City of Dreams

Veteran producer Mohit Ramchandani's "City of Dreams" aspires to be a powerful catalyst for change in the battle against child trafficking. While the narrative may feel familiar, reminiscent of a recent film about a Mexican child aspiring to stardom in the USA, this story centers on one boy's extraordinary journey of resilience and hope.

Based on true events, "City of Dreams" tells the story of Jesús, a young boy from Mexico whose ambition to become a soccer star is abruptly derailed when he is trafficked across the border and forced into a sweatshop producing fast fashion in downtown Los Angeles. Under the oppressive regime of El Jefe, Jesús finds comfort in the company of Elena, another victim of betrayal and enslavement. When Elena goes missing and a fellow worker suffers a brutal beating, Jesús understands that the only path to freedom for himself and his companions is to rise up, even at the risk of his own life. The film features a standout performance by newcomer Ari Lopez, alongside Golden Globe® Nominee Diego Calva (Babylon), Paulina Gaitán ("Narcos"), Jason Patric (The Lost Boys), and Renata Vaca (Saw X).

I sincerely hope that this film will inspire everyone who sees it to join the fight for the freedom of so many enslaved innocent kids!

I'm lucky to have grown up with a certain ignorance.. liked most people in the world we are not enough aware of the suffering of others. Safe from the horrors that other people endure i can buy my clothing at the cheapest price. But it's not that I'm truly unaware - it's what we Dutch call 'far from my bed'.. these things are so far away from my day to day live that my subconscious chooses to ignore that horror.

Therefore i thank the makers of this movie, it was very impressive.

The storytelling was very good, camerawork did add to that. The acting of all the characters and dept off their roles were very well played out. It shows that there are only victims - all having their dreams crushed.

A movie the world needs to see.

This movie continues to fight for the real issue of child slavery. A real issue that cannot fade into the background of our everyday lives. It is tastefully done while at the same time it doesn't minimize the seriousness of this topic. The actors are extremely well cast. The filmmakers have made a film about a topic that is not glamorous but needs to be heard. This is not a movie that will leave you feeling excited and happy. But that's not its point. But this absolutely is a must see film and more importantly, a film that deserves and needs to have its message heard long after leaving the theatre.

I'm tempted to say that this film should win an Oscar. It is one of those films that will leave a lasting impact on you. I was I'll informed about trafficking in the U. S. When the film was over and the credits were rolling, my whole perspective changed. For the first time in my life I had to pay attention to child trafficking and stop being ignorant. This is one of those films that makes you think and realize how big this problem is.

Overall, it is a beautiful film that demonstrates the human ability to be resilient in the face of adversity at its worst. If you are looking for a place to watch this film, I watched it on Amazon the other day.

Ari Lopez played his role perfectly. I don't know how old he was when he played this role, but being so young and being able to show so much emotion without saying a word, is amazing.

He didn't say much in this movie, but the emotion he showed, was enough.

This movie is one of those movies that is incredibly hard to watch. I will dig deep into your soul and make you sad. Asad that some people have lives like this. It is sad that life is unfair to many people around the world.

Modern-day slavery exists and trafficking exists. The fact that this exists breaks my heart and will break your heart.

It's 100% a must-see movie!!! I'm happy they made this movie to raise awareness about this issue in this world.

Ari Lopez should definitely get roles in more movies, he is amazing.

Anyhow this movie is dark, this movie will break your heart and you will cry a lot. If you don't cry, then your heart will feel so heavy.

100% you have to see this movie!!!