He previously directed Escape Fire, which premiered at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival. Heineman’s previous film, Cartel Land, was nominated for an Academy Award and won three Emmy Awards after premiering at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival, where it won Jury Awards for directing and cinematography. For his work on the film, Heineman also received the DGA Award and the International Documentary Association's Courage Under Fire Award.