Natalia
Cinematography:

Cleopatra - 2003



“Nunca es tarde para cambiar“
(It is never late for a change)


Cleopatra is a comedy drama movie that was written and directed by famous Argentine artist Eduardo Mignogna. The movie is in Argentine-Spanish co-production by production companies TeLeFé (Argentina), Patagonik Film Group (Argentina) and Alquimia Cinema (Spain). The movie was filmed in eight weeks, from March 10th 2003 till May 2nd 2003 in Argentine capital Buenos Aires and in province Mendoza. The movie’s budget was 1.306.600 Euros.
In the leading roles there are Argentine stars Norma Aleandro, Natalia Oreiro and Leonardo Sbaraglia. In supporting roles there are Hector Alterio and Boy Olmi. Composer Paco Ortega, who also sings the main movie’s theme song Y Tan Contenta, composed original movie’s score.
The movie lasts 104 minutes and its world premiere took place in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on August 14th 2003. In Argentina more than 400.000 people saw the movie and the movie managed to earn 2.386.020 American dollars. In Uruguay, the premiere took place on August 22nd 2003. Spanish premiere of Cleopatra took place on April 26th 2004 and in 60 screening halls almost 200.000 people saw the movie and in total the movie earned 782.046 Euros. Moreover, the movie was screened in cinemas of Mexico, Brazil and Israel. The movie was also successful at various international film festivals, yet mainly in the English speaking countries such as the USA and Canada, where the movie won several awards.
The movie was awarded with Zenith de Oro (la Mejor Película Latinoamericana) as the best Latin American movie of the year at the Montréal World Film Festival held in Canada in September 2003. At the American Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival held in October 2003 the movie was awarded with three awards – the best foreign movie, director and actress for Norma Aleandro. In February 2004, the movie got “Nueva Visión a la Mejor Película Espanola o Latinoamericana“ award at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival in California, USA. The movie, moreover, obtained six prestigious nominations at the Argentine awards Premios Condor de Plata for year 2003.


Content:
1. Movie Information
    1.1 Plot
    1.2 Cast
    1.3 Main Characters
    1.4 General Information
2. Production
    2.1 Pre-Production
    2.2 Filming
    2.3 Post-Production
3. Release
   3.1 Cinema Release
      3.1.1 Argentina (World Premiere)
      3.1.2 Uruguay
      3.1.3 Spain
      3.1.4 Brazil & Mexico
      3.1.5 Israel
   3.2 Film Festival Release
      3.2.1 Canada & USA
      3.2.2 Spain
   3.3 Home Media Release
      3.3.1 Digital Video Disc
      3.3.2 Banda de Sonido Original
   3.4 Television Release
4. Awards & Nominations
5. International Film Festival List



1. Movie Information

Main characters are two women – Sandra (Natalia Oreiro), famous actress, and retired teacher Cleopatra (Norma Aleandro). Cleo is sick of her boring life full of routines; her children are away, her husband Roberto (Hector Alterio) is a drunk and she cannot find her inner peace. She decides to fulfill her dream to be an actress. She gets to telenovela casting; however, she gets very nervous and runs away. She hides herself in a bathroom where she meets Sandra.
Sandra is also sick and tired of her life that is led by her boyfriend manager Francis (Boy Olmi). He wants only fame and money and he doesn’t care what Sandra really wants. When Cleopatra comes home that day she finds her husband drunk and they end up having fight. Cleopatra doesn’t know where to go so she decides to go back to TV studio. Same evening Sandra has fight with Francis because she doesn’t want to do what he wants her to. In front of the studio building she meets Cleopatra again and together they go to her apartment.
Cleopatra spends night at Sandra’s place and finds out that Sandra is bulimic. Sandra decides to end up her miserable life; she cuts off her hair and wants to get out of the city to visit her father living in far away Mendoza. In the end both women decide to go on the trip and leave their lives behind.
On the road they have a little accident and they meet up with Carlos (Leonardo Sbaraglia) who continues with them in their adventure. On the way they have to face fate, happiness, losses or love and they don’t even know where they might end up. The whole movie takes place during 72 hours only, specifically from Friday to Sunday; and becomes exciting ride for not only Latin American movie fans.

Cleopatra - movie stills


1.2 Cast
Eduardo Mignogna is known for his admiration for legendary Argentinean actress and Oscar nominee Norma Aleandro and that is why it was not surprising that she was cast in the leading role. Together with Norma there was Natalia Oreiro and Leonardo Sbaraglia casted as main characters.
Cleopatra is Natalia Oreiro’s second silver screen movie of her career. Natalia got in the movie chance to show that she can portray also a dramatic character, which is different from her previous telenovela characters. Natalia had to cut her long hair because the script asks for it, so Natalia did not hesitate and she cut her real hair in one of the scenes.

Norma Aleandro - Cleopatra
Natalia Oreiro - Sandra / Milagros
Leonardo Sbaraglia - Carlos
Hector Alterio - Roberto
Alberto de Mendoza - Victor
Boy Olmi - Francis
Beatriz Spelzini - Matilde


1.3 Main Characters
Cleopatra – retired teacher who now sells cosmetics door to door. She is tired of her life and she desires for change.

