Olmos crosses borders with "Crystal Frontier"

By John Hecht

GUADALAJARA, Mexico (Hollywood Reporter) - Edward James Olmos is set to direct a bilingual drama that explores U.S.-Mexico border issues and the far-reaching effects of the two nations' foreign-policy decisions.

Olmos said he will probably also act in the film, whose working title is "The Crystal Frontier." The project is based on a novel by Carlos Fuentes, one of Mexico's most important contemporary authors.

The novel consists of nine intertwined stories that show how political, sociological and economic realities affect people.

"It is a sociological study of humanity in Mexico and the U.S.," Olmos said. "We probably won't do all nine stories because it would be too complex, but it's a great commentary on what's going on along the border."

Olmos is visiting the Guadalajara International Film Festival on Friday to announce the project. Mexico's top movie showcase kicked off Thursday.

Filming is likely to begin in August, shooting at locations along the U.S.-Mexico border, in Mexico City and New York. Olmos is targeting a spring 2008 release in the United States, though no distributor has been lined up.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter