Popnography
CONTACTAbout UsCAREER OPPORTUNITIESADVERTISE WITH USPRIVACY POLICYPRIVACY PREFERENCESTERMS OF USELEGAL NOTICE
© 2025 Pride Publishing Inc.
All Rights reserved
All Rights reserved
Scroll To Top
By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Private Policy and Terms of Use.
Out reports from the 2011 New York Film Festival on the forthcoming indie films you won't want to miss.
Eniak Martinez (Miss Bala)
Miss Bala (dir. Gerardo Naranjo)
Miss Congeniality this is not. Instead of using typical pageant cattiness as fuel for the fire, Miss Bala addresses the rampant violence and corruption wrought by the drug trade in Mexico, in this case the state of Baja California. (The title references the Spanish word for "bullet.") Told from the perspective of beauty queen hopeful Laura Guerrero (an astonishing Stephanie Sigman), the film begins lightheartedly when Laura and gal-pal Suzu travel together to compete in the Miss Baja pageant. But things go extremely downhill almost immediately after both women are accepted as contenders.
Later that night, Suzu and Laura are separated at a nightclub right before the lights go out and gunmen open fire into the crowd. (The scene is a first taste of the unsettling chaos that will ensue.) Laura escapes and wanders the streets of Baja, asking around for her friend. It soon becomes apparent that Suzu's disappear has political- and drug-related motives. Mistaking the local police as potential help, Laura takes a ride with a cop who claims to know what happened to Suzu. But as the car stops at its destination, Laura is taken captive by Lino (Noe Hernandez), boss of the group responsible for the mass nightclub killings.
When Laura mentions that she and Suzu were competing in Miss Baja, Lino enters her into the pageant and fixes it in her favor, while also forcing her into a series of deadly assignments that involve an ongoing drug war. She is running on the adrenaline of fear, paraded in front of audiences in a bikini, manhandled, and driven to unknown locations in jeeps. The long, uncut shots of elaborately staged shoot-outs and pageant numbers are technically demanding and skillfully executed. Miss Bala is not the glamorous beauty-queen drama we're used to. But watching Laura simlutaneously perform in the worlds of extreme femininity and gruesome violence is truly harrowing and engrossing.
Miss Bala was shown this past weekend at the New York Film Festival. It will premiere in New York City and Los Angeles on December 30.
--MIKE BERLIN
Previously > Getting Picky: NYFF 2011's Carnage
Watch Now: Pride Today
Latest Stories
Khalid cries during his first-ever Pride show, thanks fans for support
June 09 2025 4:40 PM
Trans actress Jen Richards says she was hit by rubber bullet at LA anti-ICE protests
June 09 2025 3:46 PM
Tony Awards 2025: Every LGBTQ+ winner and iconic performance
June 09 2025 11:41 AM
Cole Escola makes Tony history with acting win, thanks Grindr connection
June 09 2025 10:33 AM
Jennifer Lopez raises voice for LGBTQ+ 'Freedom' at WorldPride DC
June 08 2025 7:59 PM
Did Kerri Colby just reveal how long 'Drag Race All Stars 10' filmed each bracket?
June 07 2025 5:25 PM
Charles Blow: Coming out later in life is a 'restoration of the soul'
June 06 2025 7:13 PM
These photos prove The Ritz Bar and Lounge is back and better than ever
June 06 2025 6:00 PM
Fletcher fell in love with a 'Boy,' so why is she so sad about it?
June 06 2025 5:38 PM
Symone is ready to get louder and gayer at WorldPride
June 06 2025 3:47 PM