno was called in by Christopher Hampton to be in his movie "Imagining Argentina" alongside Antonio Banderas and Emma Thompson, a film which is totally in english. With that, Kuno is proving that he has everything to become the newest hollywood heartthrob in Hollywood cinema!

"I don't believe there is tv actors, theater actors or movie actors." says Kuno. "In my opinion there's either actors or there isn't. I can't say that I'm good, because I'm not objective, but what I am really sure of at this moment is that I want to focus on my career in Hollywood".

Before "Imagining Argentina", Kuno filmed "Lucia, Lucia", a film that represented the liberation of this young actor from the monotony of being "easy". "The slogan of Lucia, Lucia says 'What does your life taste like?' and for me, my life in television tasted the same to me, I felt like I only went in one rail, like a train; the soap operas came to me easily, and I don't like things to be easy, I like risking more and that is what I'm doing".

Kuno proved that he is very daring, with out feeling embarassed, he made a nude scene and other erotic scenes in "Lucia, Lucia", proving that he can go beyond his inocent characters, and be a man who is mischievous and super daring! Proving once again that he is a very professional actor!

"It was an intense nude scene, but very well taken care of, its justified because its a character that's guided, with out direction, but has a lot of passion, and awakens new things in Lucia [Cecilia Roth] and it didn't embarass me. It was cool, its part of the story and the character".

These satisfactions fill the actor with happiness because its a very important phase in his career, that will make him grow more as the great professional actor that he is. A new challange that Kuno was more than happy to face, to complement his artistic career. 

Would you accept to do a soap opera right now?

"No, I believe its the first time I can be selective, and start to say no; at this moment life is taking me into Hollywood and I'm looking for movie roles, I prefer to risk it and leave tv for right now and make movies because I love challanges. Because I don't like to delay my career."

It looks like Kuno's career is rising rapidly. After starring in various soaps and winning the exhausting audition for the main role in Lucia, Lucia,  he obtained another role in director Christopher Hampton's hollywood movie "Imagining Argentina" alongside Antonio Banderas and Emma Thompson.

How were you able to obtain a role in Imagining Argentina?
In the office where I work they talked to me about a great script with these actors and the director, and that there was this role for me, not too big but a very good one. I did various readings (auditions), talked to the producer and met Christopher Hampton (the director) in Los Angeles. In some moment he saw some of the material of Lucia, Lucia... and the idea that people like them see advances of our movie fascinates me. That and the determination of my manager is what got me this role.

How was the experience of working with Christopher Hampton and the crew?

Christopher Hampton is my heroe, because I'm a fan of his movies. Dangerous Relations (Hampton adapted the screenplay) its one of those movies that everyone has seen and remembers. He's a man who imposes all those awards he has won, but at the moment when I met him it was incredible because he is so down to earth, he listens to my ideas, is super calm and it has been a great honor to work with him.

"I can't understand why there is a lot a people who are much yonger and are full of themselves and so conceited, everything is reversed. They do some movie or soap and suddenly they feel 10 times bigger than Christopher Hampton. This makes you learn a lot about humility, its a great lesson and I also believe it has to do with inteligence, capacity and education.

What do you think about....
Antonio Banderas: "Antonio has a great personality and is a great actor and is very nice, it surprised me because he is so easying going, he's human, profesional and very talented. I swear I was very surprised!"
Emma Thompon: " She is a very well known actress, that when you meet her you say to yourself, "Ah, thats why she is what she is'. She has a great vibe, is easy going, I talked to her a lot."