"The Nazi Cartel" Selected for CANNESERIES 2025

We are proud to announce that The Nazi Cartel, a powerful investigative documentary series directed by Justin Webster and produced by Kundschafter Produktion, has been selected for the CANNESERIES 2025 official competition.

This gripping series dives deep into one of the darkest and most complex episodes of Latin American history — the 1980 coup d’état in Bolivia, orchestrated by General Luis García Meza, financed by the infamous first “King of Cocaine,” Roberto Suárez, and advised in the shadows by none other than Klaus Barbie.

History, Power, and Hidden Crimes

Known as "Le Boucher de Lyon" ("The Butcher of Lyon"), Klaus Barbie was head of the Gestapo in Lyon and responsible for the deportation of over 20,000 French Jews to extermination camps during World War II. After the war, he fled to Latin America — first to Peru, and then to Bolivia — with the help of Nazi escape networks. He managed to live under a false identity for decades, offering his expertise in intelligence and repression to brutal regimes in exchange for protection.

Thanks to the tireless work of Beate Klarsfeld, a woman based in Paris who dedicated her life to exposing Nazis in hiding, Barbie’s true identity was uncovered. A German Jew who had known Barbie in Europe reached out to Klarsfeld, alerting her of his whereabouts. Eventually, Barbie’s deep ties to Bolivia’s military dictatorship were exposed, and he was extradited to France, where he was finally judged for his crimes.

The Cocaine–Dictatorship Nexus

The Nazi Cartel also follows the story of Mike Levine, a former DEA agent in the 1980s who broke ranks to denounce the disturbing hypocrisy within the U.S. government's so-called “war on drugs.” In his book The Big White Lie, Levine reveals how U.S. agencies such as the DEA and the CIA, while publicly claiming to fight cocaine trafficking, were in fact prioritizing the fight against communism — even if it meant turning a blind eye to drug cartels and violent regimes.

The series connects the dots between drug money, dictatorial power, international intelligence, and the legacy of fascism — offering a chilling, multilayered investigation into how justice can be manipulated, erased, or postponed for decades.

Presenting in Cannes: April 24–29

I had the honor of contributing to this production as an assistant, and I’m beyond excited to be joining the team at CANNESERIES from April 24 to 29 for the international premiere. This selection is a powerful recognition of the importance of telling these stories — stories that demand justice, accountability, and memory.

Stay tuned for festival highlights, behind-the-scenes photos, and conversations from the red carpet.