Films often depict drug trafficking and use in Latin America as an extremely violent situation. Countries like Colombia or Mexico are usually where the drugs come from, while the United States is the destination. In most cases, Latin America plays the role of the antagonist while the United States is the protagonist. A film about Latin America, if relevant to the United States, can fall into one of three categories: fully Latin American, a joint effort between Latin American countries and the United States, or a United States film. Miss Bala (2011) by Gerado Naranjo, is a Mexican film set in Tijuana, Mexico, and follows a young Mexican girl as she becomes involved with Mexican drug cartels. Maria Full of Grace (2004) is a joint Colombian-US film that provides Joshua Marston's portrayal of a young Colombian girl who finds freedom from her rose spy job transporting drugs from Colombia to the United States. Views from a strictly American perspective can be found in Traffic (2001) by Steven Soderbergh. Each of these films varies in the areas of the drug trafficking process it depicts, but nevertheless all portray drugs between Latin America and the United States. One might assume that, out of a sense of patriotism, each film highlights its country of origin as the lesser of two evils, while the joint film might take a more neutral approach. You might expect Traffic to portray the United States as a superior country that stands up to a Mexican drug cartel that's built to look more hideous than it actually is. Likewise, one might expect Miss Bala to show Mexico in a better light as she creates an alienating haze around the United States while Ma… in the middle of the paper… their dealings with the cartel are portrayed. , and how the problems they faced were overcome. Works Cited Keefe, Patrick Radden. "Cocaine Incorporated." The New York Times. The New York Times, June 16, 2012. Web. May 5, 2014. Maria Piena di Grazia. Director Joshua Marston. Perf. Catalina Sandino Moreno, Guilied Lopez and Orlando Tobón. Thin Line Features, 2001. DVD.Miss Bala. Director Gerardo Naranjo. By Mauricio Katz. Perf. Stephanie Sigman, Irene Azuela and Jose Yenque. 20th Century Fox, 2011. DVD.United States. Drug trafficking organizations in Mexico: Origin and extent of violence. Cong. I count. Np: np, nd Print.Traffic. Directed by Steven Soderbergh. prod. Laura Bickford, Edward Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz. Perf. Don Cheadle, Benicio Del Toro, Michael Douglas, Luis Guzmán, Dennis Quaid, Catherine Zeta-Jones. Bedford Falls Productions, 2000. Digital.