Los Traficantes (2012)

Director:

Adam Watson

Writers:

Kurt Tuffendsam (written by)
Adam Watson (written by)
(more)

Release Date:

18 October 2012 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Crime | Drama

Plot:

While serving a 33 year sentence inside La Mesa Federal Prison, the most corrupt in all of Mexico, former drug cartel chief Esteban Mendoza finds redemption while helping others overcome drug addiction. |

Plot Keywords:

Drugs | Cartel | Prison | Redemption | Drug Smuggling

Awards:

1 win

Cast

John Paul	...	Esteban Mendoza
Erika Flores	...	Perla Mendoza
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Cliserio Aguilar	...	Young Esteban's Cousin 2
Jaime Alcaraz	...	Orphanage Worker
Manuel Alfredo	...	Poor Inmate 1
Linda Channell Allure	...	Ranch Cook 2
Felix Rosales Alvarez	...	Inmate 7
Luis Anguiano	...	Prison Director
Rafael Barragan	...	Hitman 1
Maya Benitez	...	Little Girl
Fernando Castro	...	Prison Manager 1
Enrique Chui	...	Prison Manager 2
Bernabe Villanueva Cruz	...	Poor Inmate 2
Mario Cruz	...	Orphanage Worker 2
Jocelyn Davalos	...	Angela
Javier Diaz	...	Prison Manager 3
Linda Gonzalez Diaz	...	Ranch Cook 1
Mike Disch	...	Harry Abdul
Carlos Espino	...	Eduardo
Francisco Estrada	...	Raul
Martin Estrada	...	Adult Drug Dealer
Daniel Galo	...	Teenage Esteban
David Garza	...	Jose
Joseline Gomez	...	Female Cook
Otoniel Gomez	...	Local Jail Inmate 3
Abel Gonzalez	...	Cesar
Everardo Gonzalez	...	Inmate 4
Lizelle Gutierrez	...	Bank Teller
Raul Gutierrez	...	Chiapas Pastor
Juan-Carlos Guzman	...	Benito
Tony Henriquez	...	Esteban's Dad
Bianca Hernandez	...	Annie Abdul
Oscar Juares	...	La Mesa Guard 1
Natasha Le Clercq	...	Dina
Aura Carmelita Leon	...	Beautiful Woman 3
Sergio Limon	...	Prison Manager 4
Alejandro Lizarraga	...	Carlos
Emanuel Loarca	...	Castulo
Mario Lopez	...	Inmate 8
Amber Macias	...	Cute Teenage Girl 2
Miguel Angel Marcado	...	Mafia Rancher 3
Caspar Robles Martes	...	Mafia Rancher 1
Diego Martínez Agraz	...	Child Esteban
Aquiles Medellin	...	Diego
Danny Mendoza	...	Lawyer
Jorge Arturo Murillo Meza	...	Teen Drug Dealer
Marco Antonio Meza	...	La Mesa Guard 2
Martha Meza	...	Female cook 2
Antonio Montoya	...	Ranch Hand 2
Paco Mufote	...	Agustino
Joel Navarro	...	Mafia Body Guard
Walberto Niehlas	...	Addict In Ravine
Kelvin Alonso Lopez Nunez	...	Eberto
Leo Oliva	...	Sergio (as Leonel Oliva)
Eliezer Ortiz	...	Ramirez
Anna Paladin	...	Teen Esteban's Girlfriend
Barbarella Pardo	...	Rocio
Carlos Perolta	...	Hitman 3
Diana Perolta	...	Cute Teenage girl 1
Octavio Villegas Perolta	...	Hitman 2
Martin Ramirez	...	Mafia Rancher 2
Maribel Reyes	...	Prostitute
Alain Cristiani Ricci	...	Church Leader
Claire Risoli	...	Edita
Apolonio Rodriguez	...	Servant Inmate
Pedro Rodman Rodriguez	...	Manolo
Isidoro Rojas	...	Soldier 1
Raul Ortega Rojas	...	Antonio
Eduardo Romero	...	Local Jail Inmate 1
Adrian Sanchez Ruiz	...	Local Jail Inmate 4
Angel Ruiz	...	Miguel
Bethesda Ruiz	...	Backseat Kid 3
Marisela Ruiz	...	Esteban's Mom
Oscar Gallardo Ruiz	...	Esteban's Uncle
Lucas Saeger	...	Young Esteban's cousin 1
Miguel A. Saldaña	...	El Jefe
Sylvia Santillan	...	Beautiful Woman 2
Sana Sepehri	...	Woman Preacher
Caleb Tirado	...	Jail Guard
Carlos Torres	...	Local Jail Inmate 2
Manuel Torres	...	Marco
Maylin Tu	...	Beautiful Woman 1
Uriel Humberto Urias	...	Soldier 3
Katliya Valdez	...	Backseat kid 1
Joaquin Vasquez	...	Soldier 2
Jose Vasquez-Valenzuela	...	The Spaniard
Elias Visaiz	...	Benicio (as Gerardo Elias Jisaiz Cerda)

