“Down for Life” (2010)

Directed by	Alan Jacobs
Produced by	Scott Alvarez
Screenplay by	Alan Jacobs Trina Calderon
Starring	Jessica Romero Danny Glover Snoop Dogg Elizabeth Pena Laz Alonso Kate del Castillo Emily Rios Lil Rob
Music by	Vito Colapietro Neely Dinkins
Cinematography	Dana Gonzales
Editing by	Clayton Halsey Roger Marshall
Release date(s)	September 12, 2009 (2009-09-12) (TIFF) October 2010 (2010-10) (United States)
Country	United States
Language	English

Down for Life is a 2010 American dramatic film directed by Alan Jacobs based on the true story of a 15-year old Latino gang leader in Watts, Los Angeles. The story follows one day in her life as she struggles to break away from her gang. Made in cinéma vérité style, the film stars many local teens, with veteran actors such as Danny Glover, Laz Alonso, Kate del Castillo, and Snoop Dogg in supporting roles. Down for Life focuses on the gritty reality of gang life and the racial tension surrounding it. Ultimately, the film’s message is one of hope to those in tough circumstances while shedding light on a pressing social issue.

The film spans one day in the life of Anjelica Soto, aka “Rascal” (played by Los Angeles native Jessica Romero), a 15-year old Latino gang leader in Watts, as she struggles to survive. Surrounded by escalating violence and racial tensions, Rascal realizes her days in the gang are numbered. Encouraged by her English teacher (Danny Glover) to apply for a writing program in Iowa, Rascal hopes to use the material from her life to write her way out of Watts. The forces around Rascal thrust her into a deadly cycle of violence that seems almost impossible to escape. To leave, she will have to make the dangerous decision to renounce her loyalty to the gang.

Walk Proud (1979)

Director:

Robert E. Collins

Writer:

Evan Hunter

Stars:

Robby Benson, Sarah Holcomb and Henry Darrow

 

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

9 November 1979 (Denmark) See more »

Also Known As:

Gururla yürü See more »

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

A young Chicano gang member in Los Angeles comes to realize that the gang life is not what he really wants but doesn't know how to get out.

Zoot Suit (1981)

Director:

Luis Valdez

Writer:

Luis Valdez (play)

Stars:

Daniel Valdez, Edward James Olmos and Charles Aidman

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

January 1982 (USA) See more »

Also Known As:

Chicanos Story

A kind of musical accompanying the story of the early 1940's and the effect that the "zoot suit" (a man's suit of long jacket and pegged pants, always worn with a long keychain that looped almost to the ankle.... the rebellious fashion of young men) had on the morals and attitudes of the people of that era

Part fact and part fiction, Zoot Suit is the film version of Luis Valdez's critically acclaimed play, based on the actual Sleepy Lagoon murder case and the zoot suit riots of 1940s Los Angeles. Henry Reyna is the leader of a group of Mexican-Americans being sent to San Quentin without substantial evidence for the death of a man at Sleepy Lagoon. As part of the defense committee, Alice Bloomfield and George Shearer fight the blatant miscarriage of justice for the freedom of Henry and his friends

El taquero (2004)

Director:

Ignacio Rinza

Stars:

Alicia Cepera, Alejandro Fouget and Rosario Juárez

Country:

Mexico

Language:

Spanish

Release Date:

2004 (Mexico) See more »

Filming Locations:

Mexico 

 

 

 

 

El polaquito (2003)

Director:

Juan Carlos Desanzo

Writers:

Juan Carlos Desanzo, Lito Espinosa

Stars:

Abel Ayala, Marina Glezer and Fabián Arenillas

Country:

Argentina

Language:

Spanish

Release Date:

9 October 2003 (Argentina) See more »

Filming Locations:

Buenos Aires, Federal District, Argentina

 

At age 13, a street kid known as "El Polaquito" makes lis living mostly by singing tangos (originally sung by his namesake, the singer "El Polaco") on Buenos Aires commuter trains. He falls in love with a 16 year old prostitute, also working for the Mafia controlling child exploitation in one of Argentina's busiest train stations. He tries to rescue her from this cruel life with no future. But to do so, he must confront the ruthless adult gang leaders, as well as the young kids who protect them, believing that this Mafia is truly their only option. The story is supposedly based on a true story, which happened, and was discovered in Argentina in the late 90s, early 2000s