Roberto – Cleopatra’s husband. He is always drunk and he is always in trouble. He thinks his life is pointless, he lost desire to live. ale je deptána jeho chladným chováním.
Sandra – famous actress who is also tired of her stereotypical life. In Cleopatra she finds unexpected friend. In Carlos, on the other hand, she finds unexpected love. Victor – he lives in Mendoza where he meets Cleopatra at party. They find out that they share a lot but it looks like their lives need to go separate ways.
Carlos – horseman who travels to Mendoza to fulfill last will of his parents and to get their old ranch. On the road he meets Cleopatra and Sandra who he falls in love with Francis – he is Sandra’s manager and also boyfriend. He builds her career for her without asking her what she really wants. He wants only money.



1.4 General Information
Genre: Drama / Comedy
Length: 104 minutes
Language: Spanish
Subtitles: Spanish / English / Russian / Hebrew / Portuguese
Dubbing: English / Russian
Director: Eduardo Mignogna
Script: Eduardo Mignogna
Silvina Chague
Production: Carlos Mentasti, Pablo Bossi
Web: www.alquimiacinema.com/cleopatra
Cinema: Argentina - 14/08/2003, Uruguay - 22/08/2003, Spain - 26/03/2004, Brazil - 10/12/2004, Israel - 13/10/2005


2. Production

2.1 Pre-production
Preparations for the upcoming movie titled Cleopatra have started already by the end of year 2002. On September 25th 2002 it was announced for the first time by Argentine newspaper Clarín that actress Natalia Oreiro would have leading role in the movie alongside star Norma Aleandro. Just one day later, on September 26th 2002, this information was confirmed by newspaper Hoy that wrote that movie Cleopatra is a return of Oreiro on silver screens after her debut hit movie Un Argentino en New York from 1998.
In an interview with director and scriptwriter Eduardo Mignogna in Uruguayan newspaper El Pais from September 26th 2002 it was confirmed that actress Natalia Oreiro would be in the movie in leading role. Mignogna said about movie’s story: “Cleopatra is a story of two women who decide to stop doing what the others want them to do. It is a small road story of four characters, it is very private story and very close to present day realities.“
Natalia Oreiro and Norma Aleandro met together by the end of 2002 for an informal dinner to talk about their movie characters. “I am very happy, I am returning to silver screens with new character,” said Oreiro. He character is a famous actress Sandra, who wants to change her life. The same wants also Cleopatra, played by Aleandro, who leaves her husband in order to search for new life. These two so distinct women will join in a two-day adventure. It was also announced that the movie should be filmed in March 2003 and that in supporting roles should appear actors Héctor Alterio and Leonardo Sbaraglia.
An interview with Norma Aleandro was published by Uruguayan newspaper El País on January 18th 2003 where she said: “It’s a wonderful story. It is a road movie because during the story we drive North-West of Argentina.” Concerning her colleague Natalia Oreiro she said: “I think she is a girl with huge potential. Natalia is still very young and I like that she is constantly looking for new challenges, and not only those of TV. I like and support that a lot!“
On January 30th 2003 it was announced that amazing 5.000 people attended casting for roles in movie Cleopatra, which was held in Mendoza. 75 percent of the movie would be filmed in province Mendoza and the production was looking for actors and extras in that region. In the end, 200 extras were chosen to appear in the movie.

Aleandro & Oreiro having informal dinner, 2002; Intrusos interview; Interview for La Nación, February 2003

Actress Natalia Oreiro decided to change her image for role of Sandra. From her red hair color she dyed her hair to red-brown in February 2003. “The movie deals with many issues, it is not only if I change my hair or not,” joked Oreiro in an interview for Intrusos addressing rumors that she is about to cut her hair short in the movie. “We start filming on Monday March 10th,” she added.
On February 23rd 2003 an interview with leading movie’s protagonists Natalia Oreiro and Norma Aleandro was published by newspaper La Nación. “Sandra is very lonely person standing in the lights of cameras. Her mother left her and father fell in love with another woman. Sandra came to be famous hoping her mother would see her. However, her manager and boyfriend Francis wants only money and fame and is using her,” said Oreiro about her character. Aleandro revealed about her character Cleopatra: “She is all she is expected to be. A good mother, wife, worker, but she dreams of something more.”

