1211 Entertainment succeeds with theatrical premiere of “Down for Life” in Rio Grande Valley with 6K per screen average

   1211 Entertainment, the production company founded by filmmaker Frank Aragon, which produced the independent Latina gang movie, reports that their feature DOWN FOR LIFE is averaging $6,000 per screen in 5 theaters in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas for the past two weeks.

   Brian Fox of B.D. Fox and associates is distributing the film.

   Based on a true story, DOWN FOR LIFE depicts a single, fateful day in the life of a 15-year-old Latina gang leader. Leaving the gang, she discovers, is more difficult than joining. The film was shot on location in South Central Los Angeles and stars local youths in the lead roles.

   The film stars Danny Glover, Kate Del Castillo, Snoop Dogg, Laz Alonso and introduces Jessica Romero.

   Pete Hammond of The Los Angeles Times called the film “a cross between ‘Precious’ and ‘Boyz in the ‘Hood,’” and a likely candidate in the Oscar race, especially for Romero, who was recently named Best New Actress at the Boston Film Festival.

   “We are extremely pleased with the results in our first 5 theaters, especially considering we were competing with ‘Green Hornet,’ ‘Dilemma,’ ‘True Grit,’ ‘The Kings Speech,’ ‘Black Swan,’ ‘Little Fockers,’ and ‘Tron Legacy,’” says Brian D. Fox of B.D. Fox Independent.

   The film will expand to San Antonio, El Paso, and Sacramento as the second stage of a platform release strategy and then roll out to the top 40 Hispanic markets, including New York and Los Angeles.

   “The marketing was targeted to the young ‘Latino Contemporary’ audience, employing a strategic TV and radio campaign, heavy promotions, star appearances, and intense grassroots marketing efforts, including local high school and college assembly seminars followed by field trips to the theaters for matinee screenings,” Fox adds.

   “We reached out to a community with a realistic authentic look at gangster life, but with a message of hope and second chances” says Aragon who was producer and 2nd unit director on the film. “That’s why the film is succeeding and reaching masses by good word of mouth and good old fashioned grass roots marketing.” Aragon continues. “I am proud we made a film that truly is a Chicano point of view not a Hollywood version.”

   1211 Entertainment and B.D. FOX INDEPENDENT is a full-service, theatrical motion picture production and distribution company that specializes in distributing independent films in theatres across North America and selling direct to DVD, VOD, Cable, Network and all other ancillary markets. With a highly respected team of experienced professionals B.D.Fox offers filmmakers an intelligent and more profitable alternative to traditional film distribution.

   1211 Entertainment has been targeting an American-Latino audience for the past ten years. This is 1211’s first theatrical release.

   This was originally published on LatinoLA (www.latinola.com)