A Cop Movie

What does it take to be a cop in Mexico City? Two professional actors undergo an immersive process to explore this question, gaining a visceral understanding of the responses as they guide us on their journey “inside”. The police force, that most controversial of institutions in Mexico, occupies a particular place in society, being both central and an adjunct to the system. This topic has unquestionably held an enduring fascination for the film industry. There is a constant fear and uncertainty associated with having a father, a brother or a daughter in the police force. But there is also the pride or envy inspired by the uniform, as well as courage and a sense of duty. Simultaneously referring to and displacing these familiar representations, Alonso Ruizpalacios boldly integrates the role-playing aspect of the police officer and reclaims the “cop movie” genre, turning it into an audacious experiment at the blurry boundary between fiction and reality. Taken from a police poetry competition, the opening quote playfully invites us to witness this worthwhile exercise in self-awareness. (Berlinale)