Livin The Life

Director:

Alex Munoz

Writers:

Lynne Ewing (novel), Lynne Ewing (screenplay), and 1 more credit »

Stars:

Katrina Gibson, Jay Hernandez and Melida Prado

Kata has lived her first fifteen years believing that, although she has an amazing ancestry, the only thing that lies in her future is a broken heart, the symbol of the Ninth Street Gang. She and her lifelong friend Ana are two of the toughest members of their gang, fearing nothing but the loss of each other. Car-jacking, fights, and running from the cops are a daily routine as the girls fight to protect their territory and their reputation. Performing as "Outrageous Chaos" in local dance contests provides their only relief, but each night they must return home to the sad reality of their lives

Mi Vida Loca (My Crazy Life)

Directed by	Allison Anders
Written by	Allison Anders
Starring	Angel Aviles Seidy López Jacob Vargas
Distributed by	Sony Pictures Classics
Release date(s)	May 21, 1993 (Cannes Film Festival) July 15, 1994 (U.S.) March 24, 1995 (UK)
Running time	92 mins.
Country	United States  United Kingdom
Language	English

Mi Vida Loca (also known as My Crazy Life) is a 1994 American drama film directed and written by Allison Anders. This film includes Jason Lee's first performance as an actor in a small role alongside director Spike Jonze as a Teenage Drug Customer.

Mi Vida Loca tells the story of young Mexican-American women in Los Angeles and the struggles they have in a life of gangs, drugs, and personal betrayal. Mousie (Seidy López) and Sad Girl (Angel Aviles) are best friends from childhood, growing up in gang-infested Echo Park and remaining loyal to each other. But when Sad Girl sleeps with Mousie's boyfriend (a drug dealer who is killed) and becomes pregnant, their friendship is ruptured. As the violence of their neighborhood erupts around them, they must try to stay together as friends despite their betrayals. This is an unforgiving look at a world where women seem to have no choice but to raise their children, deal drugs, and survive by whatever means available.

Around late 2009 it was announced that the film would be followed by a sequel titled, "Smile Now Cry Later", which is currently in development. Angel Aviles and Seidy López will reprise their roles as Sad Girl and Mousie. The film will once again be directed by Anders.

Barrabas

Director: Giuliano Salvatore
Guión: Giuliano Salvatore
Executive Producción: Jose Ernesto Martinez
Direction of Photography: Virginia Fernandez
Camarógrafo: Jose Gayo
Sound engineer: Danny Rojas
Assembly: Carolina Aular, Jonás R.G, Ana Maria Reyes.
Producing companies: Jemd Films, the Audio-visual Cooperative cell With the Financing of: Independent National center of Cinematography CNAC
Original Music: Kenneth Zambrano. Graphical design: Carlos Zerpa.

Mountain Rafael Toro (Little scamp) is, to his seventy and two years, a writer with more than three decades of experience in Literature and the media. At the same time he is cultor popular, lecturer and social worker, workings that have been worth him their designation like Cultural Patrimony of the Guárico State, Venezuela. Nevertheless, most of the people they know it for other reasons: during the Sixties it was, for mass media and the State, the public enemy number one. Innumerable robberies, escapes, and a murder turned it, in the pages of newspapers, a “monster”. And Serrano Toro paid sentence for that reason: twenty-seven years, of which it fulfilled seventeen until, in 1977, it was pardoned by good behavior. From his liberation, Little scamp has dedicated itself to settle a debt that contracted with the society. Nevertheless, to date, the society has not tried to do the same, and the debt that the country has with him follows effective and without paying itself.

Back in the Hood: Gang War 2 (TV 2004)

Director:

Marc Levin

Documentary

A Discovery Channel documentary that goes deep inside the ruthless Latino gangs of Oakland California amidst a violent gang war between Oakland's three major Latino gangs.

