Giselle Portenier's documentary Killer's Paradise focuses on a deeply disturbing phenomenon: since 1999, more than 2,000 women have been murdered in Guatemala—an average of almost two a day—with many of the victims horribly mutilated. Local police have done little to stop this crime wave or bring the culprits to justice, and while one could argue that Guatemala has become numb to violence due to its 36-year civil war, it's still unfathomable why the police not only refuse to launch an investigation into the murders, but also often insinuate that the women were somehow responsible for their own grisly fates (unfortunately, the country also lacks its own fingerprint and DNA database, and Guatemalan law enforcement officers are not trained in forensic science). Killer's Paradise follows two particular cases that highlight the situation: the murders of law student Claudina Velasquez and 13-year-old Stephanie Lopez, both of which were followed by blatant refusals from local law enforcement to even attempt to solve the crimes. Yet, some hope is on the horizon: not only are the families of the slain women mounting grassroots efforts to find answers themselves, but local human rights activists such as Norma Cruz are trying to rally Guatemala's women to both protect themselves against violence and be aware of their legal rights. Killer's Paradise presents such a warped social landscape that one could easily mistake it for a horror film rather than a nonfiction documentary. Highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)
Killer's Paradise
(2006) 83 min. DVD: $248. National Film Board of Canada. PPR. Volume 23, Issue 2
Killer's Paradise
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