“Pimpinero: Blood and Oil” is a 2024 Colombian crime thriller directed by Andrés Baiz, of “Narcos” and “Griselda” fame. The movie explores the dangerous field of gasoline smuggling around the Colombia-Venezeula border and looks into the lives of those involved in this illegal trade.
Synopsis
Taking place in 2010 during the American hapless wars, the story features three brothers, Moisés, Ulises and Juan, who transverse the arid and harsh desert boundary of Colombia and Venezuela within a family business of band-pit gas. This risky job makes them vulnerable to continuous attacks from encroaching militia bands, gangs, or even law people. Everything starts when the youngest in the family Juan, forced to work for strong competing company’s. Now Juan’s actions strain their families bond and things turn ugly when more cruelty inherent to their job comes to light.
Cast and Key Performances
- Alberto Guerra as Ulises: Guerra as the middle brother gets pressed between family loyalty and their job without loosing performance intensity on screen.
- Alejandro Speitzer as Juan: Speitzer depicts the younger Ben-hur whose joining to the enemy allegiance leads to emotional violence between family members.
- Laura Osma as Diana: Osma is an independent and revolutionary young woman in search of her own version of truth and mission within the plot.
- Juanes as Moses: The “man,” because he can depict any emotional thought, or feeling, or energy – the acclaimed artist who is the oldest brother does it.
Production Insights
Filming took place within the territories of Columbia. Precisely, the areas included were Cesar and La Guajira. The production wanted to realistically show the bleak desert scenery and the circumstances which made people resort to gasoline smuggling as a transnational crime.
Cultural and Social Significance
The film highlights the socioeconomic issues of the people living on the border of Colombia and Venezuela, where gasoline smuggling becomes a sustaining occupation when the price difference is too o wide. Centering on individual stories, Pimpinero : Blood and Oil with fairbalance perspective exposes the entire scope of such problem of poverty, corruption, cross-border trade, and many others.
Critical Reception
The film has been well received by audiences and critics since its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on 9 September 2024, with its dramatic plot and characterisation standing out. Baiz’s work with images and the ensemble’s interpretation of such complicated figures in range was noticed as effective. The filmmakers’ artistic vision and intent to realistically show the world of smuggling and its effects on people and families through strong interpersonal relationships was impressed.
Availability
As of November twenty twenth, twenty twenty four, Pimpinero : Blood and Oil has been officially released and is presently showing on the Amazon Prime: Video.
The film is available for streaming through the platform for the Delhi viewers in India if the region permits it.
Recommendations for Similar Films
In case you are interested in the plot of “Pimpinero: Blood and Oil”, the following films will explore different criminal, familial and social relations around the globe:
- “Birds of Passage” (2018): A native family oriented, Colombian film about the evolution of the drug trade.
- “City of God” (2002): A Brazilian gangster film chronicling the rise of organized crime in the slums of Rio de Janeiro.
- “Maria Full of Grace” (2004): A dramatisation of the life of a young Colombia woman as drug mule who wishes for a better life.
- “Sin Nombre” (2009): The story of a Honduran teenage and a Mexican gang member’s trek through Mexico to reach the United States.
These films provide great insight into the culture of crime and its socio-economic aspects in different regions of Latin America.