Cartel Land
This bold film gives extraordinary access to dangerous and sometimes deadly skirmishes in the Mexico–US drug wars, following vigilante groups on either side of the border as they empower themselves to take action against drug cartels that they feel are endangering their everyday lives. A vivid and sometimes brutal portrait of citizens motivated to take the law into their own hands, Cartel Land reveals fault lines and grey areas in every aspect of the conflict.
Description
Matthew Heineman’s bold documentary gives extraordinary access to dangerous and sometimes deadly skirmishes in the Mexico-US drug wars, following vigilante groups on either side of the border who feel that their governments have failed them and decide to empower themselves to take action against drug cartels that are endangering their everyday lives. Tim “Nailer” Foley, a veteran and former drug addict who is now the leader of Arizona Border Recon, is on a personal mission to protect the US from infiltration by Mexican cartels. Dr. José Manuel Mirales, the colorful leader of the Autodefensas, a citizens’ paramilitary group in the Mexican state of Michoacan, is determined to protect citizens from the deadly Knights Templar cartel. Heineman and his fellow filmmakers bravely follow the story through meth labs, night patrols, interrogations and shootouts. This vivid and sometimes brutal portrait reveals fault lines, complexities and grey areas in every aspect of the conflict.
Trailer
Biographies
Matthew Heineman directed Escape Fire: The Fight to Rescue American Healthcare, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2012 and was nominated for an Emmy Award. He also directed Our Time and was a contributor to the HBO series The Alzheimer’s Project. Of his observational style on Cartel Land, Heineman says, “What I really wanted to do was to let the characters speak for themselves. A lot of people use talking heads to tell you what to think. I wanted to show people a world that they don’t get to see, to see people they don’t get to meet. I have faith in an audience being able to interpret complex material.”