Attila Korosi, a self-taught filmmaker who grew up in a war-torn region, immigrated to the US, and formed a strong bond with East LA natives, makes his feature film debut, ‘“Live and Die in East LA.” The movie deals with an E.R. doctor who, after treating an injured boy, is pulled into the world of gangs and street violence in the underbelly of Los Angeles. What’s unusual about the film is that Korosi shows different versions of the same plot, told from different perspectives. It just achieved the much-coveted 100% Rotten Tomatoes rating, which is no small feat for an indie.
Korosi says, “Growing up in a war, I found salvation in watching American movies. From early on, I knew I wanted to be a filmmaker. But since my family had no connections and no money, I had to figure out a way to come to the United States. When I learned that U.S. universities are offering full scholarships for prospective student-athletes, I decided to become a runner. I never liked running, but I understood to become a filmmaker, I have to become a runner first. Fast forward to the present, and my first feature film is distributed and sold to more than twenty countries worldwide. It was mind-blowing when the film achieved a 100% fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes.”
“One of the most rewarding moments during this journey of the making ‘Live and Die in East LA’ was when the mother of one of the young actors in the film approached me and said, ‘You kept my son out of situations where he could have ended up in a gang; you saved his life.’ Hearing her words, the feeling was priceless. It is moments like this that make us do what we do.”
Check out the intense, violent, poignant film, available now on Amazon Prime and Vudu.
