MISS BALA Special Screenings

Director Gerardo Naranjo returns to AFI FEST with this his third and most ambitious film to dote. MISS BALA tells the frenetic story of Laura, a pageant hopeful who is drown against her will into the incredibly violent world of modern Mexico’s drug cartels. Stephanie Sigman gives a stunning performance as the woman swept up by forces beyond her understanding. Using extended single takes for some of the story’s more dramatic and violent turns, the film transports us into Lauras adrenaline-fueled odyssey with startling immediacy. With some of the most startling and jarring images seen onscreen this year, this is one of the most daring Mexican films mode in recent memory. As the real-world horrors of Mexico ‘s drug war continue to fill the news, Naranjo’s film feels more relevant and pressing than ever Haunting and elegant, MISS BALA is an urgent work that simply cannot be missed.