Anne B. Real
Encyclopedia
Anne B. Real is a 2003 dramatic coming-of-age film by Lisa France and Luis Moro
, starring David Zayaz, Carlos Leon
, Janice Richardson, Jackie Quinones, Eric Smith, Geronimo Frias Jr, Ernie Hudson
, Nesta Ward, and Sherri Saum
.
apartment on the edge of Spanish Harlem
. Her mother and grandmother speak minimal English. Her older sister is an unwed mother living on welfare. Her older brother is a drug-dealing junkie. In the course of the film, Cynthia faces chaos and betrayal. One of her friends is deliberately murdered, while another of her loved ones is accidentally shot. She runs from the police at one point, and to them at another. But through it all, Cynthia has a secret friend: Anne Frank
.
In a flashback scene early in the film, Cynthia’s now-dead father gives his young daughter a dog-eared copy of The Diary Of Anne Frank
and for the rest of the film Anne’s words, read verbatim by Cynthia, provide both her solace and her inspiration. Cynthia buys herself a plaid notebook that looks very much like Anne’s original, and she retreats to her corner, like Anne did, to record her private thoughts. “All children must look after their own upbringing,” she reads, and from these words she understands that she can either blame her surroundings and give up, or take responsibility for her own future.
She finds out that her brother is selling her poems to a rapper named ‘Deuce’ who has been performing them and recording them and claiming them as his own. But with Anne’s voice in her head, Cynthia finds her courage, and by the end of the film she has transformed herself into an artist named “Anne B. Real.”
's list of the 100 worst movies of all time, as voted by the users of the homepage. Despite receiving praise in film festivals, users have noted the film is very cliched for a coming-of-age film.
The second motivation was her respect for Anne Frank
’s legacy. When Antonio Macia, who plays one of Cynthia’s teachers in the film, wrote the original screenplay, he paraphrased Anne’s words. Once the film was greenlit, however, Moro contacted the Anne Frank Foundation
in Switzerland
and received permission to quote extensively from the actual text. According to France, Buddy Elias, one of Anne’s last surviving relatives and the President of the Foundation, was extremely supportive.
Music was performed by R&B singer Janice "J Nice" Richardson, who learned how to rap
for the film. The end credits include a music video by Grammy award
winner Paula Cole
's song "Be Somebody".
. Luis Moro got permission from Buddy Elias, Frank’s last living relative, who is the Director of The Anne Frank Center in New York
.
In Elias' correspondence with Moro, he said, "I didn't know your film is made by African Americans. This thrills me, that alone is wonderful!!"
Elias' support in his letter to Moro said, "Congratulations to the awards!!!! Wonderful but it does not come as a surprise. The film is great. I had one exchange of letters with Steven Spielberg
. You can write to him and let him know that I am supporting you and love the film. My wife and I are moved especially how Anne's and Otto's words are integrated in this film. With so much sensitivity. Thank you."
Luis Moro
Luis Moro is a Cuban-born American actor, filmmaker, and writer. He first gained notability for co-writing, producing and acting in the film Anne B. Real, which was nominated for two Independent Spirit Award...
, starring David Zayaz, Carlos Leon
Carlos Leon
Carlos Manuel Leon is a Cuban personal trainer and actor and is most famous for being Madonna's baby daddy, as she gave birth to their daughter, Lourdes Maria Ciccone Leon, on October 14, 1996....
, Janice Richardson, Jackie Quinones, Eric Smith, Geronimo Frias Jr, Ernie Hudson
Ernie Hudson
Ernest Lee "Ernie" Hudson is an American actor known for his roles as Winston Zeddemore in the Ghostbusters film series, Sergeant Albrecht in The Crow, and Warden Leo Glynn on HBO's Oz.-Early life:...
, Nesta Ward, and Sherri Saum
Sherri Saum
- Biography :Saum got her start at a Model Search America convention near her home in Kettering, Ohio. She was discovered during high school, modeling mostly during summer breaks until she decided to move to New York and work full time with the New York modeling agency Images Management. Her career...
.
Plot summary
A teenage girl of Afro-Caribbean heritage named Cynthia Gimenez lives in a cramped ManhattanManhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
apartment on the edge of Spanish Harlem
Spanish Harlem
East Harlem, also known as Spanish Harlem and El Barrio, is a section of Harlem in the northeastern part of the New York City borough of Manhattan. East Harlem is one of the largest predominantly Latino communities in New York City. It includes the area formerly known as Italian Harlem, in which...
. Her mother and grandmother speak minimal English. Her older sister is an unwed mother living on welfare. Her older brother is a drug-dealing junkie. In the course of the film, Cynthia faces chaos and betrayal. One of her friends is deliberately murdered, while another of her loved ones is accidentally shot. She runs from the police at one point, and to them at another. But through it all, Cynthia has a secret friend: Anne Frank
Anne Frank
Annelies Marie "Anne" Frank is one of the most renowned and most discussed Jewish victims of the Holocaust. Acknowledged for the quality of her writing, her diary has become one of the world's most widely read books, and has been the basis for several plays and films.Born in the city of Frankfurt...
.
