June 15--Filmmaker Jose De Avila is looking to start work on an indie film called "Traficante" in Chicago this September.
"It's a movie about family," he told me, "about an ex-con who was a drug mule who comes back home to Chicago after serving a 15-year sentence and tries to lead a straight life. His younger brother is a dirty Chicago cop and gets in trouble, so has to get involved to save his brother's life."
The film is a road movie in which the ex-con must "pick up a car loaded with drugs and bring it from LA to Chicago," but De Avila says 90 percent of filming will be done in Chicago. (His two principal actors, however are based out of Los Angeles.)
This will be De Avila's first feature-length film and he hopes to beging shooting Sept. 8, but it depends on whether he can secure adequate funding. He is in talks with investors.
By the way, De Avila works as an Illinois State Trooper. I asked if anyone in his command had thoughts (or concerns) that his script might be glorifying drug mules, or revealing too much information learned while on the job.
"Though the title may seem to suggest it, this movie is not another glorification of drug trafficking," he said. ("Traficante" is Spanish for drug trafficker.) As for his bosses: "They've been very supportive actually. My command is well-aware of what I'm doing; this is not a big secret."
For more information you can go to the movie's Facebook page here.
nmetz@tribpub.com
@NinaMetzNews
