El Sicario, Room 164 (2010)

The story of a hitman for the drug cartels in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico.

Director:

Gianfranco Rosi

Writer:

Charles Bowden (article)

4 wins.

Storyline

El Sicario, Room 164 is an 80-minute documentary about a hit man. He has killed hundreds of people, is an expert in torture and kidnapping, and for many years was a commander of the state police in Chihuahua. At the moment, there is a contract on his life of $250,000.

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Plot Keywords:

torturer | kidnapping | juarez mexico | arizona mexico border | hitman | 

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Genres:

Documentary

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

France USA

Language:

Spanish

Release Date:

28 December 2011 (USA)

Also Known As:

Der Auftragskiller - Zimmer 164

Company Credits

Production Co:

Robo Films, Les Films d'Ici, Arte France

Technical Specs

Runtime:

80 min

Color:

Color

User Reviews

grim but necessary, a must watch documentary, just brace yourself.

I have seen it, in English, legitimately. Incredibly dark, important film. If not to the systemic corruption and sanctioned drug trafficking which is crucially relevant to current affairs in Mexico, then it is an important piece into the psychology of someone who explains his "work" in a tone you expect a teacher would explain their administrative responsibilities.

His description of early enticement into the trade, through training, through to various responsibilities and participation in conducting brutality of "enormous suffering" at the will of "el patron". This interview is not only a confession of a mass murderer it is a testament to how organised and how rooted the drug industry is in the Mexican economy and politics. An echo of a tragic history which ripples across south America over the decades.