Directed by Carlos Marcovich
(Mexico 1997) 92 min.
In Spanish with English subtitles
Shot in Cuba, Mexico, and the US over a period of three years, "Who the Hell is Juliette?" features remarkable cinematography, a wonderful sense of humor and most of all, the hugely charismatic performance of sixteen-year-old Yuliet Ortega as herself -- spirited, street-smart and very sexy. Made with a crew of two -- first-time director Carlos Marcovich and a soundman -- "Juliette" won over audiences at festivals including Telluride, Toronto and Sundance, where it was awarded the Latin American Cinema Prize. It has subsequently been acclaimed by theatre audiences and critics.
Yuliet is a sixteen-year-old who lives in Havana. Her father, whom she has never seen, left Cuba when she was a baby and now lives in New Jersey. One year after her father left, her mother commited suicide, leaving Yuliet to be brought up by her grandmother into a life of prostitution on the streets. A fateful meeting with Fabiola Quiroz, a melancholy Mexican model, changes Yuliette's life. Marcovich weaves a fascinating story with a sweeping and totally innovative nonlinear style exploring the coincidences and parallels that brought these two women together. With verve and skill he lends his vision to their searches for unknown fathers and better futures. The result is a film bursting with music, ribald humor and emotional poignancy that mark "its young director as a brash, original filmmaking talent." - The New York Times
"Wildly original! An ebullient burst of cinematic energy." - The New York Times
"(Four Stars). Only a poet could dare so much and succeed so completely." - San Francisco Chronicle