Elijah Rodriguez to Star in the Coming-of-Age Drama “Macho!”

Elijah Rodriguez has met his macho

The Latino actor will star alongside Rudy Youngblood and Antonio Jaramillo in Verloren Productions’ drama Macho!, based on the book by Victor Villaseñor.

Elijah RodriguezRodriguez will co-star alongside fellow cast newcomer Mia Sanchez in the film.

The coming-of-age tale taking place during the 1960s centers on Roberto Garcia (Rodriguez), who at age 17, already has big dreams of making his fortune, building a family, and gaining the respect of his community. With ambition to burn and a passion to prove his manhood, Roberto takes the dangerous journey north, crossing the Mexican border to pick fruit in the “golden fields” of California. It is said that a good man can make more money there in a week than in an entire year in the mountains of Michoacán, his home. With dreams that overshadow harsh realities, Roberto is unprepared for the jammed boxcars and bolted trucks that carry undervalued migrant workers through the searing desert to long days of harsh labor.

The film will examine the brutality of migrant labor, as well as Cesar Chavez’s efforts to unionize workers, offering vivid portrayal of the immigrant experience through the eyes of a brave young man who bids goodbye to everything he knows to follow his dreams.

Verloren Productions Founder Walt Perez adapted the screenplay and will produce alongside Soren Odom, Melanie Tirado and Ralph Esparza.

Rodriguez’s previous credits include Sicario: Day of the Soldado.

Antonio Jaramillo to Star in Film Adaptation of “Macho!,” Based on Book by Victor Villaseñor

Antonio Jaramillo is a macho! man.

The Mexican actor will star alongside Rudy Youngblood in Verloren Productions’ drama Macho!, based on the book by Victor Villaseñor.

Antonio JaramilloThe coming-of-age tale – taking place during the 1960s – centers on Roberto Garcia, who at age 17, already has big dreams of making his fortune, building a family, and gaining the respect of his community. With ambition to burn and a passion to prove his manhood, Roberto takes the dangerous journey north, crossing the Mexican border to pick fruit in the “golden fields” of California. It is said that a good man can make more money there in a week than in an entire year in the mountains of Michoacán, his home. With dreams that overshadow harsh realities, Roberto is unprepared for the jammed boxcars and bolted trucks that carry undervalued migrant workers through the searing desert to long days of harsh labor.

The film will examine the brutality of migrant labor, as well as Cesar Chavez’s efforts to unionize workers, offering vivid portrayal of the immigrant experience through the eyes of a brave young man who bids goodbye to everything he knows to follow his dreams.

Verloren Productions founder Walt Perez adapted the screenplay and will produce alongside Soren Odom, Melanie Tirado, Ralph Esparza and Jaime Peralta.

Renowned music producer A.B. Quintanilla will craft its score, with production kicking off next spring.

Jaramillo’s previous credits include The Wilding, Mayans M.C. and Shades of Blue.

Youngblood is best known for his starring role as Jaguar Paw in Mel Gibson’s Apocalypto.

XLrator Media Acquires U.S. Rights to Vargas’ “Crossing Point”

Jacob Vargas’ latest project is crossing into the United States…

XLrator Media has acquired the U.S. rights to Crossing Point, the film starring the 44-year-old Mexican actor.

Jacob Vargas

Along with Vargas, the action-thriller stars Rudy Youngblood (Apocalypto), Luke Goss (the Death Race series, Blade II), Tom Sizemore (Saving Private Ryan), Paulina Gaitan (Sin Nombre, Netflix’s Narcos), María Gabriela de Faría (Nickelodeon’s Isa TKM) and newcomer Shawn Lock.

It’s directed by Daniel Zirilli from a script by Paul Dominic and Lock.

Compound B, the genre division of Bleiberg Entertainment, is representing the sales rights to the film and will be introducing Crossing Point to international buyers at the American Film Market 2015.

XLrator Media will release the film in 2016 through its Turbo action label.