Filly Brown tells the story of Majo Tonorio (Gina Rodriguez), a young underground rap artist known in the hip-hop scene as Filly Brown, who strives to make her dreams come true without compromising her vision as an artist. With her mother, María (Jenni Rivera) in prison and her father José (Lou Diamond Phillips) struggling to provide for his daughters, Majo is determined to help her family. When a music producer, Big Cee (Noel Gugliemi) offers her a deal, she experiences fame at first hand. Immerse in her new life style, she faces the risk of losing herself as an artist and all the people that she loves.

The streets of Los Angeles set the prefect scenario to tell this story about music, family and self-discovery. When asked about how this diverse city helped to move this story forward, Gina Rodriguez explained, “L.A plays a big part of it because it contributes to the idea that she is like everyone else and her brown skin means nothing more than just that. This could be any girl’s story that lives here in this city. It’s an American tale.”  Actor Lou Diamond Phillips, who portrays Majo’s father, added, “Obviously Los Angeles is a major character, but is emblematic of the fact that this is a melting pot. That many cultures come here that are extremely well represented and that everybody is able to walk the same streets.” He also commented that Filly Brown was another step towards inclusiveness and that their characters are making their way through the American society, fiercely grasping their part of the American Dream.

This film is driven by a mixture of experienced well know actors (Edward James Olmos, Lou Diamond Phillips) and fresh young talent (Gina Rodríguez, Braxton Millz, Chrissie Fit).

Another major Latin star in this film is Jenni Rivera (María Tonorios), whose performance inspired heartfelt compliments from the public, the critics and her peers. Her role as María Tonorios, Filly Brown’s imprisoned mother, was very significant in this film. Rivera’s tragic death and the fact that she is not sharing this milestone with them, still brings tears to the eyes of those that share the screen with her. “Every single day and every time I look the poster of ‘Filly Brown’ I think how blessed I am to have had those moments with Jenni. Now that Jenni is in a better place, I just thank God every day that I had that opportunity to work with her. She was everything that she stood for. She was that woman. She was humble, and gracious, and kind, and generous and sweet. An amazing mother to both, her real kids and to me on screen. She was supposed to be here with us,” said Rodríguez.

In this movie co-directed by Youssef Delara and Michael D. Olmos, music has a very substantial role. Latino hip-hop becomes a main character in this story and sets the rhythm of the film. “I think that what is interesting about ‘Filly Brown’ is that it does expose a genre that has never been in the mainstream profile, which is Latino hip-hop. Because when you think of a hip-hop artist you think about black culture and there is a huge Latino culture of hip-hop and they’re not hitting the mainstream. And what was great about Eminem and ‘8Mile’ and ‘Hustle and Flow’ was that they brought awareness to a musical culture. Filly Brown does that in a way that is narrative still. It’s a story about family and yet brings to life this underground genre of music that is amazing,” explains Rodriguez. She also commented about the way the artists in Latino hip-hop culture have moved and inspired Hispanic community. “I think Filly Brown does a great job in exposing a genre of music and not only that, it also talks to a demographic that we have been wanting to speak to. That first, second and third generation Latino, that feels very much Latino but very much American.”

See Filly Brown in theaters today!