After an eccentric-ex-narco Mexican director disappears with his movie budget,
he leaves behind a ragtag Austin film crew who decides to rally together, salvage his amateur script and turn it into an unexpected success.
 A Hommage to Sergio Leonea Tribute to all Independent Filmmakers out there |  PART 1LUIS LEON (50s), a former Mexican drug lord has developed a yearning to tell stories and make movies as a young boy, the day he saw a Sergio Leone Western flickering on a makeshift screen in his local village church. He decides to use his amassed wealth to produce and direct his first feature film "Cafe Del Artisto" in Austin, Texas. |  PART 2He hires MANA NEYESTAN I(30s) - an idealistic line producer - to lead an independent American film crew. Shooting and editing along the way begins. JENNY WONG (30s), the young Asian editor, has managed to get her struggling documentary filmmaker friend JONAS BERGMAN hired to create the movie’s "Making of". Through behind-the-scenes interviews, we meet the main film protagonists, BRENDAN (30s), MARISOL (20s), and MARCO (30s). |  PART 3The US film team is left to fend for themselves and needs a solution to have something ready for the next Cannes film festival, where they have been programmed to screen 2 months down the road. During his Mexican journey, we find out Luis’ brother RODRIGO, who put his family in jeopardy, is sent to the States to stay put while the DEBT he owes to another druglord gets resolved. |  PART 4Once at Luis’ apartment, Rodrigo can’t help but read Luis’ script. He decides to get involved in the on going production and, due in part to the brothers’ ressemblance, the movie greatly benefits from his involvement. Thanks to the actors and crew keeping it together, the final film winds up being the making of an immigrant’s dream in America, the land of opportunity, mixing Jonas’ “making of” footage to tell a gripping story. |  PART 5The film is done but they realize Cannes was just an invention from Luis. An unexpected SAVIOR allows them to still get screened at SXSW, but Luis who still feels like it’s his movie, decides to meet them in Austin from Mexico with yet another unexpected guest. Oh, and during the story they discover Sergio Leone is Italian. |
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5 PART SYNOPSIS (BELOW)
2 LOCATIONS :
AUSTIN, TEXAS - US
LAS PIERRAS VILLAGE, MEXICO
LOGLINE
After an eccentric-ex-narco Mexican director disappears with his movie budget, he leaves behind
a ragtag Austin film crew who decides to rally together, salvage his amateur script
and turn it into an unexpected success.
FULL SYNOPSIS
PART 1 - Luis’ dream
LUIS LEON (50s), a former Mexican drug lord, decides to use his amassed wealth to produce and direct his first feature film,"Cafe Del Artisto", in Austin, Texas. The day he saw, as a young boy, a Sergio Leone Western flickering on a makeshift screen in his local village church, he developed a yearning to tell stories and make the same kind of movies!
PART 2 - Meet the Crew
He hires MANA NEYESTANI (30s) - an idealistic line producer - to lead an independent American film crew. Shooting begins as well as editing along the way.
JENNY WONG (30s), the young Asian editor, has managed to convince Mana to hire her down & out documentary filmmaker friend JONAS BERGMAN (40s), to create the movie’s "Making of". Through behind-the-scenes interviews, we meet the main film protagonists: BRENDAN (30s), MARISOL (20s), and MARCO (30s). When Luis is unexpectedly called back to Mexico for “urgent family affairs”, Jonas becomes the ‘de facto’ director. The catch: Luis left with all the production money and his script sucks.
PART 3 - A Mexican Challenge
As soon as Luis arrives in Mexico, he sends his brother RODRIGO (40s), to lay low back at his place in Austin, while he resolves an important POKER DEBT Rodrigo owes El GUERRERO (60s), Luis’ ex narco boss.
In his home village, Luis chance encounters his childhood crush PENELOPE (50s). She helps him find a way to settle his brother’s predicament by arranging a “winner takes all” poker game with Guerrero. Back in Texas, left to fend for themselves, the US film team scrambles to get their movie ready for the upcoming Cannes Film Festival, which Luis promised they would attend. At Luis's apartment in Austin, Rodrigo stumbles upon his brother’s script.
