Mexico is one of the most dangerous countries in the world for journalists—only behind Ukraine and Gaza.

More than 200 journalist have been killed or disappeared since 2000 and in 98% of the cases, justice is never served. Veracruz is the most dangerous state for the press. In the rural community of Medellín de Bravo, a local newspaper La Unión was founded by Moisés Sánchez - a journalist, photographer, taxi driver and community activist. In 2015, Moisés was kidnapped and murdered. His case remains unsolved. His story represents the reality of hundreds of others who have been silenced and reduced to statistics.

That's why La Unión partnered with Artículo 19, an international organization that defends freedom of expression, to create The Shooting.

In Mexico, journalism is a life-threatening profession and violence against journalists has become so normalized that most people look away. This campaign was created to confront that social numbness and exposes the violence faced by journalists in Mexico.

This work comes from the local level, of a newspaper that lost its founder for speaking the truth, and becomes a global outcry. It forces us to face a crisis that can no longer be ignored.

On March 24, the International Day for the Right to the Truth, Article 19 launched The Shooting.

This short film transforms this reality into a cinematic metaphor: a journalist caught in a gunfight - but holding only a camera. The idea transforms the word "shooting" into a visual and emotional double meaning, where telling the truth becomes a deadly risk.

The concept blurs the lines between fiction and reality, confronting viewers with a story that feels real - because it is, for hundreds of journalists. Every decision - from casting to pacing to point of view - is designed to make tension inevitable.

The film doesn't aim to inform; it draws the audience into the heart of the crisis. The message is embedded in every detail, not tacked on.

Insight became the core: if headlines were no longer enough to move people, then a fictional story had to make them feel the truth behind every statistic.

The Shooting dramatically exceeded expectations and became Artículo 19's most impactful campaign in Mexico.

Within the first 24 hours, more than 60 national and international media outlets covered the launch, reinforcing the urgency of the message.

This momentum resulted in a total of 159 pieces of media coverage, each acting as a new distribution channel. In just two weeks, the campaign reached 4.27 million views and an audience of 633 million people across all media.

The campaign also achieved an average engagement rate of 6.5%, well above industry benchmarks, and generated 47.5% of Artículo 19's total annual donations. This was more than awareness, it was measurable impact in terms of reach, engagement and fundraising.