2.2 Filming
The first filming day was on Monday March 10th 2003 in Buenos Aires. Filming in Argentina’s capital took three weeks.
The first news from filming was brought by Spanish newspaper El País on March 26th 2003. The movie’s story was revealed; it deals with a life of a woman who needs to face life’s dilemmas she is living and search for new ways of happiness. Cleopatra (Norma Aleandro) is a retired schoolteacher who lives with her drunken husband till the day she decides to go on adventurous trip with young telenovela star Sandra (Natalia Oreiro). “I wanted them to travel to mountains in the middle of Argentina, because to travel to sea would be too close from where the story begins in Buenos Aires. So I picked up mountains as they are further away and also more remote to come back easily,” said the movie’s director Eduardo Mignogna. “Cleopatra’s journey is not only the physical one in number of kilometers, but above all it is spiritual. It is a road-movie but does not reflect American movies of same genre,” he added. Movie Cleopatra is another Mignogna’s movie with female in leading role: “I know so little about women that I choose to do movies in order to get to know them better,” he laughs.
A scene that was filmed in Buenos Aires was also the one where Natalia Oreiro cuts her long hair short as part of her character’s Sandra transformation. This scene was shot in one cut because it was real Oreiro’s hair she did cut short, not any wig. Hairdresser Alberto Mocchia did the final haircut, in which Oreiro appears in most of the movie’s scenes. “It is really a big change, but I admire the script and my work as an actress,” said Oreiro after the scene was filmed.
Scenes on the highway between Buenos Aires’ center and Ezeiza airport were filmed on Thursday March 27th 2003. It is a scene where actresses Natalia Oreiro and Norma Aleandro are leaving the chaos of the city for their road-trip.
After all scenes in the capital were concluded, the filming team moved on April 6th 2003 to Argentine province Mendoza where filming continued. Filming locations were around towns Neuquen, San Martín de los Andes, Villa La Angostura and San Carlos de Bariloche.

Filming in Buenos Aires; Press conference in Mendoza, April 8th 2003

The movie’s very first official press conference took place on April 8th 2003 in Mendoza’s hotel Aconcagua with the presence of actors Norma Aleandro, Natalia Oreiro and Leonardo Sbaraglia. The director and scriptwriter Eduardo Mignogna and producer Carlos Mentasti were also present. ”It is a story of two women who decide not to be told what to do anymore. It is a small story about life’s journey with four characters,” said Oreiro at the conference. She added about her new haircut: “The truth is that despite the big change the movie comes first – I am an actress after all. I want to portray my character for real and that comes with short hair, not any wig. My hair will grow back!”
On April 10th 2003, news from filming close to Tupungato Mountain was brought by newspaper Clarín. “When I was writing the scrip, I wrote a note to Sandra’s character that was saying that Sandra is a girl ‘like Natalia Oreiro’. But I had no idea that in the end all would work out this way and I would have real Natalia Oreiro in my movie. But people should not confuse Sandra and Natalia, in fact, they are very distinct,“ said Eduardo Mignogna about casting star Natalia Oreiro as leading protagonist. Filming close to one of the highest Andes’ mountains Tupungato was supposed to be finished by Friday April 11th 2003, yet filming had to be extended to Monday April 14th 2003 in order to complete all scenes there.
When finished, filming team moved nearby towns of Potrerillos, El Salto and Las Cuevas where filming continued. Last filming week scenes in town Chacras de Coria were filmed. In local chapel a scene where Sandra (Natalia Oreiro) sings a song for local orphans being taken care of by Korean nun was also filmed. However, this scene did not make it to the final movie’s cut.
The very last scenes were filmed on Friday May 2nd 2003 at the Chacras de Coria’s main town square with the assistance of local police ensuring no disturbance could happen while filming. Filming of movie Cleopatra was successfully concluded after eight weeks of intense filming.

Filming in Mendoza; Aleandro, Oreiro & Mignogna for Clarín

The movie is in Argentine-Spanish co-production thus the budget was divided among Spanish company Alquimia Cinema, which gave 750.000 Euros, and Argentine companies Telefé and Patagonik Film Group, which together gave 2.200.000 Argentine pesos. The final movie’s budget was 1.306.600 Euros. Movie’s premiere was set for August 2003.

2.3 Post-production
After the filming was concluded, actress Natalia Oreiro talked with magazine Gente from May 13th 2003 about her filming experience: “Indeed the movie talks about two women and about their ability to go further at life’s crossings, but the movie is not feministic. The movie shows two very distinct females of two distinct generation but yet they have much in common,” revealed Oreiro about the plot.
An interview with director Eduardo Mignogna with newspaper Clarín was published on July 2nd 2003. “At the moment I am in Spain where I work with composer Paco Ortega on movie’s original score,” he said and adds: “Ortega also wrote lyrics to my song for the movie, the song is closely linked to movie’s theme. The truth is that Cleopatra is a small story, which I wanted to bring to life for a long time already. It is a movie based on leading actors’ acting and their ability to adapt to the script!“


