LADRONES Y MENTIROSOS / THIEVES AND LIARS

Puerto Rico. 2006. 35 mm. Fiction. 114 min.

RICARDO MENDEZ MATTA
A small island with a population of four million, Puerto Rico is the only U.S. territory where Spanish is the main language. Strategically located between South and North America, it has become the main gateway for cocaine into the U.S. east coast. “Ladrones y Mentirosos” follows the lives of three Puerto Rican families, each affected by this wave of corruption and crime, as the older generations helplessly watch the deterioration of truth and justice in their society’s youth. Cheo and Miguel are two brothers who support their disapproving grandmother with money they earn from shady drug smugglers. A single mother struggling to take care of her teenage daughter, Wanda Vélez tries to find justice in the Puerto Rican legal system as she fights the fraudulent company that cost Wanda her job. Rebellious teenager Luisito experiments with illegal drugs despite the warnings of his concerned mother Isabel, who finds herself forced to seek the help of her irresponsible ex-husband in dealing with the boy.

“Ladrones & Mentirosos” cuenta la historia de tres familias puertorriqueñas afectadas por la ola de corrupción y narcotráfico que azota la isla desde que se convirtió en la puerta de entrada de cocaína hacia la costa este de los Estados Unidos, retratando como las generaciones mayores inútilmente observan el deterioro paulatino de la verdad y la justicia en la juventud. Cheo y Migue son dos hermanos que mantienen a su reacia abuela con dinero que ganan trabajando para narcotraficantes. Wanda Vélez, una madre soltera luchando por echar hacia delante su joven hija, intenta encontrar justicia en el sistema judicial de Puerto Rico en su pelea con la compañía corrupta que le ha quitado su trabajo. Luisito es un joven rebelde que experimenta con drogas a pesar de las advertencias de su preocupada madre Isabel, quien se ve obligada a pedir ayuda de su irresponsable ex esposo.

BEST DIRECTOR: PHOENIX FILM FESTIVAL; PUERTO RICO’S OFFICIAL ENTRY FOR THE 2007 ACADEMY AWARDS

QUAD CINEMA  4/16 7:10pm Producer & Director Present Q&A  4/19 @ 1:00pm

RICARDO MENDEZ MATTA

This is Ricardo’s first feature film as a director, having worked as a First AD for directors such as Allison Anders (In the Echo), Andy García (The Lost City), Stuart Gordon (The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit), León Ichaso (Ali: An American Hero), Ken Loach (Bread and Roses) and Gregory Nava (American Family). His first directing credit was the award-winning short film Todo Cambia/Everything Changes, written by his wife, Poli Marichal, for Universal Studios’ Hispanic Film Project in 1994. He subsequently directed episodes of the series Weird Science, Nash Bridges, Touched By An Angel and The District, as well as the 2nd unit for Mark Illsley’s Happy, Texas. Ladrones y Mentirosos is his first writing credit, in collaboration once again with Poli Marichal.

El primer largo que dirige Ricardo después de desempeñarse como asistente de dirección para Allison Anders (In the Echo), Andy García (The Lost City), Stuart Gordon (The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit), León Ichaso (Ali: An American Hero), Ken Loach (Bread and Roses) y Gregory Nava (American Family). Como director obtuvo premios con su primer corto Todo Cambia/ Everything Changes, con guión de su esposa Poli Marichal, para el Hispanic Film Project de Universal Studios. Ha trabajado como director en la serie Weird Science y en episodios de las series de CBS Nash Bridges, Touched By An Angel y The District y fue director de la segunda unidad de la película Happy Texas de Mark Illsley. Ladrones y mentirosos es su primer guión, de Nuevo en colaboracion con Poli Marichal.