Inside the 2011 Cannes Film Festival Day 3: Gerardo Naranjo’s Miss Bala

In a departure film of sorts for the director who gave us I’m Going To Explode and Drama/Mex, Gerardo Naranjo makes the zone/border that separates California from Mexico come across as Afghanistan. Not sure how close he sticks to the original biographical aspects of a heroine that essentially becomes a trafficked, bargaining chip in a messy war between the feds and drug gangs near and around Tijuana. With an EZ Pass ease, Miss Bala sprawls every which way, meaning points A to point B are totally unpredictable and the camera tracks actress Stephanie Sigman as if she were a parcel. Naranjo’s whirlwind tour of the network might be an exceptionally rare account — but somewhere it feels totally plausible despite there being no equivalent to bathroom breaks. Last night’s warm reception is a good indication of the film’s post-Cannes life. Here’s some footage of the world premiere of the Un Certain Regard selected film.