The Mayor

New York Premiere! Filmmakers in person for Q&A!

Located in the state of Nuevo León, the municipality of San Pedro Garza García is considered the richest and safest in the whole country, despite the violent atmosphere that exists in the northern states of Mexico. Despite the fact that the murder of municipal mayors by the drug cartels is a common practice, the mayor of this municipality, Mauricio Fernández Garza, is not only very much alive but also sparking heated arguments. This eccentric millionaire and collector of art, who both repels and charms, has decided to take justice into his own hands. The unorthodox security strategies he has put into place in order to restrain drug violence are highly questioned. The film wisely captures the fascinating contradictions in Garza’s personality as it reflects the complex situation of Mexico’s drug wars—a mix of violence, modern Mexican politics, strong economic interests, and a bold discredit of the political class.