5/5 a must see...
  by A. Donado
An insightful and personal look at the lives of Colombian teens caught up in a local war for territory and power. Beautifully shot and edited, it is a must see if you are interested in any topics concerning Latin America, Colombia, drug wars, gangs etc...

5/5 Three Young Lives In A Crime Ridden Medellin Neighborhood
  by Chris Luallen (Nashville, Tennessee)
My wife is originally from Ecuador and has good friends in Colombia. So far I have visited the country three times and have developed considerable affection and admiration for its people, the majority of whom of are honest, good hearted, law abiding citizens.

Like all of Latin America there is still considerable poverty in Colombia and a criminal element who attempt to make money by any means necessary. But what makes Colombia uniquely dangerous is its huge involvement in narco-trafficking, especially cocaine, and the civil war that is still being conducted between the government and the narco guerrilla groups.

This film focuses on three young people. Edison, who serves as a leader for the Bloque Metro, Jesus, a spaced out cokehead who sees no future for himself, and Cielo, a girl of only 17 who is already a mother, a widow and with a new boyfriend in jail. It struck me how sweet and good natured these kids seemed to be despite all the violence that they were surrounded by and participating in. Their personalities seemed almost the opposite of the proudly brutal, vulgar, and arrogant thugs usually associated with gang life in the United States.

One aspect that was different about these Colombian kids is that they didn't seem to view themselves so much as self-centered criminals but rather as war combatants. In this case, they were siding with the Colombian para-miltaries in an attempt to protect their neighborhood from the ELN guerillas.

To put these events in context, violent conflict between liberals and conservatives has divided Colombia throughout it's history. In the 1960's several Communist guerilla movements formed. The largest of the guerilla groups is FARC, though ELN is also a significant player. But nowadays these guerillas groups are fueled less by ideology than the billions of dollars available through narco-trafficking. The right wing para-miltaries are also involved in the drug business and, with so much money at stake, violence between these rival groups is constant. So poor kids from the barrios of Medellin and elsewhere are used as pawns and foot soldiers.

This film doesn't explain much about the political context. But it does provide a very real and human face to demonstrate the suffering caused by this drug money fueled conflict. The movie is full of action and close up scenes that transport the viewer, almost like being a resident of the neighborhood just hanging out with these kids. The beautiful country of Colombia and it's kind, hard working people deserve better. Unfortunately, I see no end in sight as long as the drug busines is driven underground by this idiotic "War On Drugs".

5/5 Great, authentic experience
  by Mikeltxu (Spain)
This great and atmospheric work shows real life issues (war, drugs, family, "no future") in the mountains around Medellin.

4/5 The Expendables
  by Sally (Montana)
Unlike many documentaries, La Sierra moves. Full of action and intensity.

As I edit my first documentary, I decided to view a wide range of documentaries to see what makes them entertaining as well as informative. So far, La Sierra ranks high for being both.

It opens with the wails of young woman, barely a woman, as she discovers her young husband lying in the grass, shot dead. Her friends drag her away, anguished, weeping, calling out to him, "mi amor."

La Sierra takes place in Medellin, Columbia, in what we are told is one of the most dangerous neighborhoods of the city. To make this documentary, the filmmakers, journalists Scott Dalton and Margarita Martinez, negotiated with a feared gang for permission to film them. The documentary follows the gang through their world of drugs, turf wars and private, even tender, moments.

Edison, the gang leader, is the old man at 22. He, his gang members and their girls live to the hilt, enjoying the danger and drugs, laughing, loving, and making babies.

When the documentary begins, they are serving as informal paramilitary for the Colombian government during attacks on Medellin by the ELN, one of Colombia's two long standing revolutionary forces.

These gang warriors are so very young, so very poor, with no future, and little reason to think much about the consequences of their actions. And yet, individually, they each express a premature angst. A philosophical acceptance of their fate - that their lives will be short, and their dreams unfulfilled. All they have is Now, their friends, and their poignant desire that the lives of the babies they leave behind will be better.

The makers of La Sierra immersed themselves in this world to capture the drama and pathos, even participating in dangerous situations. One night, during a spontaneous gun fight, Edison shouts to the film maker, "Get down gringo. You'll get shot", but the camera races on.

I looked for little ways in which this documentary might be improved, but I'd have to watch it again to find much that distracts from the overall impact. The editing is a little rough. And the rhythm of the whole piece is off somewhat. But the solos - the interviews - are strong and moving.

My main criticism is that viewers not familiar with the political situation in Colombia at that time won't understand how the Colombian government used these impoverished young as expendables - enlisting them to serve against a real army that had been fighting the Colombian government for decades. Then, once a truce with the ELN was reached, their service meant nothing. Their government hunted them down as mere criminals.

Without understanding this in context, the full tragedy of their lives is missed.