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"Immaculately composed … hard to shake." – Variety
Set in the Mexican border city of Tijuana, The Chosen Ones follows 14-year-old Sofia (a convincingly innocent Nancy Talamantes) as she falls for Ulises, unaware he is operating a pernicious scheme on behalf of his father and older brother to lure girls into the family business of prostitution and sexual slavery. When Ulises falls in love with Sofia he confesses the truth to her on the eve of her abduction, and the pair attempt an escape. But they are caught and Sofia is promptly put to work. In order to save her, Ulises must fulfil a grotesque ultimatum: seduce another girl to put in Sofia's place.
David Pablos' uncompromising second feature highlights the violence of human trafficking in Mexico with chilling effect. Impressively naturalistic performances and a striking aesthetic further endow the film – executive produced by Gael Garcia Bernal – with a grace absent its shocking subject.
"A powerful, focused drama … haunting and deeply effective." – The Film Stage
