Montoya’s Water & Power

The feature film directorial debut from Writer/Director RICHARD MONTOYA is based on his award-winning play of the same name, originally produced at the Mark Taper Forum for CULTURE CLASH.

WATER & POWER - Shot over 12 extraordinary nights in Los Angeles, the film tells the story of two brothers nicknamed Water & Power by their hard-working father who was an irrigation field man for the famed Department of Water & Power of Los Angeles (LADWP). From the blue-collar housing projects of the city’s Eastside to the very corridors of power where deals are made in the City of Angels - WATER & POWER explores a cautionary tale - with a Chicano twist. Told in the classic L.A. noir style - with a darkly humorous tone - a hallmark for which Montoya is known in the theater and television.

WATER (ENRIQUE MURCIANO) is a rising political star and California state senator. POWER (NICHOLAS GONZALEZ) is a top cop in the LAPD elite upper chain of command. Following an unexpected and unavoidable tragedy, the brothers find themselves in a seedy motel room on the eastern edge of Sunset Boulevard on a dark and rainy night. Can they survive the long night? Can there be Water without Power? Will they remember the tough love lessons taught to them by their hard-working father?

Montoya is a SUNDANCE INSTITUTE alumnus for the Directors & Writers Labs and received an Annenberg fellowship for the writing of his screenplay. Montoya wrote the play for his legendary performance company CULTURE CLASH. Academy Award nominated Edward James Olmos is the Presenting Producer on Water & Power, lending his invaluable support, and experience in distributing films that speak powerfully to the audience.