Directed by
Adam Watson

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Claudia A. Juarez Chavez		translation
Kurt Tuffendsam		written by
Adam Watson		written by

Produced by
Shawn Hendrix	....	executive producer
Marcello Robinson	....	co-producer
Kurt Tuffendsam	....	producer

Original Music by
Ben Mason		(original music by)

Cinematography by
Tyson Burger		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Daniel R. Padgett		(edited by)

Casting by
Barbarella Pardo

Costume Design by
Nasira Elias

Makeup Department
Beatrice Alcorta	....	makeup department head (as Beatrice Najera)
Beatrice Alcorta	....	special makeup effects artist (as Beatrice Najera)
Claudia Navarro	....	hair stylist
Claudia Navarro	....	makeup artist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Claudia A. Juarez Chavez	....	second assistant director
Linda Wilson	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Sylvia Santillan	....	prop master

Sound Department
J.R. Fountain	....	production sound mixer
J.R. Fountain	....	sound editor
J.R. Fountain	....	sound re-recording mixer
J.R. Fountain	....	supervising sound editor

Stunts
Ian Eyre	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Tyson Burger	....	camera operator
Andres Delsol	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
Cail Hubert	....	grip
Win Jones	....	key grip
Josh Maas	....	gaffer
Christopher Rosenberg	....	electrician
Destry Smith	....	grip
Wey Wang	....	second assistant camera

Casting Department
Marcello Robinson	....	casting: Los Angeles
Elias Visaiz	....	casting assistant: Mexico

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Marko Castillo	....	costume assistant
Sylvia Santillan	....	set costumer

Editorial Department
Jon Otazua	....	assistant editor
Yesenia Rosales	....	assistant editor
Teresa Venegas	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Jongnic Bontemps	....	music preparation
Sean Fernald	....	music consultant
Nick Kenworthy-Browne	....	additional orchestration
Nick Kenworthy-Browne	....	score preparation
Nick Kenworthy-Browne	....	score recording supervisor
Greg Simmonds	....	music preparation
Jeremy Tisser	....	music preparation

Transportation Department
Maylin Tu	....	driver

Other crew
Claudia A. Juarez Chavez	....	location manager
Claudia A. Juarez Chavez	....	production coordinator: Tijuana
Ivan Chavez	....	production assistant
Carlos Espino	....	cook
Elizabeth Falk	....	production secretary
Tony Henriquez	....	cook
Sergio Herrara	....	key location scout
Richard Kroll	....	researcher: stock footage
Guyla Mills	....	production coordinator: LA
Guyla Mills	....	script supervisor
Rocio Pena	....	cook
Ricardo Ramirez	....	head chef
David Roberson	....	publicist
Leno Thomas	....	producer's assistant
Maylin Tu	....	assistant production coordinator
Maylin Tu	....	craft service

Production Companies

• Rise

Other Companies

• Roberson Public Relations  publicity

Runtime:

82 min

Country:

USA | Mexico

Language:

Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Company:

Rise

The Bobo Film Review of Los Traficantes

Los Traficantes had the potential of being overwhelmed and ultimately underwhelming because of a low budget. But as it turns out...Salvation is a funny thing...

Salvation happens when you least expect it, it can sneak up on you, sometimes everything just falls into place just when you need it, or you have to fall in the right place to discover it. Salvation for Esteban Mendoza came after years of running drugs and gunning thugs for control of territory and money in Mexico. It happened in prison, after he had been stripped of everything he thought was important, it happened when Esteban realized that it wasn't all about him.

Funny thing, that salvation...

Salvation for this film comes from the people involved in telling the story, an editor Daniel R. Padgett who works with Wes Anderson combined with an impressive debut original score by Ben Mason and a controlled directorial coming out party by Adam Watson. Above those key aspects of the success of Los Traficantes is the story itself, the personal journey of Esteban Mendoza and the countless others who he has affected since.

So, if you can forgive and offer grace for a few awkward camera set ups and some even awkwarder acting at times you will discover a touching docudrama with it's heart and it's salvation in the right place.