Street Dog 2 (perro Callejero 2)

•  
• Director: Gilberto Gazcon
• Genre: Drama
• Movie Type: Urban Drama, Crime Drama
• Themes: Starting Over, Street Gangs, Down on Their Luck
• Main Cast: Valentin Trujillo, Erick del Castillo, Blanca Guerra, Sergio Goyri
• Release Year: 1980
• Country: MX
• Run Time: 120 minutes

Plot

The gritty Mexican drama Perro Callejero concerns a young orphan who has been raised in the meanest, poorest streets of Mexico. During the course of the film he is lucky enough to find gainful employment, but his environment and its effect on him makes it harder and harder for him to better himself. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

Cast

• Valentin Trujillo
• Erick del Castillo
• Blanca Guerra
• Sergio Goyri

Credit

Gilberto Gazcon - Director, Gilberto Gazcon - Screenwriter

Read more: http://www.answers.com/topic/perro-callejero#ixzz1BgVPs0zN

Boulevard Nights (1979)

Director:

Michael Pressman

Writer:

Desmond Nakano, and 1 more credit »

Stars:

Richard Yniguez, Danny De La Paz and Marta DuBois

Two brothers ... the street was their playground and their battleground

Everything happens on the boulevard - and the boulevard happens at night.

Prision of women 1988

Originnal Title:  Reten de mujeres

Director:

Carlos González

Writers:

Zoe Ducos, Jose Gabriel Nuñez

This venezuelan movie tells more or less the story of every jail in the world. In this case a womens jail. There live all the vile characters among some innocents, and take place any kind of situations. The Director Carlos Lopez (not Carlos Gonzalez) made an acceptable job, the producer was Carlos Stevani, edition of Freddy Lopez, photography Raul Delgado, Executive Producer Arnaldo Limansky, music of Guillermo Carrasco, the screen play was made by Zoe Ducos and Jose Gabriel Nunez, make up by Marcos Gonzalez, and the hair stylist was Cecilia Gallegos, and casting by Zoe Ducos. The actresses in sequence order were: Zamira Segura - Lula Bertucci - Aura Rivas (made a fine character) - Nacky Guttman - Francis Rueda (great) - Zoe Ducos (very fine performance) - Romelia Aguero - Maria Escalona (very good also) - Vilma Otazo. With the special appear of Barbara Mosquera and Edgar Serrano, Luis Colmenares. I should say is a good attempt and approach to show all the cruelty and injustice that take place in jails where the law of the stronger reigns. This movie was released in 1988 in VHS. There are also other venezuelan movies in the social line. I shall recommend "Yo soy un delincuente" , " El Reincidente" , "El Atentado". For those who like strong emotions don't miss it.

Sangrador

Director:

Leonardo Henríquez

Writers:

Leonardo Henríquez, William Shakespeare (play)

Stars:

Daniel Alvarado, Karina Gómez and Francisco Alfaro

 

Maximiliano is a decent man who has fallen in with a gang of thieves. But after three mysterious women tell him that he will never die at the hand of another man, Maximiliano falls prey to his own arrogance and insecurities, and begins to doubt the wisdom of his leader, Duran. Maximiliano's wife plants the notion in her husband's mind that he would be better off without Duran, and Maximiliano plans to take the life of his one-time friend. A free version of Shakespeare's Macbeth.

El Reincidente: I Am a Delinquent 2

 Original Title:  El  Reincidente: Soy un delincuente 2

Director:

Clemente de la Cerda

Writer:

Rodolfo Santana

Stars:

María Escalona, Manoel Ferreira and Haydée Balza

Second part of I am a delinquent, Continues the criminal life of Ramon Antonio Brizuela

Blood and Tears (1999)

Directors:

Eduardo Quiroz, Jose Quiroz

Writers:

Eduardo Quiroz, Jose Quiroz

Stars:

David Dyno Rocha, Angel Aviles and Eduardo Quiroz

After serving nine years in prison for the revenge-murder of an opposing gang member, Dyno returns home. He is torn between his loyalty to his gang family and his loyalty to his wife and daughter.

Cyrano Fernandez

Directed by	Alberto Arvelo
Written by	Alberto Arvelo
Starring	Edgar Ramirez Pastor Oviedo Jessika Grau Gledys Ibarra
Distributed by	Indigo Media
Release date(s)	2007
Country	Venezuela
Language	Spanish

The movie is based on the romantic triangle between Cyrano (Edgar Ramirez), Cristian (Pastor Oviedo) and Roxanna (Jessika Grau) during the turbulent riots between a group of drug dealers and the neighbours of a shanty town in Caracas.

