In 2007, Mexico-born and New York-raised filmmaker, Bernardo Ruiz, traveled to Baja California to investigate a shelter for deported children. However, during his time there he met veteran reporter, Sergio Haro and realized his story was more urgent to tell.

Ruiz tells Haro’s story in the film “Reportero” which premieres this weekend at the LA Film Fest, and the following week at the Human Rights Watch Film Festival. This fall, the documentary will also air nationally on PBS’ POV.

“I hope it will get people to see the drug war in a different way and value the work of reporters,” says Ruiz, who conducted research and interviews for three years before he started filming the documentary in 2010.

According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, more than 40 journalists have been murdered or have disappeared in Mexico since President Felipe Calderon came to power – launching an initiative to protect the country from its powerful drug cartels and organized crime groups. Haro himself, who has reported for the respected Zeta newspaper for three decades, lost three of his close colleagues. Although he has received death threats for his investigative reporting on political corruption and drug cartels, he does not quit.

Like Haro, Ruiz didn’t quit either and after filming for two years, his film made its world premiere in February. “Reportero” went on a 12-city tour in Mexico with Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna’s Ambulante Festival.

Read the full story at NBC Latino