A powerful indictment of institutional corruption and a testament to the resilience of the Mexican character, Tatiana Huezo’s chilling documentaryis filled with exquisite, haunting visuals that serve to punctuate and emphasize the nightmares on display.

Miriam Carbajal was a young mother working at the Cancun airport when, out of the blue and without any evidence, the Mexican authorities arrested her and charged her with human trafficking. So began her ordeal as one of the country’s many pagadores, innocent people scapegoated by the authorities in order to give the impression that everything is under control.

Adela’s 20-year-old daughter disappeared a decade ago. Kidnapped by the sons of police officials, her daughter was held for ransom against a family that could not pay, and hasn’t been seen since.

Huezo expertly weaves together these two devastating narratives, painting a powerful narrative of a nation crippled by human trafficking, the devaluation of women’s lives and the ongoing exploitation of the poor by the wealthy.

In competition for the FIPRESCI Prize and Cine Latino Award.