The Gatekeeper Opens In Chicago.

After wining ten national indie film festival awards in the past year, “The Gatekeeper” makes its Chicago debut. John Carlos Frey, director, writer, producer and star of the film takes the audience on one man’s personal journey through the mysterious underground of drug and human trafficking. “The Gatekeeper” opens at Landmark’s Century Centre Cinema on Friday, August 8.

“The Gatekeeper” is the story of a Border Patrol agent’s struggle between conscience and self-loathing. Agent Adam Fields, a self hating, Mexican American field officer indulges his narrow-minded beliefs by taking his border guard position to the extreme. It isn’t until he is forced to endure the conditions of those he has so vehemently hated that he sees the situation from a more enlightened perspective.

“Hollywood didn’t want to tell this story, so I raised the money myself,” says Frey who was born in Tijuana, Mexico and raised in San Diego a quarter of a mile north of the border.

“I did extensive research and conducted numerous personal interviews with undocumented immigrants in order to formulate the screenplay,” continues Frey. Last month, Guadalupe, Arizona, a town of mostly migrants near Phoenix, issued an official proclamation endorsing the film “The Gatekeeper” because of its timely themes and accurate depiction of the criminal cruelties suffered by the undocumented.

“We know of the hardships immigrants go through,” Guadalupe Mayor Cota said. “With this proclamation we are encouraging people everywhere to go see the film.”

“The movie (‘The Gatekeeper’) isn’t so much the story of migrant journeys as it is about migrant experiences after they get here — how easy it is to abuse them because we pretend they don’t exist,” writes staff columnist, Ricardo Pimentel of the ‘Arizona Republic.’

“The Gatekeeper” was honored in 2002 and 2003 with the five “Audience Choice – Best Film” awards three jury “Best Film” honors as well as awards for “Distinguished Performance” and “Best Director” from film festivals across the country. The picture was written, directed and produced by John Carlos Frey. Executive producer of the film is Jack Lorenz. Cast members include Frey, Michelle Agnew, Anne Betancourt, Joel Brooks, J. Patrick McCormack, Joe Pascual and Tricia O’Kelley.

For more information at http://www.landmarktheaters.com