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Another of those south / central American films that focus on the direction of the country as a backdrop (the more the merrier) such as Bacarau, Monos. Prayers for the stolen is a tale of 3 girls who live in a remote Mexican village that seems to have no purpose other than to serve as a function of a local drug war, providing both the narcotics and women. Living in this place is a constant battle against fear.
The film is presented in 2 separate timelines - both when the girls are very young, and again when they are in early teens. Nothing has changed in either timeline. The gangsters still plunder. There are little spots of hope, mainly manifested in the characters resilience but this is a film that isn't a fairytale. It's one firmly rooted in reality, and that reality comes with grimness that is clearly close to director Tatiana Huezo's heart. The friendship between the girls is lovely to see unfold but moving and heart-breaking as they endure the daily perils of the drug war that exists around them. The gangsters basically use them as slaves and when they feel like it, cherry pick a young girl who'll never be seen again. The performances are terrific, especially from the mother of our central character played by Mayra Batalla.
Prayers for the stolen offers a reminder as to why we're so lucky to live in any near normal form of society but is also another in the long list of terrific films to come from the region in recent years.
7.8/10
'Prayers for the Stolen' (2022)
Another of those south / central American films that focus on the direction of the country as a backdrop (the more the merrier) such as Bacarau, Monos. Prayers for the stolen is a tale of 3 girls who live in a remote Mexican village that seems to have no purpose other than to serve as a function of a local drug war, providing both the narcotics and women. Living in this place is a constant battle against fear.
The film is presented in 2 separate timelines - both when the girls are very young, and again when they are in early teens. Nothing has changed in either timeline. The gangsters still plunder. There are little spots of hope, mainly manifested in the characters resilience but this is a film that isn't a fairytale. It's one firmly rooted in reality, and that reality comes with grimness that is clearly close to director Tatiana Huezo's heart. The friendship between the girls is lovely to see unfold but moving and heart-breaking as they endure the daily perils of the drug war that exists around them. The gangsters basically use them as slaves and when they feel like it, cherry pick a young girl who'll never be seen again. The performances are terrific, especially from the mother of our central character played by Mayra Batalla.
Prayers for the stolen offers a reminder as to why we're so lucky to live in any near normal form of society but is also another in the long list of terrific films to come from the region in recent years.
7.8/10