3. Release

3.1 Cinema Release
3.1.1 Argentina (World Premiere)
Before the movie Cleopatra’s premiere, there was a series of promotional events taking place in August 2003 in Argentina. Actress Natalia Oreiro appeared in many TV shows and interviews and took many photos for various Argentine newspapers. On Argentine TV stations there were also promo videos, trailers and backstage videos shown as part of the promotion.
In August 2003, actress Natalia Oreiro is on cover of magazines El Planeta Urbano and Glamour, where she talked about movie Cleopatra. “Cleopatra is an emotional movie that will make you fly. It is one of the movies that people will remember and keep it in their hearts,” said Oreiro for Glamour. “Eduardo Mignogna managed to create a story where any viewer feels connected directly to characters and their stories. It seem that viewers are with characters in the story, who can talk to them from the big screen.“
Just few days before movie’s premiere, on August 5th 2003, Natalia Oreiro talked in an interview with magazine Caras. She talked about filming as well as her character: “I had to loose 5 kilos to portray Sandra. I couldn’t eat much during the whole filming time. I love chocolate, pasta, bread with cheese and pizzas, but I couldn’t start filming as slim girl and finish nicely rounded with bigger breasts and behind. But I did not go on any diet, I prefer to exercise, mainly aerobic, that I did every day,” said the talented actress: “At first it might seem that Sandra is me, but Sandra became actress because she wanted to feel loved, I became actress to express myself. We might have in common the fact that in our lives we felt like we do things that don’t make us happy and we needed to change them.“

Oreiro in magazines Gente, Caras, El Planeta Urbano, Glamour and Pronto promoting movie Cleopatra

New interview with Natalia Oreiro was published by newspaper La Nación on Saturday August 10th 2003. “Filming was magical! Never before had I chance to work with such an amazing director as Mignogna is, and moreover, he has wonderful personality. The script is fantastic; I play an extraordinary girl who is bulimic. It was important for me to get to know as much as possible about this illness. I wanted to look trustworthy. I also talked with girls who suffer from bulimia and once I could feel what they are going through I knew I could portray my character well,” she said in an interview. The same day another interview with Oreiro was published, this time in newspaper Clarín. It was said that Oreiro is the only one from the cast promoting the movie in Argentina as both actors Norma Aleandro and Leonardo Sbaraglia were filming in Spain. “It is a bit unfair that I am the only one promoting the movie, I think it would be much better if I had my colleagues by my side. Now I am the only one to be exposed,” laughs Oreiro. “I played with my acting in this movie. And it was amazing I could watch star actress Aleandro work. The whole responsibility is on her actually, and on the director, because Aleandro is the leading actress in this movie,” she added.
Moreover, on Sunday August 10th 2003, Natalia Oreiro was a guest star of famous Susana Gimenez Show on TV station TeLeFe in order to continue movie’s promotion: “The movie is about female souls, about freedom. Guys will also enjoy the movie but mainly it is a movie for women. The movie is about two women who after one grand decision will never be who they used to be before. My character will fall in love for the first time and Norma Aleandro’s character will also never be who she was, her change is inner,” said Oreiro about the movie and added: “We filmed the movie in province Mendoza and apart the main cast there are also local actors because director Eduardo Mignogna wanted to stay as real with the region as possible!”
Next day, on Monday August 11th 2003, magazine CHC (Como Hacer Cine) published an interview with movie’s co-script-writer Silvina Chague. “We wrote the script from May to December 2002. I think it is a story that will interest a lot of people and make them think about their lives they lead and where they are heading to,” said Chague. The same day a second official movie’s press conference took place in Hilton Hotel in Buenos Aires. This time, actress Natalia Oreiro, director Eduardo Mignogna and producer Carlos Mentasti were present. “The movie is not only for women, it will touch men as well. The movie deals with our society and how it is actually not easy to do what we really want to do,” said Oreiro. Natalia Oreiro was later the same day also a guest of TV show Indomables on TV station America TV. “I had to change a lot for the role, and now I don’t talk about my hair only. Sandra is bulimic and this required that I lost five kilos and also managed to behave like a girl who suffers from this disease.“ Moreover, the same day the pre-premiere took place at 22pm at Buenos Aires’ Cinemark Palmares cinema with the presence of director Eduardo Mignogna, producer Carlos Mentasti and leading actress Natalia Oreiro, who came with her husband Ricardo Mollo. After the screening there was a private after-party in restaurant Concept.

Show Susana Gimenez – 10-8-2003; Press Conference; Show Indomables – 11-8-2003

As part of further promotion, Natalia Oreiro and Eduardo Mignogna were guests of talk show Almorzando con Mirtha Legrand on TV station América 2 on August 13th 2003. “The scene where I cut my hair was one cut only, it was no wig! We had it all prepared and the result is marvelous,” said Oreiro during the interview.
On August 14th 2003 Eduardo Mignogna and Natalia Oreiro traveled to town Mendoza to be part of the premiere in Mendoza province. Together they appeared at 11am at the morning show Viva la maòana con todo at station Canal 9 Televida. “The music was composed by Spanish musician Paco Ortega, but Eduardo Mignogna wrote all the lyrics,” revealed Oreiro in the show. “This movie has two leading female characters that are played by Natalia and Norma, and I was trying to make them as real as possible but without being too close to their own personalities,” said Mignogna. “Norma can not be part of the premiere because she is currently filming new movie in Spain,” added Oreiro. In the afternoon, there was a third official press conference taking place, this time at Hyatt Hotel in Mendoza. “I hope the script has it all that should be in a good movie. But above all, it is a very human story about our world’s perception,” said director Eduardo Mignogna at the conference. Natalia Oreiro talked about portraying a role of bulimic girl: “I was getting ready for this role from December, I talked to a lot of girls who suffer from this disease and I think this is all seen in my Sandra’s performance.” In the evening, Natalia Oreiro, Eduardo Mignogna and producer Carlos Mentasti were present at the official premiere, which took place at 22pm. “It was important for us to be here in Mendoza because majority of the movie was filmed here,” said Natalia Oreiro at the premiere.
For the first time the movie could be seen by Argentine audience on Thursday August 14th 2003. The movie was screened in 60 cinemas all over Argentina. Immediately after one day of screening the movie reached second place of Argentine box office, placing itself after American movie Bruce Almighty. Argentine critics were very positive about the movie as well as about Natalia Oreiro’s performance:

