Gravitas Ventures has acquired the rights to Die Like a Man, the latest crime thriller from writer-director Eric Nazarian, starring Cory Hardrict, Miguel Angel Garcia, and Mariel Molino. Set against the gritty backdrop of Los Angeles, the film takes viewers on a haunting journey through themes of masculinity, violence, and the devastating impact of gentrification in 21st-century America.
The film delves into the life of Freddy, played by Miguel Angel Garcia, a young man facing a fateful rite of passage. Freddy, a 17-year-old Westsider who is given a gun and asked to prove himself to a veteran gangster he idolizes. Freddy is left grappling with a life-or-death decision — will he fulfill the task or “die like a man” with a gun in his hand?
Hardrict, who also serves as a producer, portrays a recently paroled west Los Angeles gangster who, after a decade behind bars, returns to a neighborhood altered by gentrification and redevelopment. With old friends either gone or dead, he finds himself isolated in a new world. His connection to the past lies with Freddy, his best friend’s son, whom he mentors in the harsh codes of street masculinity. However, this bond ultimately leads to devastating consequences, as Freddy is thrust into a violent journey that questions the very ideals he’s been taught.
Nazarian, known for his gritty storytelling rooted in his own experience as an immigrant in Los Angeles, describes Die Like a Man as “an honest tale about the doomed codes of machismo culture that has spiraled into worsening gun violence and inner-city warfare. Freddy’s journey explores the destructive power of internalized rage and the road toward atonement.” To deepen the film’s authenticity, Die Like a Man was shot entirely in Los Angeles’ inner-city neighborhoods and includes collaboration with Father Gregory Boyle’s Homeboy Industries, a group dedicated to rehabilitating formerly incarcerated individuals and providing gang intervention support.
Gravitas Ventures plans to release the film in North America in april 2025, with Danielle Gasher, VP of Acquisitions & International Sales, calling it “a gritty thriller with so much heart and powerful performances.”
Produced by Mucho Mas Media, Voyager Pictures, Confluential Films, 222 Pictures, Boycott Entertainment, and Showdown Productions, Die Like a Man features a robust team of producers and executive producers, including Javier Chapa, Tommy Oliver, Sean Patrick Burke, and Hardrict himself. With its hard-hitting storyline and evocative exploration of street culture, Die Like a Man is primed to make a strong impact on both domestic and international markets.
Originally read on Deadline, BlackFilmandtv