La mission (2009)

Director:

Peter Bratt

Writer:

Peter Bratt (written by)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

...from the thorn emerges the flower

Plot:

Growing up in the Mission district of San Francisco, Che Rivera (Benjamin Bratt) has always had to be tough to survive...

Plot Keywords:

Lowrider | Gay | Recovering Alcoholic | Reconciliation | San Francisco California

Awards:

2 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Benjamin Bratt	...	Che Rivera
Alex Hernandez	...	Smoke
Christopher Borgzinner	...	Nacho
Jeremy Ray Valdez	...	Jes Rivera
Cesar Gomez	...	Gummy Bear
Neo Veavea	...	Kenny
Cathleen Riddley	...	Shell
Martin Cantu	...	Store Owner
Xochiti Guzman	...	Fine Mission Mamacita
Talisa Soto	...	Ana (as Talisa Soto Bratt)
Jesse Borrego	...	Rene
Tina Huang	...	Dr. Chang
Max Rosenak	...	Jordan
Ramon Ovando	...	Little Man
Anthony Santana	...	Young Jessie
Tatiana Maricely	...	Nadine (as Tatiana Rivas)
Erika Alexander	...	Lena
Leonardo Medrano	...	Mr. Gonzalez
Kevin Michael Richardson	...	Dee
Melvina Jones	...	Regina
Rene Quinones	...	Esteban
Ruben Gonzalez	...	Benny
Edwin Brown	...	Virgil (as Edwin 'Hayna' Brown)
Patrick Shining Elk	...	Gary (as Patrick D. Shining Elk)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Michael Anthony Carlisi	...	Iraq War Vet.
Shari Carlson	...	Mom
Carlos Contreras	...	Gummy Bears Homie #1
Yeena Fisher
Estaire Godinez	...	Mother in Mourning
Joe Hakik	...	(credit only)
Jan Haley	...	Triage Nurse
John Lennon Harrison	...	Car Passenger
Frederick Keith Johnson	...	Bus Passenger
Kamasu J. Livingston	...	Exotic Dancer
Isa Magomedov	...	Russian MD
Ed Moy	...	Bus Passenger
Erik Ortman	...	Bus Passenger
Anya Prinz	...	Nurse #1
Hence Singleton	...	Guy in bar
Big Spence	...	Shackled Patient
LeRoid David	...	Club Dancer (uncredited)
Skip Emerson	...	Upscale Diner (uncredited)
Patrick Engler	...	Club Dancer (uncredited)
Christopher Greene	...	Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
Katrina-Jovan Howard	...	Graduating Senior (uncredited)
Mark Lavell	...	Hospital Orderly (uncredited)
Donald Lett II	...	Brown Cop (uncredited)
Justin Malachi	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Lourdes Nadres	...	Doctor (uncredited)
Moira Noiseux	...	Bus Rider (uncredited)
Keith Shawn	...	Doctor (uncredited)
Amron Paul Yuwono	...	Club Dancer (uncredited)

Directed by
Peter Bratt

Writing credits
Peter Bratt		(written by)

Produced by
Charlene Blanco Agabao	....	associate producer: 5 Stick Films
John Amaechi	....	consulting producer
Benjamin Bratt	....	producer
Peter Bratt	....	producer
Debbie Brubaker	....	co-producer
Debbie Brubaker	....	line producer
Gino Caputi	....	associate producer
Dan Nelson	....	executive producer
Alpita Patel	....	producer
Tom Steyer	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Mark Kilian

Cinematography by
Hiro Narita

Film Editing by
Stan Webb

Casting by
Sarah Kliban
Victoria Thomas

Production Design by
Keith Neely

Art Direction by
Garrett Lowe

Set Decoration by
Kris Boxell

Costume Design by
Aggie Guerard Rodgers		(as Aggie Rodgers)

Makeup Department
Aurora Bergere	....	assistant makeup artist
Fernando Fuentes	....	tattoo designs
Wesley Hodge	....	assistant hair stylist
Nancy J. Hvasta Leonardi	....	key makeup artist
Yvette Rivas	....	key hair stylist
Rick Stratton	....	tattoos

