Films often depict the drug trade and use in Latin America as an extremely violent situation. The drugs usually come from countries like Colombia or Mexico, while the United States is the destination. Most of the time, Latin America plays the role of antagonist while the United States plays the role of protagonist. A film about Latin America, when it concerns the United States, can fall into one of three categories: entirely Latin American, a joint effort between Latin American countries and the United States, or a film made by the United States. Miss Bala (2011) by Gerado Naranjo is a Mexican film set in Tijuana, Mexico, and follows a young Mexican pageant girl as she becomes embroiled with Mexican drug cartels. Maria Full of Grace (2004) is a joint Colombian-American film that features Joshua Marston's portrayal of a young Colombian woman who breaks free from her job thorning roses by 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 they depict of the drug trade process, but they nevertheless all depict drugs between Latin America and the United States. One might assume that, out of a sense of patriotism, each film would highlight its own country of origin as the lesser of two evils, while the common film might take a more neutral approach. One might expect Traffic to present the United States as a superior country that stands up to a Mexican drug cartel designed to appear more horrible than it actually is. Likewise, one might expect Miss Bala to show Mexico in a better light while creating an alienating haze around the United States while Ma...... middle of paper ......les were portrayed, how they were linked to the cartel. , and how the problems they faced were overcome. Works CitedKeefe, Patrick Radden. “Cocaine Incorporated.” The New York Times. The New York Times, June 16, 2012. Web. May 5, 2014.Maria full of grace. Real. Joshua Marston. Perf. Catalina Sandino Moreno, Guilied Lopez and Orlando Tobón. Fine Line Features, 2001. DVD.Miss Bala. Real. Gerardo Naranjo. By Mauricio Katz. Perf. Stéphanie Sigman, Irène Azuela and José Yenque. 20th Century Fox, 2011. DVD. United States. Drug trafficking organizations in Mexico: source and extent of violence. Cong. Bill. Np: np, and Print.Traffic. Real. Steven Soderbergh. Prod. Laura Bickford, Edward Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz. Perf. Don Cheadle, Benicio Del Toro, Michael Douglas, Luis Guzman, Dennis Quaid, Catherine Zeta-Jones. Bedford Falls Productions, 2000. Digital.