City of Dreams movie storyline. The story follows Jesús (Lopez), a young farmer in rural Mexico who dreams of playing for Club Puebla, his local soccer team. With the promise of training at a soccer camp in Los Angeles, Jesús is convinced by his father to leave home, but he soon discovers that he’s been sold to a sweatshop run out of a decrepit mansion in downtown Los Angeles.
Jesús is then subjected to the grueling 18-hour work schedule dictated by El Jefe (Castro), a boss who promises freedom for those who complete their quotas, and whose brutality is motivated by his own desperation to provide for his family back in Mexico. Despite all, Jesús finds solace in Elena (Vaca), a girl who was similarly betrayed and sent to America under the guise of attending a fashion school. When Elena goes missing and another co-worker, Carlitos (Calva), is severely beaten for confronting El Jefe, Jesús realizes his only way out is a daring escape.
Ramchandani directed from his own script, with the film being produced and financed by Rufus Parker of P2 Films, Jon Graham and Matt Diezel. Ramchandani also served as producer. In addition to Aparicio, EPs included Luis Mandoki and Daljit DJ Parmar of Original Entertainment.
City of Dreams has garnered praise from L.A. Mayor Karen Bass’ Office, the Los Angeles Civil Rights Department, and former Department of State Chief of Staff Mark J Biedlingmaier, who stated: “It is one of the most emotionally engaging films I have ever seen. I’m excited to share this film with my colleagues in Washington, given this topic touches every single American today.”
Ramchandani underscored that “City of Dreams has no political bias or agenda. It merely shows you, from the point of view of a young boy, what it would be like to have your dreams stolen and replaced with the hellish nightmare of slavery. His story is only one of over 2.8 million undocumented migrants that crossed the border in 2023 and whose forced labor is an unforgiveable stain on countless corporate products.
”City of Dreams has garnered praise from L.A. Mayor Karen Bass’ Office, the Los Angeles Civil Rights Department, and former Department of State Chief of Staff Mark J Biedlingmaier, who stated: “It is one of the most emotionally engaging films I have ever seen. I’m excited to share this film with my colleagues in Washington, given this topic touches every single American today.”
City of Dreams is an American-Mexican drama thriller film written and directed by Mohit Ramchandani, and stars Ari Lopez, Renata Vaca, Alfredo Castro, Paulina Gaitán, Jason Patric, and Diego Calva. City of Dreams had its world premiere at the Mammoth Film Festival on March 5, 2023. It was orginally scheduled to release in the United States on April 5, 2024, but it was released on August 30, 2024.
City of Dreams (2024)
Directed by: Mohit Ramchandani
Starring: Ari Lopez, Alfredo Castro, Paulina Gaitán, Diego Calva, Renata Vaca, Jason Patric, Adina Eady, Dominic Pace, Jorge Antonio Guerrero, Rene Aranda, Robert Dobson, Tiffany Rae Jones
Screenplay by: Mohit Ramchandani
Production Design by: Óscar Tapia
Cinematography by: Alejandro Chávez
Film Editing by: Matthew Diezel
Costume Design by: Wendy Talley
Art Direction by: Crystal Duarte, Neto Tapia
Music by: Lisa Gerrard
MPAA Rating: None.
Distributed by: Roadside Attractions
Release Date: March 5, 2023 (Mammoth Film Festival), August 30, 2024 (United States)
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