The Filmmakers

Layda Negrete

Layda Negrete is a lawyer with more than 10 years experience conducting research on criminal justice systems across Mexico, her country of birth. Her research has been funded by the Hewlett Foundation, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the World Bank. She has designed and conducted surveys for inmates in the states of DF, Mexico, Morelos and Oaxaca and has helped design and administer victimization surveys in the state of DF. Negrete is currently a graduate student in Public Policy at UC Berkeley.

Roberto Hernández

In 2002, Roberto Hernández worked as a researcher for the National Center for State Courts, a U.S.-based nongovernmental organization that works to improve justice systems around the world. There, he helped carry out the first (and last) statistical study of Mexico City’s penal courts. Based on a random sample of cases, the NCSC found that while nearly 99 percent of penal cases lacked scientific or physical evidence, the conviction rate was about 95 percent. To bring greater attention to these findings, Hernández — who had no previous experience as a filmmaker — made “El Túnel,” a short documentary about the Mexican justice system. As a result of the groundswell of support the film received, in 2008 Mexico’s Congress passed the most significant amendment to the Mexican constitution in 70 years, requiring public trials and the presumption of innocence. Hernández is currently a graduate student in Public Policy at UC Berkeley.