Live chat with ‘A Better Life’ director Chris Weitz and star Demian Bichir
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Director Chris Weitz calls “A Better Life” the “biggest movie” he’s ever made. Given the film’s budget (about $10 million) and its subject matter (the plight of a gardener in the United States illegally) it seems like an odd statement, even more so because Weitz has made the much splashier “The Twilight Saga: New Moon,” “The Golden Compass” and “About a Boy.”
But Weitz believes the story of “A Better Life” -- which examines the often perilous personal challenges facing so many invisible people living in America -- is far more important than any subject he’s yet addressed as a filmmaker.
What made Weitz, whose grandmother was born in Mexico, want to make such a radical directing departure? How did he work with Los Angeles gang members to ensure that “A Better Life” was as accurate as possible? How does he hope the film might inform or change the immigration debate? Join Weitz and the film’s star, Demián Bichir in a live chat about “A Better Life” on July 7 at noon. Sign up for a reminder below.
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Chris Weitz’s ‘Better Life’ shines light on illegal immigrant issues
-- John Horn
