Amid Sinaloa’s haunting drug songs, the RT documentary travels to Culiacan, the epicenter of the world’s most powerful and dangerous drug cartels.
The lure of festive religious gatherings and soothing song readings cannot hide the dangerous environment on all sides. Drug dealing is the only profitable option for many of the city’s residents, but those who accept its lure often pay the highest price. Workers found steady but low-wage work building safe and secure graves in local cemeteries. Crosses are scattered throughout the city to honor the dead.
Thousands of people have fled the city fearing for their lives. While the refugees faced no immediate threat from the drug lords themselves, they felt attacked by government special forces, which searched their homes indiscriminately in search of them. About 15% of citizens are victims of cartel violence. Still, some argue that the most successful drug traffickers fund roads and electricity in the poorest areas.
This is a laid-back and beautiful area, but terror can strike at any time. Towards the end of the film, the documentary crew witnesses this dichotomy first-hand during a dangerous firefight with the gunman. The area is particularly hostile to prying media, and this tension is felt throughout the film. Journalists who dared to take a sharply critical stance on the local drug scene have been known to disappear.
In an impromptu moment, the camera crew stops people at random on the street and asks them if they have personally experienced the negative effects of a ruling cartel. Most admitted to having lost a loved one to drug violence.
The filmmakers also investigate the realities of local marijuana growers. These farmers are playing an endless game of cat and mouse with local authorities, with diminishing returns to their farms since the drug was legalized in parts of the United States.
In the end, “The Song of the Sinaloa Drug Lords” brings a new twist to the cultural exploration of the region. Viewers are introduced to musicians whose songs reflect the lifestyles of those involved in the drug industry.
Directed by: Alexey Brazhnikov
