Florida Catholic | Bishop Wenski's Column

A right and beautiful choice can be influenced by just one

OCTOBER 12, 2007

One person can change your life. This is the premise of a new film that will debut in the Orlando area Oct. 26. The movie, Bella, centers around Nina, a young, unmarried waitress at a Mexican restaurant in New York City who finds herself pregnant and out of a job after coming in late to work several days because of morning sickness. Jose, the restaurant's chef, is taken by Nina's plight and becomes her sole confidant. Jose helps her walk through her decision on what to do with her pregnancy. In the process, he bears secrets from his own mysterious past, which reveal his tenderness and passion for her and the child she is carrying.

I won't go more into the details — lest I spoil the film for anyone who would wish to go see it. And I would encourage you to do so either at a theater near you or at home on DVD.

I recently attended a pre-release screening of the film at Universal's City Walk and was privileged to hear Eduardo Verastegui, the actor who played Jose, speak after the showing. This one-time star of Mexican soap operas, described by some as a Latin Brad Pitt, gave a moving testimony of his own faith journey and conversion which led him to accept this role in this small-budget, independent film. And in "Bella" he found the role of his life — with a believable script that allows him to play a young Latin who is not ashamed of his family or his Catholic faith. This is an intelligent and emotional film produced by Steven McEveety (of "Braveheart," "We Were Soldiers," and "Passion of the Christ" fame). No Mel Gilson — but nevertheless there is quality acting, effective cinematography, music and sound. The film has already won some recognition by critics, including the Toronto Film Festival's People's Choice Award.

"Bella" premieres during October. And October is, of course, Respect Life Month — a time for Catholics and other people of good will to renew their commitment to respect and protect all human life from the first moment of conception until natural death. Since the "legalization" of abortion by judicial fiat in Roe v. Wade, more than 40 million children have died in their mothers' wombs — and our society has grown so much coarser. This is a sad testimony of the extent to which what Pope John Paul II has called "the culture of death" has influenced our national ethos. Today so many people allow themselves to think that the deliberate death of a child can be seen as a legitimate "choice." And too often that message is reinforced in our movies and TV sitcoms.

This film is a refreshing change from the relativistic nihilism of modern cinema. "Bella" treats the plight of Nina and her unexpected and unplanned pregnancy sympathetically. She feels, like many young women who find themselves pregnant, that she is without options, that the only choice she has is a bad choice. But then she learns how one person can change your life. …

"Bella" is a film worth seeing — and telling your friends about.

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