Hospital Food

Authors: Jamie Madden
Location: Melbourne, Australia

"Hospital Food”

Directed by David Lynch
Written by David Lynch and Marc Frost
Produced by Salma Hayek
Original Score by Marc Shaiman

Principal Cast:

Anna Paquin as Julie-Anne McGerkin/Francesca de Moro
Salma Hayek as Melinina de Salinas-Sanchez-Suarez/Catalina Rodriguez
Felicity Huffman as Bette McGerkin

Tagline: "Melodrama is child’s play. Enter the world of the telenovela..."

Synopsis: Julie-Anne McGerkin always wanted to run away from her trailer park home, and over bearing trailer trash mother - whose clientele as the town hooker was overwhelming and unsurpassed. On her 18th birthday she achieves this dream and runs away to pursue a job as a receptionist in a Spanish speaking country. Upon her arrival in Mexico, she is spotted by a talent scout and is instantly hired on the low budget runaway hit telenovela “Hospital Food”, as Francesca, a blind nurse and daughter of head neurosurgeon and hospital nymphomaniac Catalina (played by the reigning diva Melinina de Salinas-Sanchez-Suarez.) The fact that she is of Irish-Scottish decent and not of Mexican Spanish decent isn’t noticed, and Julie-Anne immediately receives attention and fame, with her stunning good looks and acting capability. That is, until Melinina gets wind of her overnight success. Melinina declares an offset war and Julie-Anne is subjected to vicious verbal and physical attacks that leave her black and blue, insulted, and with a nasty case of crabs.

Melinina warns Julie-Anne to leave the show if she is smart, but instead Julie-Anne returns to work the next day with a smile on her face, and to hundreds of adoring fans that greet her at the stage door. Melinina, whose fame is now plummeting, is panicked, and maddened and hires a hit man. But Melinina isn’t aware that there is already a hit out on her own head, set by the now maniacal and fame addicted Julie-Anne.

But who will die first? But more importantly who will win the coveted award for best actress in a telenovela?

What the press would say:

Never has any movie delivered such a range of genres in two hours. David Lynch takes gangster, melodrama, comedy, coming of age, and satire to the limits in this new very dark comedy. Teaming with former telenovela star; Salma Hayek as producer, and Twin Peaks co-creator Marc Frost as screenwriter, a creation of sheer outrageousness and audacity is made, and in winning formula. Anna Paquin is perfect cast as the young, innocent, small town girl desperate to get away from her trailer trash home, and shows her true acting skill to the best of her ability showing vulnerability while turning into a crazy soap opera diva. Salma Hayek returns to her roots, as the reigning diva with three ex husbands, Melinina de Salinas-Sanchez-Suarez, and shows off her comedic side with gusto, and insanity. Supported by a terrific array of established and talented stars, “Hospital Food” brilliance is shown by the two leading actresses, and a winning comedic script, not to mention a wacky and dark score by Marc Shaiman (who will win an Oscar for sure for this score!)

FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION (GG, SAG, OSCAR)

Best Picture
Best Director
Best Original Screenplay
Best Original Score
Best Actress (Paquin, Hayek)
Best Supporting Actress (Huffman)