What happened to the 43 students who disappeared in southern Mexico in September? This Vice News-produced documentary explores the mass disappearance of these young men, all of whom were trained to educate their nation’s youth, as well as the tragedy and controversy surrounding their disappearance. To be sure, you will have plenty of questions yourself when you see the end of this documentary, as media coverage, popular movements and conspiracy theories mean that many questions continue to be raised about the case in Mexico and abroad.
“Missing 43” is shot in a journalistic style without sensationalism; the documentary captures images that are raw and shocking, or at least images that would have shocked audiences across America before we were as desensitized as we are today. Still, staggering numbers like 90% of unsolved crimes in Mexico confront you in the form of real people who will instantly captivate you.
Seeing real names and faces attached to messages, in the context of media that feels more like stories than news, is perhaps more chilling than the creepiest realization of all documentaries. The Missing 43 always feels the presence of its subject. The people they loved, the people conspiracy theories tell us had the worst intentions for them, and the spaces they once occupied are powerful symbols.
The blatant display of what the documentary’s narrator and host calls “narco-political violence” was almost immediate and predictable. But if you think you know what’s going on here, think again. Mexico’s mysteries extend far beyond the 43 missing students and seem to be unearthed without breaking a sweat; even if that mission is something else entirely.
As the credits roll, on-screen viewers get a chance to see the faces of each missing student, and to some extent, the students get a chance to look back.
