'La Mission' film is close to Bratt

In “La Mission,” Bratt plays Che Rivera, a reformed ex-con and recovering alcoholic who struggles to come to terms with his teenage son's homosexuality. The two-hour film screens at 8 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 6, during the 32nd edition of CineFestival en San Antonio.

“La Mission” reunites Bratt with his longtime friend, San Antonio native Jesse Borrego. It's the third film collaboration for the two actors who starred together in 1992's cult favorite “Blood In, Blood Out,” and in the official 1996 Sundance Film Festival entry “Follow Me Home.”

The latter film was written, produced and directed by Peter Bratt (Benjamin's brother), who assumed the same duties on “La Mission,” his second feature film. Set and shot in the Bratt brothers' old neighborhood in San Francisco, known as La Mission district, the film is one close to Peter Bratt's heart.

“I've always dreamed of making a film in La Mission,” he says by phone. “I always found it to be a complex place full of great characters.”

Filmmakers found such a complex character in Che, modeled after a real person the Bratt brothers knew growing up. “Even some of the dialogue in the movie comes straight from Che's mouth. Instead of saying goodbye, he'd say ‘Stay brown,' ” Peter Bratt says, referring to the real-life Che who initially wasn't comfortable with the homophobic nature of his movie-version self.

“There was lots of mutual respect and trust. He understood what I wanted to do,” says Peter Bratt, who's excited to bring “La Mission” to San Antonio, where he thinks audiences will relate to its Latino characters and depiction of a traditional Latino community.

“I think everyone knows someone like Che,” he says.

Set for theatrical release on April 9, “La Mission” also stars Jeremy Ray Valdez (a recent guest star on “The Closer” and “NCIS”), Erika Alexander (“The Cosby Show” and “Living Single”) and Benjamin Bratt's wife, Talisa Soto (“Piñero” and “License to Kill”).