Osa Archivum Catalog

Bagatelle

Summary: Bogotá, Colombia, has one of the highest crime rates in the world. Director Jorge Caballero focuses on one day at a court in the city; cases are heard and sentences handed down for minor offenses. While in many cases the root of the problem is essentially social, the solution in Colombia has centered around the criminalization of these forms of conduct. Most scenes feature interviews with defense attorneys and defendants, revealing both the alleged crime and the protagonist’s standard of living. Colombian criminal law is extremely rigorous: selling bootleg CDs, stealing a cell phone or simply sleeping on the street can mean years in prison. High sentences are, however, reduced or overturned if the defendant pleads guilty. As a result crime clear-up rates in Bogotá are very high. Defense lawyers hear similar stories every day: their clients include people on low incomes, who are often unemployed, homeless, drug addicts or supporting large families. If they escape prison today, how long will it be before they are back in court? A portrait of justice and a portrait of society through petty crimes that take place non-stop on the streets of Bogotá – a city used to living with both violence and inequality.

Item Type	Current Location	Call Number	Status	Shelving Location	Public Note
DVD-ROM	OSA Film Library	FL Record 1685	Available	-	-
Digital film	OSA Film Library	FL Record 1685 (HU_OSA_00003309.mp4)	Available		Access Copy, MP4 format