What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedThis is Not Miami
Fernanda Melchor · Book · 2023
If you loved This is Not Miami, start with The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez (Brian Knappenberger, 2020) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 films, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to This is Not Miami across media.
If the raw, unflinching reportage of This is Not Miami gripped you, these stories explore the brutal intersection of systemic violence and human desperation.
Films on the same thread
I'm No Longer Here
Luis Fernando Frías de la Parra · Film · 2019
Explores: Cultural Identity, Exile, Nostalgia.
Much like the characters in This is Not Miami, the protagonist here navigates the crushing weight of displacement and cultural erasure while caught in the crosshairs of cartel violence.
City of God
Fernando Meirelles · Film · 2002
Shares a thread with This is Not Miami: Social Commentary.
This film mirrors the visceral, unforgiving examination of poverty and structural decay found in This is Not Miami, capturing the inescapable cycle of violence within marginalized urban communities.
El Infierno
Luis Estrada · Film · 2010
Shares a thread with This is Not Miami: Social Commentary.
You will recognize the bleak, survival-driven atmosphere of This is Not Miami in this depiction of how institutional corruption forces ordinary individuals into the machinery of the drug trade.
The Housemaid
Paul Feig · Film · 2025
Explores: Class Conflict, Gaslighting, Identity Theft.
While more domestic in scale, this narrative echoes the unsettling sense of danger and hidden secrets that permeate the atmospheric, character-driven vignettes featured in This is Not Miami.
Series on the same thread
Narcos: Mexico
Doug Miro · Series · 2018
Explores: Drug Trafficking, Mexican Cartels, DEA Operations.
If you appreciated the investigative lens of This is Not Miami, this series provides a larger, systemic view of the same geopolitical forces shaping modern Mexican history and crime.
M.I.A.
Bill Dubuque · Series · 2026
Explores: family legacy, underworld survival, ambition.
This story captures the same friction between personal ambition and a dangerous, unforgiving underworld that you witnessed in the gritty, reportage-style accounts throughout This is Not Miami.
The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez
Brian Knappenberger · Series · 2020
Explores: Child Abuse, Systemic Failure, Social Work.
Like the true stories in This is Not Miami, this investigation exposes the devastating consequences of systemic failure, forcing a confrontation with the brutal reality of societal neglect.
ZeroZeroZero
Leonardo Fasoli · Series · 2020
Explores: Drug Trafficking, Global Conspiracy, Power Dynamics.
This exploration of the global cocaine trade complements the localized, haunting narratives of This is Not Miami by revealing the vast, international scale of the violence described.
Podcasts on the same thread
Fame Under Fire
BBC Sounds · Podcast
Shares a thread with This is Not Miami: Social Commentary.
The critical, questioning spirit applied to public figures here matches the way This is Not Miami deconstructs the narratives surrounding modern life and the fragility of human existence.
Latino USA
My Cultura, Futuro and iHeartPodcasts · Podcast
Shares a thread with This is Not Miami: social commentary.
This podcast serves as a direct extension of the social commentary found in This is Not Miami, offering a deeper look at the cultural realities shaping Latino communities today.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is This is Not Miami a work of fiction?
This is Not Miami is a collection of narrative nonfiction. While the author uses her rich and rigorous imagination, the stories are based on real events and reportage set in and around the Mexican city of Veracruz.
What is the setting for the stories in This is Not Miami?
The stories featured in This is Not Miami are set in and around the Mexican city of Veracruz. The collection chronicles a series of events that occurred within this specific location, blending factual reportage with the author's narrative style.
Has This is Not Miami received any literary recognition?
Yes, This is Not Miami was longlisted for the 2024 National Translation Award in Prose. The author, Fernanda Melchor, has been recognized by The Guardian as one of Mexico's most exciting new voices for her work in this collection.
How would you describe the writing style of This is Not Miami?
This is Not Miami is a searing collection that blends reportage with the author's rich and rigorous imagination. The book delivers a series of devastating stories that spiral from real events, creating a unique narrative nonfiction experience focused on the city of Veracruz.