Production Management
Chris Martin	....	unit production manager
Stan Webb	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Brian Benson	....	first assistant director
Antonio Grana	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Charlene Blanco Agabao	....	art department coordinator
Stewart Allen	....	set dresser (as Stewart Allen)
Stewart Allen	....	set dressing swing (as Stewart Allen)
Gertrude East	....	painter
Christopher J. Ewing	....	art department production assistant
John Hays	....	storyboard artist
Jessica M. Lapin	....	on-set dresser
Jessica M. Lapin	....	set dresser
John Lister	....	set dresser
John Lister	....	swing
Cindy Mah	....	assistant property master
Doni McMillan	....	property master
Karen Sorum	....	scenic painter
Mark Warren	....	leadman

Sound Department
Christopher Barnett	....	sound re-recording mixer
Brian Dettor	....	boom operator
Bob Edwards	....	sound designer
Bob Edwards	....	sound re-recording mixer
Bob Edwards	....	supervising sound editor
Sean England	....	adr recordist
Sean England	....	foley recordist
Bob Gitzen	....	sound mixer
Scott R. Lewis	....	recordist
Scott R. Lewis	....	sound recordist
Zach Martin	....	sound mix technician
Stuart McCowan	....	adr editor
Stuart McCowan	....	dialogue editor
Stuart McCowan	....	supervising sound editor
Daniel Scolari	....	assistant supervising sound editor
Daniel Scolari	....	sound editor
Daniel Scolari	....	sound effects editor
Dennie Thorpe	....	foley artist
Jana Vance	....	foley artist

Visual Effects by
Kevin Bailey	....	digital compositor (as Kevin N. Bailey)

Stunts
Tony R. Vella	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Michael Best	....	key grip
Gerardo Cabrera	....	grip
Sydney Freeland	....	camera intern
Nicholas Goehner	....	camera intern
Bryan Hornbeck	....	electrician
James Kumarelas	....	best boy electric
Ernie Kunze	....	lighting technician
Anne Lee	....	second assistant camera
Darrell M. Lee	....	additional grip
David Lezynski	....	video engineer
Paul Marbury	....	first assistant camera
Billy D. Marchese	....	additional camerawork
David Moir	....	still photographer
David Mong	....	best boy grip
Oskar Ness	....	gaffer
Jason Michael Noel	....	grip
Johnny Radzik	....	Steadicam operator
Johnny Radzik	....	additional photography
Johnny Radzik	....	camera operator: "a" camera
Pat Riley	....	additional first assistant camera
Jerremy Stewart	....	grip
Paciano Triunfo	....	dolly grip
Billy D. Marchese	....	additional photography (uncredited)

Casting Department
Holly Dorff	....	adr voice casting
John Endrina	....	casting assistant
John Endrina	....	extras casting assistant
Sarah Kliban	....	casting: San Francisco
Yesi Ramirez	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Judy Feil	....	assistant costume designer
Judy Feil	....	key costumer
Chris Proctor	....	costumer
Chris Proctor	....	set costumer
Deirdre Scully	....	costumer
Deirdre Scully	....	set costumer

Editorial Department
Kevin Bailey	....	first assistant editor (as Kevin N. Bailey)
Isaac Camner	....	apprentice editor
Tupac Saavedra	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Estaire Godinez	....	singer
Greg Landau	....	music supervisor
Matt Shelton	....	music editor
Casey Stone	....	music scoring mixer
Brooke Wentz	....	music supervisor

Transportation Department
Bundy Chanock	....	transportation
Glenn Mack	....	transportation captain
Glenn Mack	....	transportation coordinator
David D.B. Wilson	....	driver: honeywagon