„Natalia Oreiro is a pleasant surprise. Lively and fresh she is seen in a role that gives her a chance to portray far more than just herself.“
Adolfo C. Martinez / LaNación

„It was said that the time of road movies is gone, Cleopatra changed this all!“
Federico Verde / Zone Freak

On August 19th 2003, actress Natalia Oreiro was guest of Canal 13’s show Gran Diosas to talk about the movie and her character: “To cut my hair was easy, but the first night after was difficult. For every woman hair is something important and suddenly I felt strange without it. But I am an actress and cutting my hair only proves how dedicated and in love was I with the project and in order to become Sandra I had to really cut my hair,” said Oreiro about the scene where she cuts her hair. “The viewer needs to understand that Sandra is going through big transformation in the story. For her the hair is just trademark, but in fact the hair is not hers, it is her manager’s. The fact that she cuts it proves that she does not want to be his toy anymore.”

Pre-premiere in Buenos Aires; Show Almorzando con Mirtha Legrand; Show Gran Diosas

In first three weeks only, amazing 210.00 people saw the movie. The movie was screened in 60 cinemas and more then 400.000 people saw the movie by October 2003. In total, record number of 453.155 people saw the movie and the movie earned 2.386.020 American dollars. Cleopatra was the third most seen national movie of 2003.
In Argentina, the movie’s DVD was released on January 14th 2004. Apart from the original movie, there are also bonuses such as trailer, movie backstage or actors’ biographies In year 2004, the movie obtained six prestigious nominations of Condor de Plata 2003 awards given by Argentinean Film Critics Association Awards. The movie was nominated in following categories: The Best Movie, The Best Actress (Norma Aleandro), The Best Director, The Best Music, The Best Cinematography and The Best Visual Effects. The movie did not win any of the nominated awards.
On January 23rd 2010, six years after movie’s premiere, movie Cleopatra was screened as part of Argentine film festival San Isidro Cine y Estrellas, which was taking place under the open sky. The movie opened the whole film festival.

Official Poster; DVD promo; Poster for film festival San Isidro Cine y Estrellas



3.1.2 Uruguay
Before premiere in Uruguay, on Saturday August 16th 2003, an Uruguayan newspaper El País broad news about exceptional performance of Uruguayan actress Natalia Oreiro in movie Cleopatra: was written.
Natalia Oreiro flew to Montevideo altogether with director Eduardo Mignogna on Wednesday August 20th 2003 to start movie’s promotion. On August 21st 2003 there was a pre-premiere taking place in MovieCenter Montevideo Shoping Center. Oreiro said in various interviews at the pre-premiere: “People’s reactions to movie are beautiful, it is a very sensitive movie which deals with aspects of freedom but does not forget its comedian element with touch of romance. My hair change comes with my movie’s character, but Sandra is not Natalia and what helped me a lot in the process was director’s trust in me!“

Oreiro in Montevideo, Uruguay; Oreiro in an interview for El País


Movie’s premiere took place on Friday August 22nd 2003 when the movie was screened in many Uruguayan cinemas. Uruguayan critics wrote:

„Pleasant, nice story that will make you think of everyday life, dreams and burning bridges! Natalia Oreiro played her cards well for her cinematographic career! “
G.I. / La Republica

The movie Cleopatra was possible to be seen in Uruguayan cinema chain Grupocine and in cinema chain MovieCenter, which has cinemas in Montevideo and in Punta del Este.
On August 23rd 2003 there was an interview in newspaper El País with Natalia Oreiro and Eduardo Mignogna published. “I try to film chronologically, so there would be visible growth of characters. Many times I alter the script depending on an actor and how their acting changes while filming. That was the case with Cleopatra as well,” said Mignogna and added: “It was very emotional to see the movie as whole. Not because it would be good or bad movie, but because with this movie I fulfilled my dream!“


3.1.3 Spain
Official premiere of successful movie Cleopatra in Spain was planned for March 26th 2004 when the movie got into cinemas’ distribution in whole region of Spain. In Spain, the movie’s tagline was changed to: „Conoce a Cleopatra, verás la vida con otros ojos“ (Meet Cleopatra, look at life through different eyes). Spanish critics were very positive:

