Director Lisa France and Actor/Producer Luis Moro being interviewed at the Havana Film Festival for Anne B Real

   

 

 L  U  I  S  

M  O  R  O

 Luis was Nominated Best Actor at The American Black Film Festival for his role as Alberto in the history making film Love & Suicide.He also received Independent Spirit Award nominations for his writing and producing abilities with the multiple award winning film Anne B. Real. Anne B. Real received the John Cassavetes Award nomination, as well as the best debut actress nomination. Along with his Anne B. Real screen story by credit, Luis also co-writer the three main Hip-Hop song lyrics and diary entries performed by the lead character of Cynthia.Luis finished 2005 with three completed films. The Unseen, a drama shot in Atlanta Georgia. The romance, Love and Suicide, set in Havana, Cuba and New York plus the comedy Venus & Vegas, shot in Los Angeles and Los Vegas. Luis was also a producer on the feature film The Tollbooth. Luis Moro playing Denzel Washington’s decoy in the Seige.

The Siege

 He can be seen acting in various film protects, including Siege, The (1998/I)_, King of the Ants  and his debut starring role in Love & Suicide. Luis also performs his original stand-up comedy at various comedy clubs. He’s currently prepping his first live comedy special in 2006.

He began his writing and producing career by creating, writing and hosting the first ever Latin-American real estate and travel television show Real Estate America, which aired on the Spanish language television network Univision. He has also penned several scripts.

Moro received screen credit for his screenplay rewrites on Anne B. Real. He also co-wrote all the main hip-hop rap lyrics in the film performed by the lead character of Cynthia. After Anne B. Real, Moro produced three films, the southern drama The Unseen, Love and Suicide, a bilingual love story set in Havana, Cuba that was the first film shot by an American in Cuba since 1959, and a Las Vegas buddy comedy, Venus & Vegas.

 As a writer, Luis also penned Born Black: The True story of Mims Hackett; An African American man framed and sentenced to life in prison, because he ran for political office.

Luis is a graduate of Rutgers University, where he lettered and received NCAA awards for football and studied acting at Mason Gross School of The Arts.

 Moro’s other film projects include The Siege and King of the Ants. Moro’s stand-up original comedy act East vs West went public 2008. He is in production with films into 2009.

 M  O  R  O  

F  I  L  M  S 

  We’re an independent filmmaking family. We’re known as Filmmakers without Borders. Our films have won awards, made history and created instant followings. Our ability to create with the resources we have has rewarded us with Independent Spirit Award nominations, film festival awards and friends around the world. Friends like you who continue to buy our DVD’s directly and recommend our films. Without you, we would not exist. We appreciate all contributions, purchases and work you recommend to us.

Moro Films is owned and operated by husband and wife team, Luis Moro and Bobbi Miller-Moro. Together, with their five children and their filmmaker team, including Peter Maestrey will continue making history.

www.MoroFilms.com

Actress Janice Richardson and Director Lisa France

 LISA FRANCE

DGA/SAG/WGA

Director/Writer

Independent Spirit Award Nominee

Lisa France’s feature and short films have garnered critical and popular acclaim throughout the United States and Europe. Anne B. Real, France’s feature directorial debut, has won over 20 film festival awards and nominations, a Black Reel Award, a Prism nomination and two Independent Spirit Award nominations for Best Debut Performance and The John Cassavetes Award in 2004.  France co-produced and co-wrote Anne B. Real.  Currently it is being broadcast on Showtime, Starz and Black Starz.

France wrote and directed two more features in 2004.  Love & Suicide, shot on location in Havana, Cuba, enjoyed a theatrical release in New Jersey and with AMC Select Theaters (www.AMCselect.com) in Miami. The Unseen, which France also produced, stars Gale Harold (Queer As Folk), Steve Harris (The Practice) and Judah Friedlander (American Splendor) and is being sold in territories all over the world, premiered on Starz and is now available at Blockbuster Video throughout North America.

