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Vertical Entertainment has acquired North American rights to Feral State, written and directed by Jon Carlo (First We Take Brooklyn) and starring AnnaLynne McCord and Ronnie Gene Blevins. The indie thriller, which wrapped shooting late last year, will now get a theatrical release in May along with its digital bow.

The plot is set alongside Florida’s gator-infested swamps and rundown trailer parks where a charismatic yet dangerous grifter (Blevins) takes in orphans and runaways off the street. A self proclaimed father to the forgotten, he trains his ragtag gang in the art of thievery and crime, wreaking havoc by knocking off drug dealers and meth labs. With an ass-kicking detective (McCord) already hot on the trail, the arrival of a mysterious young girl turns out to be something far more dangerous to the gang than anyone could have imagined. Octavio Pisano, Jaden Piner, Baldur Thor and Sif Saga also star.

Exclusive: The forthcoming film Lupe is a trifecta of an emotional drama, exploring the topics of family, immigration and being transgender. In the feature film debut by Andre Phillips and Charles Vuolo, we are introduced to the complex world of Rafael (Rafael Albarrán), a Cuban immigrant and boxer, struggling with their transgender identity while searching for their missing sister, Isabelle in New York City’s underground sex industry.

In the exclusive clip above, we see Rafael, who is now presenting as a woman, talking with Lana (Celia Harrison) and discussing their feelings for a man unaware of Rafael’s transgender status.

The film, which makes its world premiere at the Cinequest Film Festival in San Jose March 8, dives deep into Rafael’s life as he tries to search for his missing long-lost sister Isabel (Lucerys Medina). As he begins to present as a transgender woman, he adds another layer to...