Just what happens when you end up on the wrong side of the law in Bogotá?
Jorge Caballero, 2008, 2009, Documentary, Colombia, 74min, Spanish with English subtitles
In Bogotá, as in many third world cities, most people who find themselves embroiled in the criminal justice system have committed minor misdemeanors that reflect their abject social reality. Nonetheless, the justice system comes down hard on these people. Selling pirated CDs, stealing a cell phone or simply sleeping on the street can mean years in prison. Bagatela paints a portrait of justice by looking closely at the petty crimes that take place each moment on the streets of Bogotá – a city used to living with both violence and inequality.
