Gerardo Naranjo

Cannes Review: 'Miss Bala' A Visceral, Layered Look At The Mexican War On Drugs

Cinema, television and even the music world have always had a somewhat romantic notion of the drug trade. Guys like Scarface and Omar from "The Wire" are seen as badasses making their way, while hip-hop has a whole sub-genre dedicated to raps about slinging crack. And while in our homes and on our iPods it may seem far away or even harmless, in Mexico, they are in the midst of a very real war. The statistics are staggering -- 36,000 dead from 2006-2011 including women and children -- and the economics moreso. $25-40 billion is generated by drugs alone; the crime lords definitely have a vested (and violent) interest in keeping their business g...