“Talita” is the Perfect Film for Valentines Day! And you can Watch it For Free!

Kix 95.3 morning show host The Luceman, from The Luceman & Logan morning show had the chance to talk with Elena Beuca, Producer, Director, and one of the stars of the independent film “Talita”

A wonderful, heartfelt, funny, movie about a married couple who meet a vegabond that ends up being exactly what they needed to fix their relationship. Based on a true event!  I loved the film and you can watch it right now for FREE by clicking HERE!

Check out the interview here!

 

For more on Elena, keep reading!

 

My name is Elena Beuca and I’m a filmmaker in Los Angeles, CA. I’m originally from a small village in Romania and was born during the communism era. My father was a preacher and we lived on a farm. Much of my childhood was spent working the land while taking care of the cows and sheep. I looked forward going to school and I’d stay up late doing my homework by candlelight.

 

At fourteen, I was accepted into a prestigious high school to study finance. The fact that the school was two hours from my village didn’t dampen my excitement. I hitchhiked back and forth during those four years of high school and another two for college. After graduating college, I moved to Bucharest to study law. 

 

My journey eventually led me to America, where I studied acting at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts, as well as the Ivanna Chubbuck Studio. I met my husband, Dave, in acting class.

 

Within the first two years of our marriage, we lost five of our family members. Reality seemed like a bad dream. We were numb with pain and sleepwalking through life.

 

Through prayer, friends, and divine appointments, we found our way to The Potters House at One Church LA. God used Pastor Toure Roberts’s voice to awaken our souls.

 

And then we met DLove. 

 

We had just landed at LAX after a long trip to Romania, when DLove, a Danish vagabond, approached us asking for a ride to the bus station. Despite all of the reasons why this wasn’t a great idea, Dave and I both wanted to help him.

 

We gave DLove a ride—but not to the bus station. He came home with us and stayed for the next four days.

 

When he left, I felt like I was saying goodbye to a part of myself. A part of myself I had forgotten; a part of myself I needed to remember. His simple way of looking at life reminded me of how I grew up.

 

DLove wasn’t a religious man, but he had an intimacy with God that I was missing. I felt his peace when he prayed. Wanting to hold on to the hope I was experiencing, I poured my feelings into a short story titled, “DLove.”

 

Years later, when cleaning out my computer desk, I came across the story and told Dave that this should be our first feature film. DLove brought light back into our lives. It was our responsibility to share that light.

 

Dave wrote the screenplay while I directed it, and both of us, along with DLove starred in the film. However, in the film the couple is in the midst of marital strife and my character is NOT on board with her husband’s decision to help a “barefooted homeless person.” We raised the stakes to make it more controversial, but the essence of the story is the same. God gives us keys to our destiny every day. Sometimes the keys are in people, other times they are in circumstances, but because the “keys” don’t always look like we expected, we pass them by. 

 

Everyone has something in their life they’d like to change, but change doesn’t always come in a pretty package. The movie’s mission is to open viewers’ eyes to the possibilities and opportunities all around them.

 

In 2017, we debuted the film at several National and International festivals and won ten consecutive awards for Best Feature Film, as well as awards for “best female actress,” and “best female director.”     

 

In December 2017 at a special event in Los Angeles, the Romanian Consulate brought the local Romanian community to the theater. At the end of the film, the Romanian Ambassador, Cosmin Dumitrescu said “this beautiful film showed us a heaven of love and a heaven of family…we were touched to the core… the art that you’re doing it’s fantastic – it’s absolutely amazing!” 

                                             

Through our entire filmmaking journey, I have felt God tell me that this movie is something that I must share openly. In fact, in 2017, my husband and I made the decision to give-away the film for FREE over Christmas. This felt insane, since we only had $2000 in our checking account. But, then I received notes and letters from people and stories about how the film changed their lives. It was all the affirmation I needed to know that this would not be a typical distribution strategy. We need to reach as many people as possible with this film’s message of love, forgiveness and healing.

                    

Inspired by the film’s impact and my own personal transformation through the filmmaking experience, I spent 2018 making a final edit and changed the title to Talita which means “little girl.” Talita is symbolic to me because by ourselves, we are all little, but once we know God, we become giants! 

 

Because Talita celebrates the spirit of sharing and generosity, we have decided to release it as a “give what you want” payment model.  Viewers will be asked to provide their email address and may watch the film for free. After the film, they will be asked to pay based on their experience. There is no obligation. Our model is similar to dining at a nice restaurant. You go to enjoy the experience: ambiance, food, service and THEN you pay. If you are grateful and appreciative, the hope is that you will be generous and help us to share the experience with others.

 

Talita is not a religious film; it’s a spiritual film. Our goal is to ignite the hope, dreams, and generosity in viewers’ hearts. The movie’s mission is to start a revival in our world. For people to exchange judgement for love and to realize that change doesn’t always come in a pretty package. 

 

If we open our eyes to the possibilities and gifts God provides, and we’re willing to let Him lead,

“NO eye has seen, NO ear has heard, and NO mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him.” (1 Cor 2:9)