Summary This Mexican market is an incredible labyrinth of colours and smells, especially on the eve of Dia de los muertos (day of the dead). Located in the heart of Mexico City's historic old quarter, the Sonora market is a mystical place beloved by Mexicans with a penchant for white - and black - magic. A repository of absolutely everything related to medicinal, esoteric and religious practices, the market offers a bewildering variety of products and services said to cure everything from small wounds to major illnesses. Even in Aztec times, traders gathered in this spot to set up food stalls. The current market was opened in 1957, with stalls rented by more than 400 vendors, who hand their spaces down from generation to generation. While 80% of Mexicans are Catholic, people have still not forgotten their pre-Hispanic roots. Here, mixed beliefs are the norm. Catholicism is generously seasoned with Afro-Caribbean Santeria, along with heavy doses of beliefs passed down from the Aztecs. Here, we find everything needed to improve our physical and spiritual health, from creams and gels to pills and even aerosol sprays: one to ward off the jealous as if they were mosquitoes, another to attract wealth, or love, or fidelity - But the market's most spectacular section is the one dedicated to sorcery, healers and shamans. Host Julie Laferrière, suffering from back pain, receives several treatments: she is hit with bunches of herbs, "cleansed" with smoke, and even has water spit on her. Serious pain needs serious treatments. In Mexico, death is always an important spiritual concern. With its mixed beliefs, beyond the control of the Church and politics, Sonora is a "transgressive market" and an important place for Mexicans seeking to rid themselves of torments and bad energy.

• Documentary