PART 4 - Rodrigo gets involved
After reading and rewriting the poorly written scenario, Rodrigo finds and joins the ongoing production. The brothers' look alike proves to be a boon for the movie: Rodrigo will play Luis in the new version. With the actors and crew keeping it together, the final film achieves a unique result: a gripping tale of a migrant's dream in America, blending Luis's fiction imagery with Jonas's "making of" footage. But, to everyone’s dismay, it becomes obvious Luis lied about going to Cannes... Then, a fateful encounter with famed director ROBERT RODRIGUEZ, secures them a screening at the Austin South by Southwest film festival.
PART 5 - Once Upon a Time in Austin
Luis decides to surprise the film crew at the Austin festival, accompanied by an unexpected and dangerous guest: self proclaimed producer - El Guerrero! Cast & crew all find out who Luis and Guerrero really are and tension is palpable as the movie screens its premiere. The only thing that saves them is the film ends with a standing ovation! Right after the screening,to everyone’s surprise, Luis and Jonas playfully reenact a Sergio Leone style duel outside the theater, a heartfelt testament to the great director. More than a creative success; the film becomes a launching pad for the entire Leonesome crew.
Oh, and during the story many discover Sergio Leone is Italian.
CHARACTERS :
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LUIS LEON(E) (50s), Ex Mexican drug Lord now wannabe director, producer and writer. Sincerely lost…
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JONAS (30s), depressed out of work documentary filmmaker. Became disillusioned and suicidal when his wife left him.
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JENNY (30s), talented, pretty Taiwanese editor who studied in NYU. A big Wong Kar-Wai fan.
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BRANDON (30s), talented yet self-important caucasian actor. A movie aficionado & Godard fan, who comes across as an arrogant prick.
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MANA (30s), frazzled 1st AD, line producer and script-supervisor. Raised in the US but of Iranian descent.
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MARISOL (20s), opinionated, beautiful and busty academic Claudia Cardinale looking actress. Recently divorced. Mexican origin.
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MARCO (30s), reserved, idealist, spanish-speaking indie actor. Total idealist, thinks acting is turning water into wine.
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BO (30s), burnt-out Sergio Leone connoisseur from Portland. A mix of a deadpan and a knack for beautiful imagery.
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PENELOPE (50s), hard working beautiful and single Mexican bar owner. Luis’ childhood sweetheart.
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RODRIGO LEON (40s), Mexican - Luis’ brother, an artist at heart who seeks respect by being more like his big brother.
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EL GUERRERO (60s) - Mexican Narco. Luis’ ex boss. Vindictive, arrogant, dangerous but a movie lover.
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MARIA-LUISA LEON (75) - Luis’ and Rodrigo’s faith driven mother. A widow who tried to raise her two sons the Christian way.
independent
US film crew
WHO
DIRECTOR - CO-WRITER
Dan Thorens
Daniel is a self made Canadian Filmmaker, Screenwriter, Producer and Actor. He has honed his Director’s skills by working with renowned Jerome Savary, Roland Topor, Andreas Voutsinas and Jean‐ Luc Godard to name a few. His versatility as a Director allows him to move into different genres with ease. He's co-written 5 feature films and directed a host of short films and 2 documentary pilots which he hosted as well. He’s fluent in French. (www.clockwise1.com)
CO-WRITER
Alexander Doyle
Alexander Janosek Doyle is a New Jersey based teacher, writer, and producer. As a founding member and Executive Director of The Box Colony Theatre Inc., Alexander has produced work at The New York Fringe Festival, as well as his own writing independently in New York and New Jersey. Cafe Del Artisto marks Alexander's first foray into screenwriting. Alexander lives in Jersey City with his wife, Melissa Weiss, and teaches English at Dickinson High School.
