Benito Martinez and Luke Ganalon
©2013 Angela María Ortíz S.
By Angela M. Ortíz
On one of those beautiful Los Angeles mornings, I had the pleasure of viewing a wonderful film, Bless Me, Ultima. Based on Rudolfo Anaya’s controversial 1972 book of the same name, it’s a story about a young boy’s coming-of-age during World War II in New Mexico and the life lessons he learns when Ultima (Miriam Colon) comes to live with his family.
Director Carl Franklin (Devil in a Blue Dress, Falling Skies) has created a new American classic with this film by keeping true to the tone and spirituality of the original book. After the film screening, we got a chance to talk to Benito Martinez, who plays the dad Gabriel, and to Luke Ganalon, the young star who plays the seven year-old Antonio.
Both Martinez and Ganalon said it was a great honor to work with Miriam Colon, who is known as an acting mentor in the film community and still runs a theater company in New York. On the set she was known as la abuelita. Young Luke said that he now “reads scripts in a whole other perspective,” thanks to her.
Martinez said he read the book, “as a young man, read it again as an adult and read it again as an old man,” primarily in preparation for the film. Martinez is originally from Albuquerque, New Mexico and really wanted to be part of this film. And it’s his first leading role in a film for the young Ganalon.
L-r: Benito Martinez, Dolores Heredia, Luke Ganalon, Miriam Colon, Darrian Chavez and Julia Flores
Virtually everyone who saw the film felt the same way: it will last forever, in the same way that El Norte and Mi Familia (My Family) have become classics — and part of some college curricula. They are many wonderful scenes to be cherished in this film.
At Se Fija! we enjoy being able to promote projects that Latinos are doing, or who are involved in entertainment. But its super sweet when it’s a project like Bless Me, Ultima. The film opened in a limited release on Friday, February 22.
If you read the book long ago, the film will make you want to re-read it. If you never have, pick up a copy. It’s available here on amazon.com. It’s available in paperback or as a Kindle edition for under 10 dollars. Meanwhile, check out the trailer below.
