Based on a true story, Down for Life depicts a single, fateful day in the life of a 15-year-old Latina gang leader, Rascal. Leaving the gang, she discovers, is more difficult than joining. Rascal’s story is further complicated by racial tensions between her Latina gang and a rival black girl gang. The film was shot on location in South-Central Los Angeles and stars local youths in the lead roles. The film presents a raw, authentic look at a young teenager’s life in the ghetto. It presents an unflinching view into a world most of us know little about.

The film was written and directed by Alan Jacobs and featured special appearances by Snoop Dogg and Danny Glover. It received critical acclaim and was screened as an official selection at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Chicano rap artist “Lil Rob” created the song Por Vida for the film. Alan Jacobs directed the music video for Por Vida, and the music video has now been viewed online more than one million times. The video even features some footage from the movie itself.