I couldn’t stop my brain cross referencing “10 Kilos” with “Midnight Express” but I will refrain from a comparative review other than remarking if you are in the poor narcotic inflicted gringo imprisoned in a Third World Prison type of mood you will not be disappointed.
“10 Kilos” is the “true” story of Sharon Yitzhaky an unsuspecting drug mule for Roni a man she met in Peru and travelled to La Paz, Bolivia with. Roni leaves Sharon (Daniella Kertesz) in their La Paz hotel room and hours later the Bolivian police bust in and arrest her for drug trafficking the 10 kilos of cocaine found in the hotel room.
She proclaims innocence during her slapped around interrogation and refuses to sign a prepackaged confession. An unnamed American (quite obviously a DEA agent) appears at the interrogation looking for a full confession so the United States can score a media victory although given the small amount of cocaine it wouldn’t be much of a victory.
Sharon is transported to Miraflores Prison controlled more by a gang than prison guards continually turning a blind eye to the contraband (including drugs) smuggling and acts of intra-prisoner brutality including murder.
The prison mother Amparo (Luna Mansour) welcomes Sharon with an “electrifying shower” and terrorizes and brutalizes and murders anyone opposing her rule or failing to pay their debts. The chief extortionist at Miraflores is Donna Maucha (Paola Tirado) who runs dollars and cocaine into Miraflores for Bolivian drug cartel leader Amadeo de Soto (Juan Pablo Olyslager) himself in the men’s section of the prison.
De Soto cuts a deal with Sharon; in court if she admits possession and does not mention Roni who has since been transferred to a Peruvian cocaine laboratory by de Soto until matters “cool down”. By agreeing to possession, a twenty-year sentence for trafficking will instead be a greased palm five years.
A sexual interest develops between Sharon and de Soto and she becomes chief extortionist and drug dealer at Miraflores replacing the departed Donna Maucha.
The golden rule of de Soto’s team at Miraflores is never snort the cocaine you are dealing to inmates and accept no sob stories begging for cocaine without payment up front. Sharon causes herself much harm by breaking this rule. Sharon has become quite a vicious thug as evidenced by her revenge shower administered to Amparo. Like the Turkish prison in “Midnight Express” Miraflores is more a village of criminals than a North American prison.
An expose of drug cartel money ruling justice in Bolivia and the slimy tactics of the United States Drug Enforcement Agency more concerned with media wins than actual drug cartel destruction.
As Billy in “Midnight Express” escaped back to his home in the USA Sharon also escapes to Israel.
A watchable film from start to finish perhaps even gripping at points. Well cast all round although Luna Mansour as Amparo is a bit over the top in her viciousness.
Watch the trailer here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dv2tIgsJ1ts
A limited USA theatre run begins 21August2026.
Directed by Doran Eran.
RKS Film Rating 73/100.
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