BENJAMIN BRATT TAKES ON HOMOSEXUALITY & MACHISMO CULTURE IN La MISSION

Growing up in the Mission district of San Francisco, Che Rivera (Benjamin Bratt) has always had to be tough to survive. He's a powerful man respected throughout the Mission barrio for his masculinity and his strength, as well as for his hobby building beautiful lowrider cars. At the same time hes also a man feared for his street-tough ways and violent temper.

A reformed inmate and recovering alcoholic, Che has worked hard to redeem his life and do right by his pride and joy: his only son, Jes, whom he has raised on his own after the death of his wife. Che's path to redemption is tested, however, when he discovers Jes is gay. In a rage, Che violently beats Jes, disowning him. He loses his son and loses himself in the process. Isolated and alone, Che comes to realize that his patriarchal pride is meaningless to him, and to maintain his idea of masculinity, hes sacrificed the one thing that he cherishes most the love of his son.

To survive his neighborhood, Che has always lived with his fists. To survive as a complete man, hell have to embrace a side of himself hes never shown.

From writer/director Peter Bratt comes La MISSION, a 5 Stick Films, Inc. and TomKat Films production. Produced by Benjamin Bratt, Peter Bratt, and Alpita Patel and executive produced by Tom Steyer, Kat Taylor, and Dan Nelson, La MISSION stars Benjamin Bratt, Erika Alexander, Jeremy Ray Valdez, Jesse Borrego, and Talisa Soto Bratt. The supporting cast includes Kevin Michael Richardson, Patrick D. Shining-Elk, René A. Quiñonez, Ruben Gonzalez, and Max Rosenak.

The talented behind-the-scenes crew includes director of photography Hiro Narita, production designer Keith Neely, editor Stan Webb, costume designer Aggie Rodgers, composer Mark Kilian, and casting director Victoria Thomas. Check out this seven-part cast & crew panel discussion of the film at Queer Lounge below...