HARLINGEN — God and the Gulf Cartel will collide in a movie scripted by John Macias from San Benito.
And he’s looking for extras while he films scenes in the Valley this weekend.
“We will be filming on South Padre Island and Brownsville on Saturday and Sunday,” said Macias, 44.
Macias said he’s coming back to the Valley for the first time in more than 20 years to film parts of his first movie called, “Redirected by Grace.”
Macias is looking for people ages 16 to 55 who want to be in the movie.
“We are looking for people who are willing to participate in this movie,” Macias said. “I’m picking the people who we need.”
The movie is based on a true story and follows a young boy named Diego who is recruited by the Mexican Gulf Cartel to run drugs and be an assassin at the tender age of 12.
“During the course of killing people, Diego grows a conscience and starts thinking about the horrible things he’s done,” Macias said about the main character in his movie.
His movie is being compared to Christian drama films like “God is Not Dead” and “War Room.”
“At the age of 14, Diego is kidnapped and tortured in Mexico,” Macias said.
However, Diego does not learn his lesson and is still drawn to the violence of killing and hurting people for the cartel.
Then on assignment to assassinate a man who is in debt to the cartel, Diego is sent to torture and kill a person but accidentally abducts the wrong man.
The man tries to reason for his life with Diego while he is being tortured for days, using the word of the gospel and telling Diego God loves him and forgives him.
“Diego didn’t know what remorse was until that day,” Macias said. “And then he started sneaking into churches to listen to the gospel until so many years had passed and he was sent to prison.”
The movie director, Jason Wilkinson, and some of the actors and actresses from the movie will be in the Valley during the filming.
Macias said a private screening of the movie will be presented in Brownsville.
“This is my first movie I will write and produce,” Macias said. “And it’s been a great experience so far.”
WANT TO BE IN THE MOVIE?
Contact John Macias by calling 254-214-7938 or email him at [email protected]
