The Deal

Based on a true story of a British television crew that travelled to Colombia to film a fake documentary about drug trafficking. In one scene, shot in the director’s hotel room, an actor played the part of a character whom the filmmakers passed off as Cali Cartel’s Number Three. They claimed they had risked their lives to get the interview. One sequence also shows a man pretending to swallow capsules of heroine and transporting them to London in his stomach. This phoney TV documentary is an international smash hit. When a London daily discovers that the whole thing is a hoax, a team of British journalists are sent out to Colombia to cover the story. Their report unleashes a scandal that shakes the very foundations of television in the UK.

Directed by Francisco Norden, The Deal leans on a strong ensemble — Joavany Alvarez, Rafael Bohórquez, Óscar Borda — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 2005.