Audio Q&A for September 8, 2015: "Sicario" With Actors Emily Blunt and Benicio del Toro

The screening of Sicario at the KCET Cinema Series on Tuesday evening at the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica offered the audience an insightful look into the raging world of the inter-American drug trade. Read below more about this not to be missed film, and the engaging conversation with actors Emily Blunt and Benicio Del Toro.

In Mexico Sicario means hitman. This intense provocative thriller from the talents of French-Canadian award-winning director Denis Villeneuve, brings to the big screen the reality of the corruption and immoral drug wars raging on the borderlands of the United States and Mexico. The film is an exploration of a U.S. led intelligent operation that pushes all rules to engage those who play by no rules at all. Says director Denis Villeneuve, "Sicario takes a powerful look at black-ops operations and the Mexican cartels. But this story is also about America, about idealism and realism that clash when it comes to dealing with the problems of other countries."

The film stars Emily Blunt, as FBI agent Kate Macy, who teams up with a lethal mercenary, portrayed by Benicio del Toro to accomplish the mission. This latest film from Villeneuve is as intense and disturbing as his previous films, Prisoners and Incendies, but with a strong message about the politics of vengeance and the value of human life.

The Q&A that followed the screening was led by nationally recognized film critic, and the host of the KCET Cinema Series Pete Hammond along with the film's stars Emily Blunt and Benicio Del Toro. The conversation captured the undying attention of the audience for a very insightful discussion about their personal experiences making the film.

Benicio Del Toro, without hesitating said the film is about choices, for him this was perhaps one of his most challenging roles as an actor, as his character, is a lethal mercenary with equal parts of ruthlessness and tenderness. Benicio offers to the audience, "It's tough to say whether any character in Sicario is truly bad or good, and do the means justify the end?"

Emily Blunt definitely breaks the stereo type of the fierce female FBI agent, whose life is endangered every minute of the film. Emily shares with the audience the intense training she did to prepare for her role.