Cartel Land (2015)

Filmmaker Matthew Heineman examines the state of the ongoing drug problem along the U.S.-Mexican border.

Director:

Matthew Heineman

Stars:

Tim Nailer Foley, José Manuel 'El Doctor' Mireles, Paco Valencia

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 18 wins & 36 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview:
Tim Nailer Foley	...	Himself (as Tim 'Nailer' Foley)
José Manuel 'El Doctor' Mireles	...	Himself, leader and founder, Autodefensas
Paco Valencia	...	Himself, Autodefensas Comandante
Chaneque	...	Himself, drug cartel thug
Caballo	...	Himself, drug cartel thug
Enrique Peña Nieto	...	Himself
Ana Valencia	...	Herself, Manuel Mireles' wife
Estanislao Beltránin	...	Himself, spokesman, Autodefensas
Janet Fields	...	Herself, Tim Foley's girlfriend
Nicolás Sierra	...	Himself (as as Nicolás Sierra 'El Gordo')
Karla	...	Herself
Alfredo Castillo Cervantes	...	Himself, Mexican political (as Alfredo Castillo)
María Imilse Arrué	...	Herself (as María Imilse)

Storyline

A physician in Michoacán, Mexico leads a citizen uprising against the drug cartel that has wreaked havoc on the region for years. Across the U.S. border, a veteran heads a paramilitary group working to prevent Mexico's drug wars from entering U.S. territory.

---

Plot Keywords:

arizona desert | sonora mexico | arrest | drug | gunfire | 

---

Genres:

Documentary

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

: Rated R for violent disturbing images, language, drug content and brief sexual material

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [Japan]

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

3 July 2015 (USA)

Also Known As:

Cartel land

Filming Locations:

Sasabe, Arizona, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$124,000, 17 July 2015, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$704,352

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$1,126,073

Company Credits

Production Co:

A&E IndieFilms, Our Time Projects, The Documentary Group

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The Autodefensas group shown in the film was created by civilians to stand up against the cartels because the government is overrun with corruption. Individuals speak about how little the Mexican president (Enrique Peña Nieto) is doing. In the film, the Autodefensas is shown celebrating its one year anniversary on February 24, 2014. On that exact same day, TIME Magazine ran an issue with the Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto with the headline "Saving Mexico." Nieto reportedly paid TIME $44,000 for this cover article coincidentally released on the same day as the Autodefensas anniversary.

---

Quotes

Papa Smurf heckler: If we don't believe in the institutions of the state, we are finished as citizens!

---

Connections

Referenced in Vice Talks Film: Kathryn Bigelow & Matthew Heineman on 'Cartel Land' (2015)

---

Soundtracks

En Las Calles
Written by H. Scott Salinas and Jose Cancela

User Reviews

Intriguing on one hand, but on the other hand ...

The Mexican side of this documentary is more than intriguing. What people go through is incredible. The patrol they created to fight against crime is something that most people probably stand behind and support too. The Arizona patrol on the other hand? A whole different beast (quite literally, especially considering the views they express and because it's not the same situation as across the border).

Having said that, and if you are able to judge on your own and not take some things that are being said as more than they are: there is a real tension that builds up and even concerns families, bullying and trying to bring order where order is not wanted by the government (at least the current government in Mexico that is). And that's the thing: While the documentary takes a stance against drug and criminality, it almost embraces racism on the other hand ... either stay neutral or really make a good point