Salma Hayek will star in a new biopic about Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. Hayek beat out other actresses like Jennifer Lopez and Madonna who had expressed interest in portraying Kahlo. The film, titled "Frida Kahlo," will begin filming this weekend in Mexico City under Miramax and producer Sarah Green. Kahlo's turbulent life and relationship with muralist Diego Rivera, played by Alfred Molina, provides rich material for a feature film about the artist's political activism and self-portraits depicting her physical and emotional suffering. Libraries use various amnesty programs to encourage patrons to return overdue books, but some librarians find that such programs are not always effective and

1. PAGE 8A Friday, April 6, 2001
Laredo Morning Times
ENTERTAINMENT
AP photo/Jose Luis Magaña
SELLING THE PRODUCT: Mexican actress Salma Hayek plays
with ‘Tyson’ during a press conference Thursday in Mexico City
promoting the film in which she portrays painter Frida Kahlo. The
monkey will be used in the biopic, also starring Edward Norton,
Geoffrey Rush and Ashley Judd.
Hayek to star in film
of artist Frida Kahlo
BY AMADO FELIX CRUZ “The important thing is that,
Associated Press Writer after six years of involvement
with this project, of hopes,
MEXICO CITY — Mexican we’re finally here to announce
actress Salma Hayek it,” Hayek said.
announced Thursday she Madonna reportedly
will start filming a Miramax expressed interest in the
movie based on the life of role as early as 1992.
artist Frida Kahlo, marking Lopez, considered the
the end of a long tug-of-war most likely star, appears to
between Hollywood divas be more interested in fol-
over the project. lowing hard-edged roles.
Hayek beat stars like The trade publication
Variety reported she is in
Jennifer Lopez and
Madonna — who had talks to play an FBI profiler
expressed interest in making looking for a murderer in the
Kahlo movies — to the drama “Taking Lives,” an
punch with her project, tenta- adaptation of the Michael
tively titled “Frida Kahlo.” Pye novel.
The movie will start filming Kahlo’s life, which ended
this weekend at locations in in 1954 at age 47 after a
and around Mexico City, long series of illnesses, is a
Hayek told a news confer- natural for the big screen.
ence. Confined to a wheelchair
“We are here thanks to the for much of her life by
dedication and passion of injuries suffered in a trolley
Salma Hayek,” said the car accident, she nonethe-
movie’s producer, Sarah less blazed a path as a
Green. “It’s been a long painter and political activist.
process, but we’re excited Her circle of friends includ-
to be here, making a film ed communist leader Leon
about such important Trotsky.
Mexican artists.” In her self-portraits, Kahlo
Kahlo was married — twice, brutally bared her physical
in a stormy, lifelong relation- and emotional suffering,
ship — to muralist Diego showing herself wounded
Rivera, who will be played by and bleeding or as a deer
actor Alfred Molina. pierced with arrows.
Libraries looking to
corral overdue books
BY JOE MANDAK ward, people would always
Associated Press Writer be calling up asking when
we were doing another,”
PITTSBURGH — Libraries said Diane Freiermuth,
sometimes try every trick in director of operations at the
the book to coerce readers St. Louis Public Library.
into returning overdue “Once they got past a cer-
materials, using creative tain level of fine, they
amnesty programs but often weren’t going to bring (the
resorting to collection agen- book) back until there was
cies. another free week.”
The Carnegie Library of Even food-for-fines pro-
Pittsburgh is marking grams can cause hassles.
National Library Week this “In one instance, we got a
week by forgiving fines on turkey, a 15-pound frozen
overdue books and adding turkey,” said Kathleen
a new twist: A secret grand Huston, city librarian at the
prize to the person who Milwaukee Public Library.
returns the most overdue Unreturned books can
book. cost libraries thousands of
“Focus groups have told dollars. About 60,000 of the
us returning (overdue) 6 million books, videotapes
library books can be embar- and other items available
rassing, so we’re trying to for loan from the Carnegie
add some fun to it,” said Library system are overdue
Peggy Pievach, the library’s by 90 days or more. That is
marketing director. more than $1 million in
Many libraries are turning materials, Pievach said.
to programs where people The San Francisco Public
can donate food to the Library has about 2.1 million
needy in lieu of paying items available for loan,
fines, said Larra Clark, 25,000 of which disappear
spokeswoman for the each year.
American Library “That’s about half a million
Association in Chicago. dollars worth of books,” said
But some librarians say Marcia Schneider, the
offering leniency rather than library’s public affairs direc-
throwing the book at delin- tor.
quent borrowers isn’t Toni Garvey, city librarian
always effective. at the Phoenix Public
At the Carnegie library, fine- Library, said a little planning
free weeks in 1989 and 1996 can go a long way in allevi-
prompted the return of books ating problems that arise
borrowed as long ago as the with amnesty programs.
1940s, Pievach said. Other The library runs the pro-
librarians say readers abuse gram during National
the amnesty programs. Library Week, when food
“We did a fine-free week banks are often running low,
and ... for a period after- she said.