While there’s no shortage of films about the violence and heartache that cartels bring to their respective homelands, writer-director Tatiana Huezo’s adaptation of Jennifer Clement’s novel “Prayers for the Stolen” (“Noche de Fuego”) takes on a different perspective, capturing the point of view of a young girl and her friends.
Rather than focus on the terror of living in a cartel-torn area, the film becomes a tale of strength, heartbreak, and jaw-dropping beauty.
The film opens with a bit of a shock: Eight-year-old Ana (Ana Cristina Ordóñez González) is digging an Ana-sized hole in the ground that her mom Rita (Mayra Batalla) made as a hiding space for her daughter.