Bolivia raises public awareness of the drug problem through cinema

Within the framework of the project to support Bolivia in the fight against drug trafficking, managed by the FIIAPP and financed by the European Union, a film series called A cinematographic look at drugs was held at the Bolivian Cinematheque (La Paz), which screened a total of three feature films that address the problem of drug trafficking from the perspective of consumption, production and distribution.

Among those attending the sessions were university students from film and communication courses and also from the Escuela Andina de Cinematografía, as well as a wide range of audiences. The cinemas have been full on all three days and there has been a great acceptance by the public. The aim of this activity has been to actively raise awareness among the audience about the different problems generated by drug trafficking in its multitude of aspects and destructive effects on people, societies and states.

A cinematographic look at drugs

The films that have been screened over the last few days focus their stories on countries in the region such as Mexico, Colombia, and the United States, all of them winners of national and international awards.

The film series began with the screening of the film Requiem for a Dream from 2000, an American production by director Darren Aronofsky, which tells the story of different people and their problems with addictions. The second day continued with the screening of the feature film El Infierno from the year 2021, a Mexican production by director Luis Estrada, where the effects of drug trafficking and its relationship with violence and the economic crisis are told in a masterful way. Finally, the screening ended with the award-winning Summer Birds of a Feather from 2018, a Colombian, Danish and Mexican co-production by director Ciro Guerra. Based on a true story, it delves into the origins of drug trafficking in Colombia and its effects on indigenous communities.