Cocaine Prison

Cocaine Prison is a gritty and intense 2017 documentary that paints a vivid and heart-wrenching picture of the drug trade in Bolivia. Directed by Violeta Ayala, the film delves deep into the underbelly of South America’s cocaine industry, presenting an ugly reality that is often glossed over in mainstream media narratives about narcotics.

The film stars Mario Bernal, Daisy Torres, and Hernan Torres. Bernal gives an authentic performance as 'El Guapo' (The Handsome), a young man embroiled in the drug trade living under harsh conditions in San Sebastian prison. Daisy and Hernan Torres play themselves, portraying heartrending characters trapped in a web of crime and poverty.

This arresting narrative begins in Tipnis, Bolivia, one of the world's key areas for coca farming and manufacturing. Audiences are introduced to Hernan and his friend, Mario (El Guapo), doing what many poor youth in this area do — transporting "paste," the raw material for cocaine. Intriguingly, the movie establishes early on that these young men are not villainous criminals, but marginalized victims of extreme poverty, driven to partake in the perilous drug trade as a means to survive.

Their lives take a turning point when they are arrested and sent to San Sebastian prison, a formidable institution that is overcrowded and largely run by its inmates. The inhumane conditions in the prison and the clear lack of a just system are a further societal problem that Ayala highlights.

Meanwhile, Hernan's sister Daisy, whose character is central to the narrative, enters this patriarchal world when she starts visiting her brother in prison. Daisy's character and her journey enhance Cocaine Prison's exploration of gender roles and inequality, showing an ordinary woman's circumstances in a male-dominated society and drug industry.

The documentary is shot with a hand-held camera, giving it a raw, fly-on-the-wall feeling. This style of cinematography enables audiences to experience first-hand the trials, trepidations, and daily struggles of the characters. The film is made more engaging by the personal relationships that the characters build — as friends, siblings, and partners in doomed endeavors. The conversations are intimate, leading to an immersive experience that amplifies the powerful message of Cocaine Prison.

The film also shines a critical spotlight on the global war on drugs, laying bare the disparities and unjust distribution of punishment within the industry. It displays how this "war" primarily impacts the impoverished communities and individual drug mules while the wealthy and powerful drug lords remain unscathed. This aspect of Cocaine Prison anchors it as a passionate argument against current international drug policies, catalyzing discussions about human rights, socio-economic inequality, and penal reform.

Cocaine Prison is more than a mere exposé of grim realities faced by people at the bottom rungs of the drug trade. It is a human story that highlights the dire need for system reform. The film presents explicit scenes of the characters' lives, not to sensationalize their plight but to give an unfiltered account of a harrowing reality that demands attention and action.

Ayala's skilful intertwining of societal analysis with individuals' personal narratives makes Cocaine Prison a compelling watch. The film's ability to blend personal struggles with larger socio-political issues provides a thought-provoking and emotionally stirring insight into the consequences of the drug trade.

In conclusion, Cocaine Prison adeptly uses its protagonists' stories to portray the stark realities of the Bolivian cocaine industry while setting the stage for larger conversations about ethical drug control and sentencing policies. As such, it serves as a potent reminder that the war on drugs is not a remote issue but a human crisis with severe global implications. Audiences may leave the movie with a deeper understanding of these themes, making Cocaine Prison a worthwhile watch for those interested in social justice, human rights, and the plight of the marginalized.