The First Movie About the Rescued Chilean Miners Has Arrived

trapped_chilean_miners_.jpgWow. We all knew that a film about the rescue of the trapped Chilean miners was totally inevitable, but who would have guessed it would take even less time than the rescue itself? Antonio Recio's The 33 of San Jose started shooting five days after the Miners' rescue and is currently being sold at the American Film Market. According to Recio, he and writers J J Barrios and Jacobo Bergareche began penning the script just days after news of the miners' plight broke.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the film's ultra-happy ending features "extensive news footage obtained via an exclusive deal struck between backers Spanish broadcaster Antenna 3 and Chilean channel 13, who helped gather much of the footage watched by the world." The film's cast includes 32 Chilean actors and Bolivian star Cristian Mercado (Che: Part 2, Undertow).

Remembering the fact that 33 characters are involved begs the question of how they chose which miners get the screen time. And how many of these actors just stand in the background decked out in mining gear? Or will this movie be eight hours long? Apparently, sales agent America Video Films is in conversations with "a major studio" to take theatrical rights to the film, so maybe we'll find out soon.

In any case, Hollywood had better start moving a little faster on their inevitable big-budget version. If they're having trouble figuring out who should direct, we've got that covered.

· EXCLUSIVE: Tale of Trapped Chilean Miners Heating Up AFM [The Hollywood Reporter]



Comments