SCRIPT CONSULTANT
María González de León
is from Mexico City.
She studied English Literature
at Mexico’s National University
and got her Masters in Scriptwriting
at Centro de Capacitación Cinematográfica, Instituto Mexicano de Bellas Artes (INBA).
She has written several feature films, two of which have been produced:
Filosofía Natural del Amor
and Estero (currently on postproduction).
She has also worked as writer and co-writer of several television series and short films.
In 2011 she was awarded with the
Jóvenes Creadores writing scholarship of Mexico’s Fondo Nacional para la Cultura y las Artes (FONCA).
WHY
WHO
doesn't love these good old spaghetti Western? Who hasn't seen one of Sergio Leone's memorable epics? Most people have.
The idea started as a joke toward the aburdity I've witnessed on some independent film sets but soon took a turn when I got Alex Doyle involved. He immediately understood the tone and with his wit and our countless coffees and teas at the french bakery downstairs, we actually took on writing something much more SUBSTANTIAL.
The notion of telling a story within a story is not new but giving it that documentary "making of" twist is unique. The STORY has become a HOMAGE to those fillmmakers that marked our SOCIETIES, LEONE in particular, how little we know about them and how much they helped shape our minds as filmmakers and as an audience. It is also a tribute to 'independent filmmaking' with all its unexpected ups and downs and how, with the will to come together against all odds, we can achieve our dream. Here's to the DREAM.
BY IT"S NATURE,
America is an ever evolving nation;
not merely politically and economically, but socially, philosophically, and ethically.
As the millenial generation comes of age in an increasingly globalized world, it is time to ask:
What is the story of the American immigrant in the twenty-first century?
It is sure to be different; as sure as the American culture changes,
so will the experience of those entering it change.
This film asks, how is the experience of the artist affected by integration
(and inevitable clash) of culture,
and what do the values of America offer the immigrant and the artist?
I'VE ALWAYS
wanted to tell a story about making a film but never knew the context in which to do it until Dan Thorens presented me "Leonesome Love" .
I could see myself through the eyes of Jonas - a documentary filmmaker unable to sustain himself while trying to tell compelling human stories. Now he finally receives his big break in the most unlikely of circumstances - with an opportunity to have his film premiere at a MAjor Film Festival. An ironic twist to how unpredictable success can come in such an ever-changing volatile industry.
What I'm also drawn to is how filmmakers influence our storytelling perspectives so much so that we choose to emulate their approaches - (Sergio Leone, Jean Luc-Godard) yet end up creating unique styles that add another layer to their canvas: the screen.
I think the filmmaking perspective from the US to Mexico has been limited and this story merges the two very different cultures into an original and un-pioneered way.
I'm excited to see this film come to light.
AFTER
my first reading of "Leonesome Love", I liked very much and accepted to work on it.
I love the originality of the plot and characters.
The drug trafficking scene in Mexico is very prevalent, especially nowadays.
The first thing that caught my attention was Luis,
because we Mexicans and, I think, people from other countries,
conceive Mexican drug lords as a personification of wickedness and darkness.
But Luis is anything but that.
He's a sensitive character, despite his occupation and more evident traits,
and in his deepest desires, although he can't express it,
he has the sensitivity of a true artist. His brother Rodrigo expresses it for him.
I was happy when Alex and Dan approached me to ask for my impression and input
as a Mexican screen-writer.
For a Mexican audience, whom this film aims at reaching as well,
it is important to keep the Mexican scenes and characters as authentic as possible.
I look foreward to seeing this project come to the big screens.
ABOUT
CW1 Films:
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We are a specialized production company based in Manhattan, New York, with strong working partnerships in the US, China, France, Canada and Switzerland.
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We like to work closely with producers and directors and we maintain an extensive knowledge of production procedures from start to finish.
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CW1 has worked with clients such as BENZ, MITSUBISHI, HEINEKEN, BUICK, PIONEER,, VIDAL SASSOON.
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