Edy Ganem, Seth Michaels & Patricia Velasquez Topline ‘Free Dead or Alive’; Ben Milliken, Richard Kind Star In ‘The Ray’; Gravitas Acquires ‘Mustang Saviors’ – Film Briefs

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Edy Ganem (Devious Maids), Seth Michaels (Doom Patrol), and Patricia Velasquez (The Mummy) have been tapped to star in Free Dead or Alive, an indie action thriller written, produced, and directed by Erik Bernard.

The pic follows Eva (Ganem), a beautiful strong-willed young woman who enters a journey to escape her mother’s (Velasquez) arranged marriage to the region’s most dangerous cartel. Her defiance sets off a chain of events that threatens her life. Surviving will require the skills of Dragon (Michaels), a coyote that can protect her during her quest throughout the dangerous world of cross-border cartels who are the law of the lands.

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Robert LaSardo, Robert Avellanet, Jonathan Joss, and Al Coronel will co-star. Courtney LeMarco will serve as executive producer.

Ganem is repped by McKeon/Myones Entertainment, APA and Morris Yorn Barnes; Michaels repped by People Store; Velasquez by Insurge-Ent. and Untitled Entertainment.

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Ben Milliken (Bosch, Blue Crush 2), Richard Kind (Curb Your Enthusiasm, A Serious Man), Brad William Henke (Orange Is The New Black, The Stand), and Hudson Yang (Fresh Off The Boat) will topline The Ray, an eclectic action-thriller from director Christopher Borrelli. Slated to begin production next month in New Mexico, the film is set in the ruins of the Salton Sea and follows Ray (Milliken), a former criminal evading a series of ruthless killers led by eccentric mob boss, Grayson (Kind). Ray finds refuge with a mysterious good Samaritan (Henke), but it soon becomes apparent, however, he has walked into the nest of someone even more dangerous than the killers pursuing him.

Lisa Mathis and Matt R. Allen of Branch Out Productions are producing the film in conjunction with Krista Suh and Gabriel Roth. Milliken and Lamar Billups serve as executive producers through their production shingle, Glass Horse Films.

Borrelli, who recently set up his sci-fi thriller, Void, with Charles King’s Macro and Netflix, is repped by Verve and Chris Cowles. Milliken is repped by RKM; Henke by APA; Kind by Innovative Artists; Yang by Gersh.

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Gravitas Ventures has reigned in the North American rights to Mustang Saviors, the David Glossberg-directed documentary that be will be available to rent and own on digital HD internet, cable, and satellite platforms on February 16. The doc, which was written by Kirk Demorest, focuses on the high rate of American veterans as well as a powerful and remarkable treatment that pairs Wild mustangs taken straight off the range with veterans. Producers are Glossberg, Demorest, Trudy Schwartz, Alicia Zaragosa, Irene Cazares, and Lisa Diersen. The deal was negotiated by David Glossberg on behalf of the filmmakers and by Nick Royak on behalf of Gravitas.

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