Reportero

Bernardo Ruiz's excellent PBS-aired documentary portrays the courageous work of the crusading Tijuana newsmagazine Zeta, which for decades has published investigative pieces on Mexican governmental corruption and the brutality of drug traffickers. Reportero traces the history of the publication from its establishment in 1980 to the present, including the murders of two of its three founders—Héctor Félix Miranda in 1988, and Francisco Ortiz Franco in 2004—and an attempted assassination on the third, Jesús Blancornelas, in 1997. Current editor Adela Navarro Bello explains how the paper is produced and distributed, as well as how stories are assigned, and the film covers some of Zeta's most famous scoops. But the focus is on reporter Sergio Haro, whose dedication to his job puts both him and his family in jeopardy. Filmed while driving through the city streets to snap photos at a crime scene or attend the funeral of a murdered colleague, Haro talks (in voiceover) about the desperate plight of Tijuana's citizens in the face of unremitting poverty and violence, while also emphasizing his own determination to keep covering the cartels—despite the danger. He emerges as a genuine modern hero, even if he admits that it often feels like he's tilting at windmills. Like Zeta and its staff, Reportero offers impassioned reportage that avoids both sentimentality and sensationalism; in this case, the simple truth is horrifying enough. Extras include a discussion guide and lesson planner. Highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)