Posted on Sat, Mar. 28, 2009
Tug's son, Mark, in Philly based movie
By Tirdad Derakhshani
Inquirer Staff Writer
Christopher and Isabel, the couple at the heart of the old-fashioned No Boundaries, fall in love at first sight - on the Broad Street subway, somewhere between Oregon Avenue and City Hall.
A sweet, melancholy drama about immigration, No Boundaries, which will have its world premiere tonight at the Philadelphia Film Festival/Cinefest '09, is possibly the most Philly-centric film since Tom Hanks' Philadelphia and M. Night Shyamalan's The Sixth Sense resurrected the city's cinematic reputation.
Shot entirely on location across the city, including Southwest Philly, the Italian Market, and the Art Museum, the film was made by a cast and crew drawn mostly from the local talent pool.
Even the Los Angeles-based lead actor, Mark McGraw, has a significant local connection: He is the son of the late Phillies icon Tug McGraw.
"It's great to come back after 17 years," says McGraw, who was born in New Orleans in 1971, but grew up in Philadelphia during his dad's long tenure with the Phillies, which started in 1974.
McGraw is amused that he landed his very first starring role in a feature in Philly.
"It's kind of ironic to be back, because I always loved it here but I never thought I'd come back to work here."
Written and codirected by first-time Philadelphia filmmaker Violet Mendoza, No Boundaries follows Isabel, a beautiful illegal immigrant from South America played by Lancaster-based singer-actor Dani Garza.
Isabel sneaks into the country and makes her way to her cousin Martin (Victor Velez) in Southwest Philadelphia, where she throws herself into multiple jobs so she can send money back home for her mother's medical bills.
Isabel's life takes a dramatic turn when she encounters Christopher (McGraw). The tall, blond all-American good guy virtually stalks her until she agrees to see him.
They fall in love, but before long, Isabel learns that Christopher is an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent. Conflicts ensue. There is tragedy. Sacrifices are made.
Corporate lawyer-turned film producer Joyce Koh, who grew up in Overbrook Park and Lower Merion, says she and Mendoza insisted the film be firmly grounded in Philadelphia.
"We have no interest in being anywhere outside Philly," she says. "And the city has a great draw for filmmakers - a supportive film office and wonderful crews."
Koh, a first-generation American whose parents emigrated from South Korea, says Isabel's character "encompasses all that we find easy to ignore about the immigrant population in this country: They are doing things, making a contribution and not just taking."
McGraw is a late bloomer: He began his acting career only three years ago, after 10 years as a firefighter and paramedic in Oregon. He says that while he had always been fascinated by acting, he decided in high school to "do the responsible thing and get an education and a real job."
He says being back in town brought back memories of his father, who died in 2004 of brain cancer. "I saw some of the old places [where] we'd hang out," he says, including Rembrandt's, London Grill, and of course Pat's Steaks.
Unlike McGraw, Garza has an extensive background in musical theater. An Army brat who describes herself as "three-quarters Hispanic and and one-quarter Irish," she says she felt a real kinship with her character.
"When Violet first described Isabel to me on the phone, I had this gut feeling I had to do this story," she says. "Much more than our shared ethnicity, I identify with [Isabel's] passion and her drive. . . . she is working for what she wants and she won't let anything stand in her way."
Asked if McGraw suffers from the same arrogance that afflicts so many celebrity offspring, she laughs.
"At first I didn't make a connection that his father was someone famous," she says. "But Mark, he's an absolutely genuine, humble guy who is making his own way in the world. . . . I mean he's a home designer, he designed his last two homes himself!"
No Boundaries has generated a lot of buzz around town: Tonight's [3/28 screening film's] initially scheduled screening for tonight [3/28] sold out quickly in record time, and two other shows have been added, each of which will feature appearances by various members of the cast and crew.
Contact staff writer Tirdad Derakhshani at 215-854-2736 or tirdad@phillynews.com.
McGraw, Garza and other members of the cast and crew will talk at each one of the film's screenings: Tonight, Saturday, March 28 at 7 p.m. (sold out); tomorrow, Sun 29 at 2 p.m.; and Friday, April 3, at 6:45 p.m. All screenings at International House. Information: 267.765.9800, Ext. 4 or www.phillycinefest.com.
Philadelphia Film Festival/Cinefest '09 continues through April 6. For highlights and a schedule, go to www.phillycinefest.com. Tickets can be purchased online at www.phillycinefest.com or by calling 267-765-9800, Ext. 4.
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