Heroico

For young men in Mexico who are desperate to escape a life of poverty and lack of prospects, often the only option is to find work in organisations characterised by violence – either the illegal ones to be found in the drug trade, or in the military. Since his mother is ill and in need of expensive medication, 18-year-old Luis – who has Indigenous roots – opts for the latter. The national military academy, or “Heroico Colegio Militar”, is steeped in tradition. Here, Luis experiences an extremely rigorous training programme built upon unconditional obedience and the breaking of an individual’s personality. When he receives further lessons in cruelty and criminal machinations from the sadistic Sergeant Serra, the rift between his responsibility to his mother and his own values pushes him to his limits.
Based on personal accounts of the experiences of former cadets at the military academy, David Zonana’s Heroico depicts a world that is unknown to many. In an impressive mixture of clear-cut static images and powerful tracking shots, he attempts to fathom the close relationship between male identity and institutionalised violence in Mexico.