“Cleopatra shows second chances, which we all have in lives. It does not matter the age. It is a chance to be who we want to be! Cleopatra is a marvelous story. There is monumental Aleandro, fresh Oreiro, undoubtful Alterio and strong Sbaraglia. It is a movie that everyone can enjoy!”
Javier Paisano / Proscritos

“Unique adventure at the eternal way of life showing the challenge to live fully and as we want. Movie Cleopatra highlights acting performance of Norma Aleandro as well as beauty of Natalia Oreiro!”
Ángel Santos / El País

In Spain the movie was distributed by Spanish company Sólida and was screened in 60 cinemas. Altogether 162.987 people saw the movie and the movie earned 782.046 Euros.
Altogether with the premiere, there was a movie’s soundtrack released. There are twelve songs including the theme song Y Tan Contenta sang by Paco Ortega. The soundtrack was released by EMI with collaboration of El Pescador de Estrellas.

Cleopatra – Promo Poster, DVD Cover, DVD ‚Cine Independiente‘

As part of movie’s Cleopatra promotion, an interview with actress Natalia Oreiro was published by Spanish newspaper El País on May 11th 2004. “Sandra might be similar to me in context of fame, but not in context of emotions and decisions made. I could always choose projects I worked on, yet Sandra cannot do that. She is trapped in planned system and once she gets away she never wants to get back. My desire was always being an actress,” said Oreiro in an interview and she added about work with director Eduardo Mignogna: “I am truly honored to be able to work with him. He is a very sensitive director and I learned a lot from him. At first, I wanted to portray Sandra as more cold and distinct, but Mignogna did not like it as he thought I looked like walking dead. For this reason I changed my acting and from at first cold behavior of Sandra we developed concept of her waking up into new possibilities of life as she goes through the movie!”
Movie Cleopatra’s DVD was released half a year after its premiere on October 28th 2004. The DVD was in Spain published by company De A Planeta. There are also various bonuses on the DVD, such as soundtrack, backstage videos and other information. On October 9th 2007, there was a DVD’s re-edition released as part of Spanish cycle of ‘Cine Independiente‘.


3.1.4 Brazil & Mexico
In Brazil, movie Cleopatra was for the first time presented at the Festival do Rio e na Mostra Internacional Cinema de Sao Paulo in the beginning of 2004.
Later in 2004, on December 10th 2004, the movie also got also its official cinema release. Company Buena Vista International distributed the movie. Brazilian critics wrote about the movie:

“The movie proves the fantastic development of Argentine cinema. I could not recommend this movie more!
- Jardel Santos / Leitor

“The movie shows the extreme talent of actresses Aleandro and Oreiro who together create beautiful opposites. Beautiful Oreiro manages to strike viewers emotionally and attracts them towards her reckless movie’s character”
- Cinema Terra

“Phenomenal performance of Aleandro and splendid chemical attraction of Oreiro and Sbaraglia ensures even the most conservative viewer’s interest!“
- Robledo Milani / EPipoca

In 2004, the movie was also screened in cinemas of Mexico.


3.1.5 Israel
Thanks to a huge success of actress and singer Natalia Oreiro in Israel, movie Cleopatra was released in Israeli cinemas on October 13th 2005. Later on, the DVD with movie was released on February 7th 2006. The movie was also screened many times on Israeli TV stations.

Promo Posters – Brazil, Israel; DVD Cover Israel



3.2 Film Festival Release
3.2.1 Canada & USA
The very first international film festival where Cleopatra was presented was Canadian Montréal World Film Festival. The movie was screened on September 2nd 2003 in section Latin American Film Competition and was so successful that the movie won main award Zenith de Oro (la Mejor Película Latinoamericana) for the best Latin American movie of the year. In Canada the tagline was changed for English title: “A Life’s Journey”.
The first screening in the USA took place during the “Argentina New Cinema 2003 “ festival initiated by the Argentine Consulate in Los Angeles and being held at the Egyptian Theater in Hollywood on October 25th 2003. The movie was screened at 7.30pm.
Moreover, the movie was selected for the Official Competition at the Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival and was presented on October 27th 2003. The movie won three prestigious awards at the festival: Jury Award for The Best Foreign Movie of 2003, President Award, which was given to director Eduardo Mignogna and award for actress Norma Aleandro as The Best Actress in leading Role.

