A script for Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe has been written. But what does it actually mean?
Yesterday afternoon an up-and-coming filmmaker, Henry Alberto, took to social media to share with the world his latest project. Surprising many across the board that he had written a screenplay for Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe.
I am absolutely thrilled to be included in this year’s Latino Screenwriting Project!
Especially honored to have had…
Posted by Henry Alberto on Tuesday, February 14, 2017
For those unaware, Aristotle and Dante originated as a powerful young adult novel written by Benjamin Alire Sáenz and published in 2012. The award winning book captivated readers and has accumulated a passionate and loving fanbase since shortly after its debut.
The novel centers around the lives of two Mexican-American boys as they navigate through life in 1987 El Paso, Texas. It’s the way in which Sáenz encapsulated their struggles with friendship, family, sexuality and ethnic identity that gave the book such a devout following; from readers and critics alike.
Sáenz is currently working on a sequel to Aristotle and Dante’s story called There Will Be Other Summers.
What are the chances of this movie actually being made?
At this point, it’s really hard to know. To begin with there isn’t a lot of public information for us to go on. We know from Alberto’s social media pages that the Latino Screenwriting Project, Sundance Film Festival, CineFestival and Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center have all had a hand in it’s development so far.
The mission of the Latino Screenwriting Project is to support emerging Latino screenwriters and to elevate the presence, representation and quality of stories that narrate the U.S. Latino experience. Four screenwriters will be selected to participate in a 3-day intensive workshop that will include panels, screenings and one-on-one feedback sessions under the mentorship of Sundance Lab Advisors.
The project aims to provide these screenwriters with a network of support and a practical environment where they can get quality feedback, mentoring and inspiration to further hone their craft, polish their screenplays and take their stories to the next level.
We know that Alberto was one of the chosen participants and that the script for Aristotle and Dante will get an intense treatment over the three-day workshop. The particularly exciting thing about this is that this feedback will come from Sundance Lab Advisors.
If Aristotle and Dante is associated with the Sundance Lab in any way, it’s reason to get excited.
We can’t even begin to name all of the prestigious creators and projects that got their start with the Sundance Lab. A few you may recognize are Fruitvale Station, Swiss Army Man, Whiplash, and Beasts of the Southern Wild.
So although this project is at the very beginnings of development, and nothing is guaranteed in this industry, it’s incredibly encouraging to know that Aristotle and Dante is tied to such a well established place that nurtures talent.
Henry Alberto is a Cuban-American writer-director of several award winning short films. Including She Kills He, Rubber Duckie, My Best Friend, Ben, and Sprout.