Other crew
Michael Allen	....	production assistant
Jimmie Armentrout	....	production intern
Arusha Baker	....	production assistant
John Bennett	....	production intern
Jason Black	....	location manager
Dana Bonilla	....	key set production assistant
Richard J. Bosner	....	production coordinator
Danielle Bárcena	....	intern
Chirae Cannon	....	production intern
Virada Chatikul	....	location intern
Sophie Cooper	....	production assistant
Kyle Darden	....	production assistant
Scott Drapeau	....	production intern
Bolthar Garcia	....	production assistant
Aurora Guerrero	....	assistant to director
Kristian Hansen	....	key location assistant
Kristian Hansen	....	location assistant
Johnny Hernandez	....	community outreach liason
Justine Kaltenbach	....	accounting assistant
Margie Levers	....	production accountant
Peter Moody	....	key assistant location manager
Tyler Morales	....	production intern
Zefania Preza	....	location assistant
Michael P. Reid	....	production intern
Virginia Saenz McCarthy	....	script supervisor
Hassan Said	....	production assistant
Molly Salz	....	assistant production coordinator
Lauren Selman	....	environmental consultant
Lee Sumners	....	production intern
Brian Vowell	....	stand-in
Jessica Lee Wright	....	production intern (as Jessica Wright)
Ami Zins	....	film commissioner

Thanks
Rory Enke	....	special thanks
Douglas Philips	....	special thanks
Alan Renshaw	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• 5 Stick Films

Distributors

• Cinemax (2012) (Hungary) (TV)
• Eagle Films (2009) (Non-USA) (all media) (middle east)
• Global Cinema Distribution (2010) (worldwide) (all media)
• Optimale (2011) (France) (all media)
• Screen Media Ventures

Other Companies

• PES Payroll  payroll services
• Skywalker Sound  sound post-production
• Video Arts Inc.  post-production facilities

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for language, some violence and sexual content

Runtime:

117 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #45942)

Filming Locations:

San Francisco, California, USA

Company:

5 Stick Films

Goofs:

Continuity: In several of the "Cruising" scenes, the Thermador Cooler on Che's vintage car disappear and reappear several times throughout the scenes. When they show close-ups of the passenger side window, the Thermador Cooler (the tube device on top of the passenger side door) is gone, while in most of the long shots, it is back. In one close-up you can actually see the wear marks of where the cooler sits on top of the door frame where they took it off for the close up.

Soundtrack:

Be Thankful for What You Got

Peter Bratt throws a lot in this movie

Actually, Benjamin Bratt said, "My brother Peter throws a lot into this movie." I went to a sold out screening on May 11, 2010, at the Pasadena Playhouse. This was a special screening as not only was Benjamin there; there was co-star Jeremy Ray Valdez and Laureen Selman, President of Reel Green Media, and who has the unusual screen credit as Environmental Consultant.

Though Bratt is a familiar face with many credits, such as a regular on LAW & ORDER and co-star in one of Sandra Bollack's biggest hits, "MISS CONGENIALITY", he really wanted to make a film that portrays life where he grew up in, the Mission District in San Francisco. Locals pronounce La Mission as Spanish, La Mis-see-own. But he got nothing but "no's" from the top brass. They told him that there was no audience for this kind of story.

But he had faith in his brother's story so they became producers with help from AMC Independent. Knowing the effects of movie making does to the environment, Selman came on board to ensure that waste was cut down. Cast and crew had to refill their water bottles or use metal containers. Cars ran on vegetable oil and ways for minimal use of paper work was investigated.

I'll only give the setup of this movie as I do encourage seeing this movie. Che (Benjamin Bratt) is an ace mechanic who operates from his own garage. He often has his friends over while he works and he visits him regularly as well, playing dominoes and shooting the breeze. Most are Chicanos, like himself, though some English speaking African Americans are part of the group.

Though beer and hard liquor is around him, he does not drink at all. In fact, one of his amigos is his AA sponsor. He's done time in prison and divorced from his wife. He has his son Jessie (Jeremy Ray Valdez) living with him. Jeremy is in his last year of high school and studying to be a college student.

Just moved in on the second floor on top of his garage is a very spiritually minded African American, Lena (Ericka Alexander) who does not get along at Che at first.

However, things get all turned around when he finds photographic evidence that his son Jesse is gay. He beats his son and throws him out of his apartment.

Not a typical gang banger story at all and as in real life, everything does not resolve into one neat package. However, this is a good glimpse of of seeing realities in different perceptions and a story of transformation. Definitely not for kids but a very good one for those who like to keep an open mind.