Cleopatra –DVD covers for Canadu and the USA


In the USA the tagline was changed to: „La vida es…una telenovela“ (Life is…a telenovela). American critics wrote about the movie:

“Aleandro is nothing less than brilliant and truly amazing Oreiro completes the contrast couple with Sbaraglia. Truly marvelous movie to watch!”
- Eddie Cockrel / Variety

“Cleopatra is a bit shy story that does not lack its magic and offers also comic situations. Aleandro makes this movie a wonderful experience for the whole time!”
- Jake Euker / Filmcritic

The movie was also presented on October 31st 2003 at the Boston Latino International Film Festival and just few days later, in November 2003, the movie was awarded as “Lo mejor del Festival” (The Best of Festival) by Palm Springs International Film Festival’s visitors.
In year 2004, movie Cleopatra was successfully presented at another five film festivals in the USA. On February 13th 2004, the movie won “Nueva Visión a la Mejor Película Espanola o Latinoamericana“ award at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival in California. Apart this festival, the movie was screened at film festivals in Portland, San Francisco, San Diego and Scottsdale.
On January 11th 2005, 20th Fox Century released movie Cleopatra’s DVD in Canada and the USA. The movie was dubbed into English. Movie DVD’s re-edition was released by Venevision company on January 9th 2007.


3.2.2 Spain
The very first screening in Spain, country that co-produced the movie Cleopatra, took place during the 48° Semana Internacional de Cine de Valladolid (Semici) film festival. The movie was selected into Competencia Oficial (Official Competition), where the movie competed for award Espiga de Oro as the best movie of 2003.
The movie was presented on October 27th 2003 by main protagonists Natalia Oreiro and Leonardo Sbaraglia. “Yes, the story takes place in Argentina but its message is universal because there are thousands of Cleopatras out there who do only what they are told and not what they really wish to do,” said Oreiro after the movie’s screening during the questions and answers time with the audience. Natalia Oreiro and Leonardo Sbaraglia also talked in an interview for Spanish television TVE. “It is not my first movie but my first was a long time ago, so I was pleased to return. And to perform with Leo and Norma was just incredible. It is Mignogna’s movie yet the result is hundred percent about actors’ acting and about how camera could capture it,” clarified Oreiro during the interview.

Sbaraglia & Oreiro at the Semici Festival at Valladolid, Spain, October 2003

Movie Cleopatra was also selected for the Competencia Oficial at the Festival de Cine Iberoamericano de Huelva film festival, taking place in Spanish province of Andalusia, where the movie competed for The Best Movie award. Movie was presented on November 8th 2003.
Natalia Oreiro appeared as a consequence to movie’s participations at film festivals in Spanish editions of magazines Glamour and Cosmopolitan in December 2003. “The best about the movie is its script, directing and the cast. To work with Norma Aleandro and Leonardo Sbaraglia was for me a marvelous experience,” said Oreiro in an exclusive interview for magazine Glamour.
On January 4th 2004, still before movie’s official cinema release, the movie took part in the 4th Las Palmas de Gran Canaria International Film Festival, which takes place every year at the Canarias Islands.
On July 1st 2004, movie Cleopatra was, moreover, screened during the "Cine de Verano" en la Comunidad de Madrid in section Lejos de Hollywood.
Two years later, on March 8th 2006, the movie was selected for screening at the Centro Cultural Hortaleza in Madrid as part of Día Internacional de la Mujer Trabajadora.
Last silver screen screening of movie Cleopatra took place on Friday June 6th 2008 when the movie was screened at 10pm as part of Ciclo de cine juvenil "Mujer e Interculturalidad" in Spanish town Lugo.


3.3 Home Media Release
3.3.1 Digital Video Disc
After successful cinematographic release of movie Cleopatra in various countries, there were seven various DVD versions released internationally. The first and original DVD version was released on January 14th 2004 in Argentina. The DVD contains apart from the movie also bonuses, such as trailer, backstage documents and actors information. The very same DVD was released also in Uruguay on April 22nd 2004.
The Spanish DVD edition was released on October 28th 2004. The DVD has different cover from Argentine edition, which reflects movie’s Spanish poster, yet as a matter of content it is very similar to Argentine one. Extra bonus is few songs from the soundtrack. DVD’s re-edition was released on October 9th 2007 as part of Spanish movie cycle ‚Cine Independiente‘.

DVD covers – Argentina & Spain


On January 11th 2005, 20th Fox Century released movie’s DVD in the USA and Canada. The DVD contains as a bonus movie’s trailer and the movie itself is also dubbed into English. The movie’s re-edition by Venevision Company was released in the USA on January 9th 2007.

DVD covers – USA/Canada


Another version was released on September 25th 2005 in Russia as a follow up to censored Cleopatra’s TV release there. The DVD does not contain any bonuses and the movie was dubbed into Russian language. On February 7th 2006, Israeli DVD edition was released.

DVD covers – Russia & Israel



3.3.2 Banda de Sonido Original
Altogether with Spanish movie Cleopatra’s premiere on March 26th 2004, movie’s soundtrack was released. There are twelve songs on the CD including the title song Y Tan Contenta written by Eduardo Mignogna and sang by Paca Ortega, who is also a composer of two movie’s instrumental songs. The song Y Tan Contenta appears on the CD in three various versions in original sung version, in rumba instrumental version and in version as sung by Lucia Montoya. Remaining seven songs are from various artists from Spain and Argentina. Two of these songs are from singer Chango Spasiuk, famous Argentine artist. Song Qué tal? is from Argentine rock band Divididos. Spanish EMI Publishing with collaborations of Spanish publishing house El Pescador de Estrellas published the soundtrack.

