In "Kingdom of Shadows," Bernardo Ruiz takes an unflinching look at the human cost of the U.S.-Mexico drug war through the perspectives of three unlikely individuals.
Sister Consuelo Morales, based in the devastated city of Monterrey, prods government officials to take action against the drug cartels on behalf of grieving families whose loved ones have gone missing.
Texan rancher Don Henry Ford Jr. offers historical context for the evolution to the hyper-violent state of drug trafficking today, as he recounts his career as a smuggler during the 1980s, before he served time for importing marijuana.
And undercover agent-turned-senior Homeland Security officer Oscar Hagelsieb recounts his own remarkable journey and offers a unique perspective on the U.S.' role in the drug war as the child of undocumented parents, Oscar grew up in an impoverished neighborhood where of his many peers gave in to the temptations of the drug economy.
The tour will begin at the Ambulante Film Festival in Mexico before it moves to different regions of the United States, from Texas to California to Virginia, highlighting the growing rights crisis in Mexico and its increasing relevance to U.S.-Mexico relations.
Kingdom of Shadows was produced by Boiling Pot and Quiet Pictures and is being distributed in North America by Participant Media.
Kingdom of Shadows Tour*
September 10 & 12 Ambulante Presenta: LA68 - Merida, MX
September 12 Alamo City Film Festival - San Antonio, TX
September 19 NAHJ Excellence in Journalism Conference- Orlando, FL
September 23 San Francisco Latino Film Festival - San Francisco, CA
October Ambulante Presenta: Cineteca Nacional - Tijuana, MX
October 1 Ambulante California, USC's School of Cinematic Arts - Los Angeles, CA
October 5 Ambulante Presenta: Culiacan Screening - Culiacan, MX
November 5 Sedona Film Festival - Sedona, AZ
November 7 CCA with Somos Un Pueblo Unido- Santa Fe, NM
November 9 Austin Film Society, Doc Night - Austin, TX
November 10 Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center - San Antonio, TX
November 12 USA Film Festival Sneak -- Dallas, TX
November 13 Limited Theatrical Release - Mexico
November 14 Bronx Documentary Center - Bronx, NY
November 16 New America NYC - New York, NY
November 17 Available On Demand
November 20 In Theaters - New York, NY and Los Angeles, CA
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Participant Media (participantmedia.com/) is a leading media company dedicated to entertainment that inspires and compels social change. Founded in 2004 by Jeff Skoll, Participant combines the power of a good story well told with opportunities for viewers to get involved. Participant's more than 60 films include Lincoln, Contagion, The Help, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Food, Inc., Waiting for 'Superman,' CITIZENFOUR, and An Inconvenient Truth. Participant has also launched more than a dozen original series, including "Please Like Me," "Hit Record On TV with Joseph Gordon-Levitt," and "Fortitude," for its television network, Pivot. Participant's digital hub, TakePart, serves millions of socially conscious consumers each month with daily articles, videos, and opportunities to take action.
