Goa, India, November 25, 2024: Asia Premiere of The US production ‘American Warrior’ had a full house at the 55th IFFI in Goa on November 24 at INOX, Panjim. Actors Taylor Treadwell and Vishy Ayyar, Jordy Cass, alongside producers Rashaana Shah, Cristy Coors Beasley, and Naveen Chathapuram, were seen sparring with MMA gloves on the IFFI red carpet.
The audience appreciated the theme of redemption and second chances especially for Indian immigrants.
“We’re absolutely thrilled and overwhelmed with the reception of our indie movie. The narrative landed with all age groups.”, comments the team American Warrior.
Apart from IFFI, Goa, American Warrior has been in official competition at numerous international festivals including the 33rd Heartland Film Festival, Tallgrass Film Festival, Tasveer Film Festival, San Antonio Film Festival, and the Santa Fe Film Festival in 2024 where the film and its stars were honored with four awards including Best Actress for Veronica Falcón and Best Cinematographer for Derek Fisher.
American Warrior is the first co-production between Immortal Thoughts, Mulberry Films and Fabled Frames. It is expected to be released worldwide around April 2025.
About The Movie:
The heartfelt story of an Indian immigrant set in the world of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) centres on the universal theme of redemption and second chances. Peruvian-American director Gustavo Martin Benites makes his debut with American Warrior.
The story follows an Indian immigrant, “Jai Kumar” (played by Indian-American actor, Vishy Ayyar), a former convict and amateur MMA fighter who rises from obscurity to local fame after thwarting a convenience store robbery. As “Jai” navigates newfound and unwelcome attention, he is pushed to confront his past demons. Against all odds, he seizes the opportunity for a comeback. With the deck stacked against him, he enters a local MMA tournament for one last shot at redemption.
In a historic first, ‘American Warrior’ brings together Indian, American, and Latin-American stars in a Hollywood production.
The diverse cast includes acclaimed actors such as Omi Vaidya, best known for his performance as “Chatur Ramalingam” in the Indian film 3 Idiots. Danny Trejo, known globally for his iconic roles in action movies like Machete, plays the role of “Dennis”, a seasoned MMA coach. Veronica Falcón, of Ozark fame, plays he role of “Marcella”, the tenacious owner of a local gym; and Native American amateur MMA fighter Andrew Gray, the Red Ranger in Power Rangers Megaforce, plays the antagonist “Marcus”. Taylor Treadwell plays “Melissa”, a role that required navigating complex and delicate human relations as a single mother in recovery and the love interest of the film. She is not only in love with “Jai” but also becomes his emotional anchor.
