PASSIONADA RECEIVES A PASSIONATE EMBRACE FROM NEW BEDFORD
COMMUNITY
By Vinca Liane Jarrett
August 4, New Bedford, MA - While the shoot wrapped nearly two years ago in the southern coastal town of
New Bedford, Massachusetts, the community that participated and assisted Boston-based screenwriters Jim
and Steve Jemanok make their dream come true, waited anxiously for the premier event that would begin the
release of the feature romantic-comedy PASSIONADA. A love story between the Portuguese widow of a
fisherman played exceptionally well by the always-gorgeous Sofia Milos (tv: CSI: MIAMI, Film: THE CROSS)
and a nearly forgettable, if not downright unbelievable performance, by British actor Jason Issacs (HARRY
POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS as Lucius Malfoy). The female roles triumph in this bittersweet
seduction spinning a fable of love conquers all, as long as one believes enough or can completely suspend
belief as the case may be. New comer Vickey Amonte (MYSTIC RIVER, SONG CATCHER) and soon to be “it
girl” shines as the daughter trying to knock mother into dating shape after the tragic death several years
back of her beloved husband who drowned at sea, and film veteran Lupe Ontiveros (REAL WOMEN HAVE
CURVES, CHUCK AND BUCK), who was the only actor that showed for the premier, stole the stage as the
mother-in-law who can let her daughter-in-law seek new love in spite of their mutual loss. While three-time
director Dan Ireland (THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD) does a passably good job at bringing the sometimes soppy
story together, what shines here is the stunning cinematography by Claudo Rocha (FOUR DOGS PLAYING
POKER) who brings out the best of the urban setting of New Bedford which has often struggled between
industrialism and tourism. Further, Steve Jermanok, esteemed journalist of the Boston Globe and brother
Jim Jermanok, a former literary agent in New York turned producer/writer (Jim also executive produces the
film), shine in their first screenwriting credits as a team to be watched and are currently represented by the
Nick Yellen Creative Agency in New York.
While it’s not clear whether Boston local and executive producer David Bakalar, who largely underwrote the
financing of the production, will venture out into the tremulous investment of film again, his hands-on
approach and skill as a business man, demonstrated a keen knowledge of how to secure a deal from a
mini-major distributor, Samuel Goldwyn Films which allegedly will have a 200 U.S. screen theatrical
distribution, and all this without being a participant or contender in any major worldwide film festival. The
premier itself was a sight to be seen, overflowing with anxious locals with at least a dozen police in tow
outside the small mall-located theatre, which had the film showing on nearly every screen to accommodate
the local enthusiasts. The mayor of New Bedford gave a heart warming speech about the town of New
Bedford and in the audience that night were none other than former Governor Dukakis and first
Massachusetts Lady Kitty Dukakis, who also attended the gala event afterwards. Now awaiting the final
judgment of a nationwide release as to whether a more than $7,000,000 independent film can re-coop its
budget without A-list attached, as did movies such as MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING and MYSTIC PIZZA, the
first film to notably be set in a Portuguese community, albeit that one in Mystic, Connecticut, and both with
much smaller budgets, lets keep our eyes and ears open and our fingers and toes crossed for future projects
by local writers Jim and Steve Jermanok.
Vinca Liane Jarrett is the managing attorney of the Law Offices of Vinca Jarrett &
Associates, a full-service law firm with foremost experience in the field of entertainment, including film,
television, music and media. She is also the owner and principal of SKRIPTEASE Script Consulting. She is
currently on the Board of Advisors to the Golden Trailer Awards. You can contact Vinca at
JarrettBiz@aol.com. Her web site is
www.vincajarrett.com.
