‘Comes Out' in Miami

No, silly, not Pedro Almodóvar. Even though my last two Blogs were about master filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar, this CineBlog is about a completely different Pedro. MTV's Pedro Zamorra.

Last night I attended a screening of PEDRO at the Colony Theater in South Beach. This film opened the line-up for the 2009 Miami Gay and Lesbian Film Festival to a sold-out crowd and a standing ovation. PEDRO is the life story of the young AIDS activist Pedro Zamorra, Miami's own Cuban American, who was part of the cast of MTV's The Real World: San Francisco, and died at the age of 22, soon after the show finished airing its last episode in 1994.

I happen to have worked on this film in Puerto Rico last year. I'm friends with the producers, production designer Denise Hudson and the art directors for the film, Franco Esile and Jonah Markowitz. When they needed some medical equipment for the film, Junior came to the rescue from Miami to Puerto Rico with the film's medical equipment and medical props. Several of the scenes in the movie take place in a hospital, so it was fun to watch my little grain of sand in this film, which has such an important legacy to share with the world.

Since I had worked on the film, it was only natural that I went to support it and my friends' work. I really enjoyed seeing part of the cast again, especially Alex Loynaz and Jenn Liu, with whom I bonded last year in Puerto Rico.>

Jenn Liu, Karolin Luna and Alex Loynaz.

Jenn Liu, Karolin Luna and Alex Loynaz.

The most emotional part of the night was the Q&A after the film, when the real-life members of the Zamorra family who were portrayed in the film spoke about their own experience and relationship Pedro. Hector Zamorra's speech showing his unconditional love for his son and for the mission he embarked on as an AIDS activist, even though he didn't fully understand his son's homos*xuality, was a special moment acknowledged by the crowd.

Another tear-jerking moment was Pedro's sister, Milly, portrayed in the film by Six Feet Under's Justina Machado,

talking about her continuing fight to keep Pedro's story and legacy alive.

I heard a lot of sniffling and saw a lot of tear-wiping.

Check out the trailer for the film here.

After the film, my friends and I went for a complimentary cocktail at the after party for the film. There, I was interviewed by Miami Herald's Steve Rothaus for having worked on the film. Pretty cool, eh?!

Junior & friends: Ivette Naranjo, owner of Miami hotspot Cafeína (left), and Ruby Lopera (right) of Lopera International Management, at the PEDRO after party off Lincoln Road.

Pictures on this blog courtesy of Mr. Rothaus of The Miami Herald.