La Zona screens Sunday March 9 at the San Diego Latino Film Festival. (Wild Bunch)
By Carlos Sepulveda
La Zona (screening March 9 at 10:00 as part of the San Diego Latino Film Festival ) opens with a mysterious outlook that we later understand and grieve. The movie takes place in Mexico City, in a community inside the city that is purposely isolated from the poor slums by its rich inhabitants. The community is called La Zona, a place where the rich and the high middle class live. La Zona is separated by towering walls and protected by cameras intended to keep the petty out.
During a storm three young thieves manage to break into La Zona. Things become complicated once they are on the other side of the wall. In their attempt to steal, they murder a woman and are later caught by her neighbors. Two of the burglars are shot and killed. The third one manages to escape but is still trapped inside La Zona. So the manhunt begins for this burglar whom we later learn more about. This film's message, ideas and originality make it worth watching.
The director, Rodrigo Pla, does a great job as he shows how people change and act in times of fear and terror. The members of the community become very scared and alarmed when they realize that one of the burglars is still inside the premises. In times of fear and confusion people lose trust and turn against each other.
The film succeeds in portraying a real and present time Mexico -- a Mexico that is inundated with corruption and crime. In this film you can see what the country is really like and how business is handled. When thinking critically of the film, I realized that La Zona is very similar to the United States in the present time of war and terror. Fear and confusion have also grown in the U.S. after 9/11. People have become scared and alarmed. Some have lost trust in the Government and also turned against each other as they believe that the "enemy" is within us, just like in the movie. I feel that the U.S., like La Zona , is slowly isolating itself from the outside world. The fear pressed on its citizens by the government have made it a country that doesn't welcome people anymore as it used to before 9/11 -- a country that is gradually becoming more hostile and violent. La Zona is a great movie to go see. It is very real and relevant.
The San Diego Latino Film Festival was a great experience. It was my first time attending and I had the honor to meet, Julio Bracho, a well known Mexican actor. I had the opportunity to speak to him about the festival and his thoughts about the Latino Community.
"The Latino Film Festival permeates the Latino Community with its ideas as well as those who want to learn more about the culture," Julio Bracho said as he signed many autographs. The festival had many works of art displayed that were created by Latino artists. At the festival you have the chance to meet with some of the actors and directors in the movies showcased. It was a great opportunity to learn about movies being made outside the U.S. Instead of going to your regular movie theatre, consider going to the Latino Film Festival and experience a film from a different point of view. &
& -- Carlos Sepulveda is a senior currently attending Mount Miguel High. Carlos enjoys reading in his spare time and running. He is most interested in history, politics and world issues. Carlos likes to watch foreign films, comedies and dramas.
