Heli

The events occur in a modern-day Mexican setting, reflecting a period when drug cartel violence and police corruption pervade daily life. The world feels contemporary, with workplaces like a car factory and the daily routines of a family under threat from organized crime and systemic abuse.

The story unfolds in a contemporary Mexican town dominated by a car assembly plant and the surrounding industrial and residential areas. It portrays a working-class neighborhood where families live under economic strain and the shadow of crime and corruption. Locations like the isolated water pit for cattle and the factory setting serve as backdrops for the film's violence and power dynamics.

🩸 Trauma

The film centers on deep, lingering trauma that follows brutal violence: the assault on Heli's family, the betrayal by those who should protect them, and Estela's rape-induced trauma. Characters display symptoms of fear, mistrust, and emotional numbness that color relationships long after the incidents. Trauma reshapes their behavior, influencing decisions and the strain on family bonds.

⚖️ Corruption

Police brutality and corruption complicate the pursuit of justice as officers become complicit or dismissive. Drug trafficking and the involvement of criminals reveal a system where power overrules truth, endangering innocent people like Heli and his family. The film critiques how institutions meant to protect citizens can become engines of harm.

👪 Family

Family ties are tested as economic hardship, violence, and betrayal strain relationships. Heli tries to shield his sister and wife, even as the trauma gnaws at trust and intimacy. The narrative tracks how a fragile family unit navigates danger while seeking safety and support.