A self-centered college playwright tries to win back his ex-girlfriend by casting her in a play that mirrors their lives.
Following the death of his father, a man returns to his family in Spain, bringing his young American daughter who discovers an enduring connection to his past and family that transcends the politics that tore them apart decades ago.
Project Bluelight's mission is to provide a new level of film production experience to undergraduates. Each year, Project Bluelight produces one or two high production value projects created by and starring all undergraduates. These productions, with much larger budgets and crews than any other undergraduate productions at Columbia, resemble professional film sets. Bluelight sets uniquely offer undergraduates a place to gain hands-on experience on major sets not just as PA's, but as directors, producers, editors, gaffers, sound recordists, actors, cinematographers, and everything in between. The professional-style Bluelight sets are designed to compliment other the other film education Columbia already provides, particularly the strong theoretical background in the Film Studies major and the smaller-scale projects that CUFP fosters. CUArts Director Gregory Mosher, in his 2008 Director's note, called us "Columbia's first undergraduate movie production company."
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Logline: Following the death of his father, a man returns to his family in Spain, bringing his young American daughter who discovers an enduring connection to his past and family that transcends the politics that tore them apart decades ago.
A man, CHUSO, and his young American daughter, JULIA, sit in a parked car. It has been thirty years since Chuso has seen Asturias, and even longer since he has seen his mother. Now, parked outside of his old farmhouse, Chuso finds himself paralyzed by his inability to forgive his family for their betrayal, despite the recent death of his father.
Before any action is taken, LUIS, Chuso's brother, storms out of the house and tells Chuso that he must leave the house at once. Furious, both brothers immediately get in a fight, blaming each other for one thing or another. Not wanting his daughter to listen to their argument, Chuso sends Julia inside the house to wait for him.
Once inside, Julia explores the empty house. Filled cardboard boxes suggest the family is finally moving out of their old home. Upstairs, for the first time in her life, she finds herself face to face with her ABUELA. While Chuso and Luis argue just outside the window, Abuela and Julia become close. Though neither one can speak the language of the other, they share a deep connection that brings them together in a mutual understanding of one another.
Through photo albums and stories, Julia and Abuela are able to embark on an imaginary, spiritual journey that takes them throughout the Asturian countryside. Overwhelmed by the beauty of her ancestors' lands, Julia walks hand in hand beside her Abuela as she tells her the ancient stories of the Reinu.
But the beauty doesn't last long. Remnants of a bloody Spanish Civil War echo throughout the land, and the division between Chuso and his brother interrupt Julia's connection with her Abuela. Chuso calls for Julia, anxious to drive away and never return. Jolted from this imaginary journey, Abuela turns to look at Julia. As the insults and accusations of two brothers, forever divided, are heard through the window, Abuela's eyes fill with thirty years of all the sadness and regret that can only be found in Nel Reinu.
Project Bluelight will be collaborating with Medula Productions in Spain through acclaimed Spanish filmmaker Carlos Navarro.
Victor Tadashi Suarez (writer, director) has written and directed numerous short films; the latest of which, Smell the Roses, was awarded an Honorable Mention at the Columbia University National Undergraduate Film Festival. He is also an award-winning actor and is currently a member of the off-broadway theatre company, APORIA.
Nel Reinu will star Nessa Norich (full biography coming soon)
Nel Reinu will be shot against the backdrop of the stunning Asturias region of Spain.
Project Bluelight's ”Nel Reinu“ is being supported and financed in part by Carlos Navarro and Medula Productions in Spain. However, the more financial support Nel Reinu gains, the more dynamic the project will ultimately be.
Project Bluelight was founded to bring a new level of film production experience to Columbia undergraduates, and ”Nel Reinu“ will achieve this for Bluelight and the Columbia Community on a new level. Columbia undergraduates will actually be working on a film shoot with a 20K budget. Further, on this shoot they will be doing things that they would never be able to do simply assisting on a graduate shoot or other professional shoot. With the generous support and assistance of Medula Productions in Spain, this large, professional-sized project is being directed by a Columbia undergraduate, produced by Columbia undergraduates, and acted by Columbia undergraduates.
As in the film, productive collaboration between cultures today often seems all too difficult. Yet Nel Reinu will be an important bridge between Asturian and American cultures, not just inside, but also outside the story of the film.
Yet is one-of-a-kind hands-on professional production experience for Columbia undergraduates will require strong financial backing from various sources. If you or your organization is interested in supporting Nel Reinu, please contact bluelightcolumbia@gmail.com.
”Nel Reinu“ marks a dramatic move for Project Bluelight outside of the confines of the traditional American short film. This move, while dramatic, is also extremely important. In order to embrace film in its highest sense, Project Bluelight recognizes the importance of operating on a level that transcends the confines of a single culture.
As Columbia University as a whole consistently works to establish itself as a global university, Project Bluelight must also strive to make sure its projects cross international boundaries, and in doing so, create important messages that otherwise would not be heard.
It is especially important for Project Bluelight, as an educational organization, to not limit its members to standard thematically American films.
Nel Reinu is a beautiful story of a forgotten heritage remembered. In the film, the reconciliation of two cultures is not easy to achieve, and in the end no perfect conclusion or solution is reached. The film recognizes that in life, heritages are complicated, but not without enormous inherent beauty. In the face of everything, Asturian culture alone moves the young, Americanized Julia to a profound moment of realization.
After allowing an undergraduate team to be doing things that they would never be able to do by simply assisting on a graduate or other professional shoot, Project Bluelight will push Nel Reinu towards running a lengthy circuit of American film festivals, introducing beautiful aspects of Asturian culture, as well as the aesthetic beauty of the Asturias to a wide American audience.
Based on a true story...
Logline
A self-centered college playwright tries to win back his ex-girlfriend by casting her in a play that mirrors their lives.
JAY, a college playwright, and JEN, his play's director, have a problem to deal with: their lead actress has fallen sick. Jay has a solution: replace the actress with his ex-girlfriend, AUDREY. Given the circumstances, however, Audrey and her new boyfriend NOEL are rather surprised to learn the topic of the play: a playwright wins back his ex-girlfriend by casting her in a play.
Audrey comes to Jay frustrated with his transparency but eventually willing to act due to the familial connections Jay has to Broadway producers. She struggles with the difficulty of separating life from fiction just as Jay struggles with the difficulty of forcefully applying fiction to life.
Jay's world peppered by absurdities out of his control...literal visual jokes manifest themselves before Jay: chickens cross the road; a monk, a priest and a rabbi walk into a bar; a brunette, a redhead, and a blonde follow. Ultimately, Jay's convoluted setup and the play's repetition lead to Audrey's rejection of him, and a long line of people frustrated by Jay's self-importance who would like nothing more than a chance to hit him: punch line.
Josh Breslow (Director) has directed, written, provided technical support for, and acted in various films and stage productions since the age of ten, learning how the entire process works from many perspectives. He has studied with people such as film and TV director Ed Zwick (Blood Diamond, My So-Called Life) and Broadway directors Glenn Casale (Peter Pan) and Jeff Calhoun (Big River).
Rob Trump (Scriptwriter) has written comedy pieces for Columbia publications The Fed and Jester. He has also written for the Columbia's 113th Annual Varsity Show and will write for the 114th.