Lisa France

A hyphenate from the start, France wrote, directed, produced and starred in Love In Tow with Zach Braff (Scrubs, Garden State) and the late Quentin Crisp (Orlando). Love In Tow was an official selection of The Atlanta Film Festival.  From there it traveled to London where it won Best Comedy at the Filmstock International Film Festival and was given a glowing review in the New York based film magazine, “The Independent.”

All three of France’s features have been given positive critical feedback from  major entertainment industry publications such as Variety, The Chicago Tribune and the Village Voice.  In addition, she herself is a published writer with articles in Written By, Filmmaking.com, The Ultimate Film Festival Guide and Digital Cinema Magazine.

In addition to work in the entertainment field, France has always taught as a visiting artist or teacher at a variety of institutions including NYU Tisch, UCLA, Marymount, University of Wisconsin, Columbus School of Art & Design and Scott Powers Studios and currently University of Texas Los Angeles. 

Lisa France in Cuba shooting Love & Suicide

France has also directed numerous short films and promos including: Casting, Tripwire, Gen Ex, The Magic Toilet, and Finding Phyllis (the latter, an integral part of the Broadway comedy troupe Chicks With Shticks).  In the wake of September 11th, 2001, Lisa directed Josh Hartnett and Julia Stiles in a PSA for the Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund, benefiting the victims of 9/11.

France served as:  Executive Producer of the Oscar nominated student short film, Fair Play (starring John Heard and Ed Asner); Producer of Tollbooth (starring Tovah Feldshuh and Marla Sokoloff) on which she performed double duty as Associate Producer and First Assistant Director; Associate Producer of the feature documentary, American Roulette,; and First Assistant Director on the urban feature Uninvited Guest (Winner of the Audience Award at Urban World Film Festival and Best Film at The Acapulco International Film Festival) which was distributed by Trimark.

An accomplished actress and stuntwoman, France has had roles in both film and television including: Looking For An Echo, The Out-Of-Towners, The Sopranos, Stuart Little 2, The Siege, 3 AM, and The Summer of Sam. On stage she played the lead in the Off Broadway production Two Fools, which garnered her an exceptional review in “The Village Voice.”  France’s experience on stage and in front of the camera has given her a firm understanding of the art and craft of acting, a critical component of directing, writing and producing.

Currently France is developing her epic project, Children of the Dragon, the true story of events that transpired in Beijing, China in the spring of 1989.   Told from the perspective of American photographer Jeff Widener, Pulitzer Finalist as he pursued his iconic photograph of “The Tank Man,” which was taken the day after the June 4^th massacre.

Lisa France received her BA from Brooklyn College and her MA from The Ohio State University.   While an undergraduate, she played Division I basketball, cross country and softball for Brooklyn College. Shortly thereafter she played professional basketball for the Manchester Giants in England, and finally transitioned into being a professional runner and tri-athlete for several years. 

 Lisa France Gets Real with Anne B Real by Ramona Prioleau.

In the Film, Anne B Real, brings to light a story of a female Black Latin hip-hop artist inspired by the diaries of Anne Frank, Luis Moro got permission from Buddy Elias, Anne Frank’s last living relative, and first cousin who is the Director of The Anne Frank Center in New York.
In Buddy’s correspondence with Luis, he said, “I didn’t know your film is made by African Americans. This thrills me, that alone is wonderful!!” -Buddy Elias. Elias’ support in his letter to filmmaker Moro said, “Congratulations to the awards!!!! Wonderful but it does not come as a surprise. The film is great. I had one exchange of letters with Steven Spielberg. You can write to him and let him know that I am supporting you and love the film. My wife and I are moved especially how Anne’s and Otto’s words are integrated in this film. With so much sensitivity. Thank you.” -Buddy Elias.

This film is ground breaking in that never before the Black community was integrated the a Jewish history of Anne Frank and her diary (The Diary of Anne Frank) in a feature film.

Anne B. Real received the John Cassavetes “Best Feature” Award nomination, as well as the ‘Best Debut Actress’ nomination for the character ‘Cynthia’.