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Logline
Deadland is an elevated thriller where a US border patrol agent tries to apprehend the ghost of his father, a grave decision that will haunt him forever.
Synopsis
The Rio Grande river cuts through 1200 miles of harsh and unforgiving desert, dividing Texas from Mexico.
U.S. Border agent Angel Waters comes across what would normally be a routine illegal crossing, but it quickly devolves into his worst nightmare as he pulls a dying immigrant from the river. Barely clinging to life, the immigrant utters, “El Paso, por favor”. This dying request is one Angel cannot grant, but soon will wish he had.
In a tragic twist of fate the immigrant is killed while being held at a remote border outpost. Under the cover of darkness, Angel and his two fellow border agents bury the body deep in the desert in an unmarked grave. They swear an oath of silence, but it’s a silence the deceased migrant refuses to accept.
Days later Angel is called back to the river where he finds the SAME migrant at the river’s edge. The man calmly utters the same bone chillingly request, “El Paso, por favor”.
In a world divided, Angel will soon learn that divisions only run so deep.
Cast & Production
Director’s Statement
The initial idea for this story began when I read an article about a 1st generation Hispanic U.S. Border Agent. I was floored by the duality this man carries with him on the job having been brought into this world by undocumented immigrants. One quote sticks with me, “I carry my badge in one hand and my heart in the other”. That is a character worth writing about.
After a healthy amount of research Jas Shelton (co-writer) and I decided to create a story focusing on connection as the central theme.
We explored everything from physical and metaphysical borders, always asking the question “Is everything connected”? In exploring the physical aspect of the story we took a hard look at the border between the United States and Mexico, the relationships between families that exist on both sides and the impact the border has had on them. Their stories were heartbreaking and there was no turning back at that point. We had to tell this story.
The research helped us lean into the idea of building a story about connection between a 1st generation U.S. Border Agent, Angel Waters, and his estranged undocumented father, Ignacio Coronado. In an effort to reinforce the theme we dropped a handful of easter eggs into the story.
These metaphors symbolize the relationships of the characters (both Mexican and American) through an ancient coin, a song, day, night, life, death and a mantra about the inseparable connection between the roots and the branches that reverberate through the lineage of Angel’s family tree.
Although this film does not have a religious angle, we liked what The Holy Trinity could offer to the story. The metaphor helped us map out the connection of the characters. Ignacio is represented as The Father, Angel represents The Son, and the Stranger represents The Holy Ghost. All three characters are separate in their own right, but equally joined as one at the same time.
Everything in this film points to the theme of connection. Love and time cannot be contained. They stretch beyond both physical and metaphysical borders.
— Lance Larson
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Press
11 Jan 2023 2023 SXSW Film & TV Festival Lineup Announced With Dungeons & Dragons on Opening Night
11 Jan 2023 ‘Dungeons and Dragons,’ ‘Evil Dead Rise’ Headline First Wave of 2023 SXSW Film Lineup
11 Jan 2023 SXSW: ‘Dungeons & Dragons’ to Open 2023 Fest
7 Dec 2022 South by Southwest Reveals Second Slate of Showcase Artists for 2023 Festival
5 Aug 2022 Filmed in Frederick, Oklahoma, the “Deadland” trailer has just been dropped
25 Nov 2021 Manuel Uriza On Starring in Netflix’s Narcos
2 Nov 2021 Roberto Urbina, McCaul Lombardi & More To Star In ‘Deadland’ Thriller
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