Latino Teen Drama Blast Beat Turns Up in Atlanta

A coming-of-age Latino teen drama set in the midst of Y2K, the indie film Blast Beat is shooting some scenes in Atlanta presently, including at Morehouse College. An expansion of writer/director Esteban Arango’s 17-minute short film of the same name, it follows a Colombian family living illegally in an American suburb; when their father is picked up by immigration enforcement and deported, a 17-year-old metalhead and his younger brother clash on how to respond and preserve their family. Brothers Mateo (Kickin’ It) and Moisés Arias (Hannah Montana) are starring, along with Wilmer Valderamma (That ‘70s Show), Daniel Dae Kim (Hawaii Five-0) and singer Kali Uchis. Scenes are also expected to be filmed in Los Angeles and Colombia itself.