Cyrano, apart from being a romantic writer is also the social hero of his barrio, making an allusion to the leaders of the Tupamaro Movement.

Caracas love unto death

Original Title: Caracas amor a muerte

Director:

Gustavo Balza

Writers:

Gustavo Balza, Armando Coll

Stars:

Luis Fernández, Iván Tamayo and Eliana López

This film deservedly won the Best Film award at the Los Angeles Latino Film Festival this year. It is the story of a young girl, Aixa, who gets pregnant by her boyfriend, a criminal sought after by the police. Her grandmother wants her to get an abortion, and convinces a young doctor to perform it, against the opposition of a local priest and Aixa's boyfriend. This is a great ensemble piece, with beautifully acted three-dimentional characters.

 

Dog eat dog (2008)

Original Title: Perro come perro

Director:

Carlos Moreno

Writers:

Carlos Moreno, Alonso Torres

Stars:

Óscar Borda, Blas Jaramillo and Marlon Moreno

 

 

In the crime world of Colombia, there is an unwritten code. When Víctor and Eusebio, two hoods who bungle a shake-down job, break that code, they unwittingly sign their own death sentence.

 

Perdita Durango /dancing with the devil (1997)

Directed by	Alex de la Iglesia
Produced by	Andrés Vicente Gómez
Written by	Barry Gifford David Trueba Jorge Guerricaechevarría Alex de la Iglesia
Starring	Rosie Perez Javier Bardem James Gandolfini Screamin' Jay Hawkins Aimee Graham Harley Cross Alex Cox
Music by	Simon Boswell
Cinematography	Flavio Martínez Labiano
Editing by	Teresa Font
Release date(s)	1997
Running time	126 minutes
Language	English Spanish

Rough girl Perdita and her demonic lover Romeo Dolorosa need humans to sacrifice following Romeo's religion before he can go on a mission ordered by mob boss Santos. They kidnap teen sweethearts Duane and Estelle and travel with them to Las-Vegas. 

Perdita (Rosie Perez) is a tough, no-nonsense lady clad in a Tura Satana-style black outfit. She meets Romeo Dolorosa (Javier Bardem), a maniacal criminal who also happens to be an even more maniacal witch doctor. Romeo robs a bank but risks getting caught in order to force the Bank Teller to strip her shirt and reveal her large breasts. Once in the street, he hides his face from the cops by grabbing and french kissing a random woman on the street. Crossing the border into Mexico together, Perdita and Romeo become lovers and partners in crime as they kidnap a random Caucasian teenage couple in order to sacrifice them. Along the way they also hijack a truckload of human fetuses and try to evade a determined Drug Enforcement Administration officer (James Gandolfini).

Prior to the sacrifice, Perdita mounts tied up Duane on a chair and rapes him under gunpoint. She talks all the way through and makes him reveal through a flashback that his only previous experience was being mounted by a buxom overweight girl. After Perdita is done, she forces Duane to watch as Estelle is being raped on a bed by Romeo, who tries to force an orgasm on her via a cunnilingus.

Perdita later tells off Romeo for deflowering the victim and thus hurt the sacrifice. They include Duane and Estelle in the vote of who shall get sacrificed. Duane and Estelle blame each other for enjoying their intercourse with their respective captor. Duane and Perdita convince Romeo to choose Estelle. Eventually, a group of people crash in, save Estelle and free Duane. Alas, after a car chase, Duane and Estelle are re-kidnapped.

Veteranos (1997)

Directors:

Eduardo Quiroz, Jose Quiroz

Writers:

Eduardo Quiroz, Jose Quiroz

Stars:

David Dyno Rocha, Eduardo Quiroz and Drew Toxtero

Dyno and Crooked are surviving in the barrio any way they know how. When their homies end up gettting killed, they turn to the neighborhood veterano (Jesse Borrego) for help. Starring JESSE BORREGO ("Bound By Honor," "Mi Vida Loca," "24,"), CROOKED, DUKE, SIR DYNO, BOOTS (The Coup, Streetsweeper Social Club), LIL WYNO, LOW DOWN, DUB, ALG, OSO