LOS ANGELES — In between the lines of a script for a Chicano crime drama set in 1970s East Los Angeles, actor Jesse Borrego knew he had in front of him a zeitgeist of Chicano youth in the '70s.

At the time of its release, critics called the film a “nihilistic story.” And 30 years later, the film has garnered a cult following.

Directed by Taylor Hackford who produced films like "La Bamba," "Blood In, Blood Out" captures the experiences of Chicano youth in an era where their environment is riddled with drugs, crime, poverty and systemic racism.