Fraude: México 2006

The film is just an effort by an unconditional of the loser of the Mexican 2006 presidential elections to justify his defeat. All the alleged 'evidence' provided is weak since the documentary shows just anecdotal evidence. It uses eminently politicized language and images displaying carefully selected testimonies that try to convince the viewer of its truth, while failing to provide factual proof. As part of the advertising campaign the director denounced pressures not to release it, trying to increase its subversive profile, though he didn't provide proof of such pressures. The film was in fact released without incidents in 1000 Mexican theaters, as was the director's purpose, but quickly faded because of lack of interest by moviegoers.

Not a documentary.

Although the film is supposed to document a fraud in the 2006 Mexican election, it falls on its face and instead of presenting facts, it dwells in half truths and the presumption that there was a fraud and that it was so obvious that there is not even the need to document it.

I had higher hopes for it, but along the "Quien es el señor Lopez?" documentaries (also by Mandoki), it is nothing but a piece of propaganda.

I would have to say that its only redeeming factor, is exactly the fact that it is a piece of propaganda, thus documenting the lack of evidence for its arguments.

As with all movies see for yourself and judge, but I would rather use my time watching something else.

The movie you have to see to judge. You can be in favor or against it but you can't deny this is a serious feeling of a divided country. There was a lot of tries to boycott it in Mexico; cinemas didn't show it on time, show it out of focus, cut it at the half and a lot of unfair tries to cancel the shows. Luis Mandoki is one of the great directors of this time and guarantees the quality of the movie and the seriousness of the project. The film shows how some people in the Mexican politics acted in the 2006 Mexican elections for president. "The intentions of the film is not to give opinions, just show facts, things that happened, like others said; excluding visual evidences from the citizens" Luis Mandoki said. "The film will open the eyes of some, others will say this is useless, I only offer mi work".

"Fraude: Mexico 2006," directed by Luis Mandoki, had been seen by nearly a quarter million by the end of its second week, which already puts it behind only "Fahrenheit 911" and "March of the Penguins." Distribution plans for Mandoki's vision of the disputed 2006 election were disrupted after Warner Bros. backed out of an initial offer to release the film.

Mandoki's unabashedly partisan documentary, largely narrated by Lopez Obrador himself, claims a conspiracy of right-wing politicians, including then-acting president Vicente Fox and shady former president Carlos Salinas, stole the 2006 presidential election from him.

Conservative Felipe Calderon was eventually named Mexico's next president by the nation's electoral court after a legal battle and street protests by Lopez Obrador supporters.

Juan Manuel Borbolla, head of Warner Bros. Mexico, said the studio decided "Fraude" didn't have B.O. appeal. But Mandoki said Warner had buckled under pressure from its local partner, Televisa. The film alleges top Televisa execs Emilio Azcarraga Jean and Bernardo Gomez played a part in a smear campaign against Lopez Obrador in the run-up to the election. Warner shares offices with Televisa film-arm Videocine and uses the company to book its releases.

Mandoki eventually found "Fraude" distribution with indie Decine.

While some critics have blasted the film's partisan take, Mandoki shrugs it off. "Mexico is in real trouble in terms of corruption and impunity," he says. "This has been my little grain of salt to add to the struggle for democracy in Mexico."

A great, powerful documentary who shows unpublished evidence -most of material was recorded by common citizens- about the Mexican fraud election in 2006. The movie shows the evidence, explains the history of democracy in Mexico, tells the forgotten story that official mass media never saw and gives voice to the Mexican people who lived and suffered the fraud, but refuses to take a side. Surprisingly, it's a very friendly film even thought the topic is really polemical. It's a movie about corruption and treachery, but also about hope and courage, about the people of Mexico who fights for the right of freedom and democracy just like in the early XX century. Recommended for everybody inside and outside Mexico, a real masterpiece.