BSO Cleopatra - CD Cover



3.4 Television Release
Apart from successful silver screenings and film festival presentations, the movie Cleopatra was also broadcasted on variety of international television networks. In June 2005, movie Cleopatra had its TV premiere at the World Movies Channel in Australia.
On July 30th 2005, the movie was broadcasted on Russian TV. However, on the TV was screened censored version, which is without love scene of Sandra and Carlos, to ensure no age restrictions for the movie. Later on, on September 25th 2005, DVD with full movie’s version was released in Russia.
In Europe, the movie was seen on Romanian TV station Acasa TV. Movie’s premiere was on March 12th 2006. Altogether with the movie, the TV station broadcasted also backstage documentary.

Film Cleopatra at Acasa TV; Backstage documentary in Romania, TV Promo in Hungary

On October 11th 2006, two years after its cinematographic release, Cleopatra had its premiere also on Spanish TV. The movie was broadcasted by TVE2 “Versión Espanola” at 10.35pm. Movie’s reprise took place on Friday April 10th 2009 at the TVE2 channel at 10pm.
After its successful cinematographic release in Brazil in 2004, Cleopatra was broadcasted by Brazilian TV channel on May 2nd 2008.
On March 17th 2010, the movie had its TV premiere in Hungary at the TV station Duna Televizió. Movie was shown at the prime time at 8pm and was named Kleopátra.
Apart of Argentina, Australia, Russia, Brazil, Israel, Hungary, Spain and Romania, movie’s broadcasting rights were sold to following countries: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Estonia, France, India, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldavia, Nepal, New Zealand, Pakistan, Slovenia and Sri Lanka.


4. Awards & Nominations

The movie was awarded by award Zenith de Oro (La Mejor Película Latinoamericana) as the best Latin-American movie of 2003 at the Montréal World Film Festival in Canada in September 2003. At the Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival in USA in October 2003, the movie was awarded three prestigious awards: Jury Award as The Best Foreign Film of 2003, President Award for director Eduardo Mignogna, and The Best Actress in Leading Role award for Norma Aleandro.
The movie received nomination for award Espiga de Oro in October 2003 as the Best Latin American Movie at the Spanish Valladolid International Film Festival. During another Spanish film festival, Festival de Cine Iberoamericano de Huelva in November 2003, the movie was competing in Competición Oficial for The Best Movie of the Year award.
In the USA in November 2003, at the Palm Springs International Film Festival, the movie was elected as “Lo mejor del Festival” (The Best of the Festival) by festival’s visitors
On February 13th 2004, the movie was awarded by “Nueva Visión a la Mejor Película Espanola o Latinoamericana“ award at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival in California, the USA.
Moreover, in Argentina in 2004, the movie received six prestigious nominations from Argentinean Film Critics Association Awards, otherwise known as the Los Condor de Plata 2003 awards. The movie received following nominations: The Best Movie, The Best Actress (Norma Aleandro), The Best Director, The Best Score, The Best Cinematography and The Best Visual Effects.


5. International Film Festival List

The movie Cleopatra was successful mainly at the English-speaking film festivals in the USA and Canada. However, the movie was presented also at film festivals in France, Brazil, Cuba and Spain.

02/09/03 - Montréal World Film Festival
(Montréal, Canada) – screening in Latin American Film Competition
27/10/03 - Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival
(Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA) – screening in Official Competition
27/10/03 - Valladolid International Film Festival
(Valladolid, Spain) – screening in Competición Oficial
31/10/03 - Boston Latino International Film Festival
(Boston, USA) – 1 screening
08/11/03 - Festival de Cine Iberoamericano de Huelva
(Huelva, Spain) – screening in Competición Oficial
11/2003 - Palm Springs International Film Festival
(Palm Springs, California, USA)
12/2003 - Festival Internacional del Nuevo Cine Latinoamericano de La Habana
(Habana, Cuba) – screening in Panorama latinoamericano
2004 - Festival do Rio e na Mostra Internacional Cinema de Sao Paulo
(Sao Paulo, Brazil)
04/01/04 - Las Palmas de Gran Canaria International Film Festival
(Gran Canarias, Spain)
13/02/04 - Santa Barbara International Film Festival
(Santa Barbara, California, USA)
25/02/04 - 27° Portland International Film Festival
(Portland, USA)
04-05/04 - San Francisco International Film festival
(San Francisco, California, USA)
13/05/04 - Cannes Film Market
(Cannes, France)
01/07/04 - "Cine de Verano" en la Comunidad de Madrid
(Madrid, Spain) – screening in Lejos de Hollywood
09/07/04 - San Diego Latino Film Festival
(San Diego, South Carolina, USA) – 5 screenings
02/11/04 - Scottsdale Film Festival
(Scottsdale, USA)
23/01/10 - San Isidro Cine y Estrellas
(Cine al aire libre) (San Isidro, Argentina) – 1 screening


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