In a flashback scene early in the film, Cynthia’s now-dead father gives his young daughter a dog-eared copy of The Diary Of Anne Frank
Anne Frank
Annelies Marie "Anne" Frank is one of the most renowned and most discussed Jewish victims of the Holocaust. Acknowledged for the quality of her writing, her diary has become one of the world's most widely read books, and has been the basis for several plays and films.Born in the city of Frankfurt...
and for the rest of the film Anne’s words, read verbatim by Cynthia, provide both her solace and her inspiration. Cynthia buys herself a plaid notebook that looks very much like Anne’s original, and she retreats to her corner, like Anne did, to record her private thoughts. “All children must look after their own upbringing,” she reads, and from these words she understands that she can either blame her surroundings and give up, or take responsibility for her own future.
She finds out that her brother is selling her poems to a rapper named ‘Deuce’ who has been performing them and recording them and claiming them as his own. But with Anne’s voice in her head, Cynthia finds her courage, and by the end of the film she has transformed herself into an artist named “Anne B. Real.”
Reception
The movie is currently number 50 on the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database
Internet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...
's list of the 100 worst movies of all time, as voted by the users of the homepage. Despite receiving praise in film festivals, users have noted the film is very cliched for a coming-of-age film.
Behind the scenes
Sensitive to the raw language which pervades hip-hop culture, France and Moro insisted that the cast respect their intention to make a PG-rated film before they signed on. In an exclusive interview, France told the World Jewish Digest she had two reasons for this requirement. First she wanted the film to be suitable for everyone, including Anne’s legions of young readers: “Urban family entertainment is rare. We wanted to make a film that an 8-year old and a 90-year old could watch together and we would not feel embarrassed or uncomfortable.”The second motivation was her respect for Anne Frank
Anne Frank
Annelies Marie "Anne" Frank is one of the most renowned and most discussed Jewish victims of the Holocaust. Acknowledged for the quality of her writing, her diary has become one of the world's most widely read books, and has been the basis for several plays and films.Born in the city of Frankfurt...
’s legacy. When Antonio Macia, who plays one of Cynthia’s teachers in the film, wrote the original screenplay, he paraphrased Anne’s words. Once the film was greenlit, however, Moro contacted the Anne Frank Foundation
Anne Frank Foundation
The Anne Frank Foundation or Anne Frank Stichting is a foundation in The Netherlands originally established to maintain the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam...
in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
and received permission to quote extensively from the actual text. According to France, Buddy Elias, one of Anne’s last surviving relatives and the President of the Foundation, was extremely supportive.
Music was performed by R&B singer Janice "J Nice" Richardson, who learned how to rap
Rap
Rap may refer to:*Rapping, performance in which rhyming lyrics are used, with or without musical accompaniment ; while an MC performs spoken verses in time to a beat/ melody**Hip hop subculture**Hip hop music...
for the film. The end credits include a music video by Grammy award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
winner Paula Cole
Paula Cole
Paula Cole is an American singer/songwriter. Her single "Where Have All the Cowboys Gone" reached the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100 in 1997, and the following year she won a Grammy Award for Best New Artist.-Early life:...
's song "Be Somebody".
Awards and recognition
The film was inspired by the diaries of Anne FrankAnne Frank
Annelies Marie "Anne" Frank is one of the most renowned and most discussed Jewish victims of the Holocaust. Acknowledged for the quality of her writing, her diary has become one of the world's most widely read books, and has been the basis for several plays and films.Born in the city of Frankfurt...
. Luis Moro got permission from Buddy Elias, Frank’s last living relative, who is the Director of The Anne Frank Center in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
In Elias' correspondence with Moro, he said, "I didn't know your film is made by African Americans. This thrills me, that alone is wonderful!!"
Elias' support in his letter to Moro said, "Congratulations to the awards!!!! Wonderful but it does not come as a surprise. The film is great. I had one exchange of letters with Steven Spielberg
Steven Spielberg
Steven Allan Spielberg KBE is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, video game designer, and studio entrepreneur. In a career of more than four decades, Spielberg's films have covered many themes and genres. Spielberg's early science-fiction and adventure films were seen as an...
. You can write to him and let him know that I am supporting you and love the film. My wife and I are moved especially how Anne's and Otto's words are integrated in this film. With so much sensitivity. Thank you."
Awards
| Years | Film Event | Awards | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Independent Spirit Award | John Cassavetes John Cassavetes John Nicholas Cassavetes was an American actor, screenwriter and filmmaker. He acted in many Hollywood films, notably Rosemary's Baby and The Dirty Dozen... Award Award An award is something given to a person or a group of people to recognize excellence in a certain field; a certificate of excellence. Awards are often signifiedby trophies, titles, certificates, commemorative plaques, medals, badges, pins, or ribbons... |
Lisa France, Luis Moro Luis Moro Luis Moro is a Cuban-born American actor, filmmaker, and writer. He first gained notability for co-writing, producing and acting in the film Anne B. Real, which was nominated for two Independent Spirit Award... |
Nominated |
| 2004 | Independent Spirit Award | Best Debut Performance | Janice (J-Nice) Richardson | Nominated |
| 2004 | Dubrovnik International Film Festival | Black Reel Award | Best Independent Film Independent film An independent film, or indie film, is a professional film production resulting in a feature film that is produced mostly or completely outside of the major film studio system. In addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies, independent films are also produced... |
Won |
| 2003 | American Film Festival Award | Best Performance by an Actress | Janice (J-Nice) Richardson | Won |
| 2003 | Santa Monica Film Festival | Best Dramatic Feature | Anne B. Real | Won |
| 2003 | Taos Land Grant Award | Tollbooth | Nominated |
External links
- Official Website : Moro Films
- Official Anne B. Real Blog : B. Real