Maria Full of Grace (NC-16)
Opens October 21
Running Time: 101 Minutes

Cast: Catalina Sandino Moren
Director: Joshua Marston
(Spanish with English Subtitles)

By Jamaluddin B Johan • Urbanwire
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It was a simple tale, about chasing the American Dream - a theme that had been done a million times. Yet, Maria Full of Grace still managed to pull it off.

The secret was working within a local theme, while exploring universal issues.

Catalina Sandino Moreno plays Maria Alvarez, a 17-year-old who earns a living working in a rose plantation in Columbia . Maria's one of the many working in a factory-like environment de-thorning harvested roses before they're collected and wrapped, ready to be sold at the florist. It was a mundane job, but it was one of the few that actually paid decent wages. Struggling with a hard life, most were content with a hard day's work and during the evening, dancing the night away.

Maria lived with her grandmother, mother and elder sister who depended on her wages to get on with their already difficult life. There was an obvious absence of a male figure, but it seemed none was needed, since the women were able to take care of themselves and support each other. It was within her home that we first notice the change in Maria's eyes. She seemed tired of the monotony and, like so many her age, desperately seeking a change in her life.

She left her job the next day. It wasn't out of laziness, but from the sheer exhaustion from having to live a stifled life. It was a courageous, if rebellious, act that met the disapproval of her family. They were too dependant on the security of her secure job to acknowledge her dreams.

She went into town, hoping to find that opportunity. It came as a promise that she would be paid well and be given the opportunity to experience life beyond Columbian borders. It also came with a high price. She would have to be a ‘mule' and smuggle drugs inside her stomach. Tempted, she decided to ignore the dangers to try her luck, hoping for a better future.

Joshua Marston , the director/writer of Maria Full of Grace managed to juggle the conflicting views and personalities, moulding a smooth transition as the characters make decisions that would change their lives.

This being his first feature film, Maria Full of Grace is a humble yet successful attempt at analysing the “American Dream” and uncovering both the good and the bad elements. He managed to portray a convincing picture of the narcotics trafficking and poverty in Columbia , while avoiding the clichés.

Maria Full of Grace seeks to remind us to have realistic expectations while still daring to “dream that impossible dream”.