Bolivarian Revolution in film

Last updated

The Bolivarian Revolution, and related Crisis in Venezuela, have been depicted in several films, both fiction and documentary.

Contents

In reference to Latin American, but specifically several Venezuelan, films of the 21st century, Kapur and Wagner wrote that film is "an important medium" for representations of the area and that there is "enduring importance of Latin America in the international struggle to break from neoliberalism." [1] :113 They compare the conflicts within the Bolivarian Revolution's bases to the conflicts in Venezuelan filmmaking between the Villa del Cine and independent producers; [1] :121 though the Villa del Cine promotes films with a feeling of "the revolutionary context of Venezuela", its process aims to mimic a Hollywood studio system, marginalizing representation and the communal nature of revolution. [1] :122

Several writers on film also suggest that Western filmmakers are "drawn to" and document the Bolivarian Revolution and Crisis in Venezuela, [1] :113-122 [2] and conclude that accurate media representations of the situation in the country are important. [1] :130 [2] Kapur and Wagner complement some independent national filmmakers for achieving this; they have also criticized films depicting the revolution made both by the Villa del Cine, for turning stories of revolution into romanticized narratives, and internationally, for not managing to present complex full stories of the situation. [1] :113-122

In line with the propaganda nature of national Venezuelan media, depictions of the revolution as successful are often circulated in the nation, with 2002's The Revolution Will Not Be Televised and 2004's Puente Llaguno: Claves de una Masacre still shown regularly as of 2016. [3] :236 Comparatively, depictions of the revolution in a negative light may be censored: in 2019, the horror film Infección , in which characters claim the zombie apocalypse at the center of the narrative was caused by the revolution, was banned. [4]

Documentaries

YearTitleCountryDirectorRef.
2002 The Revolution Will Not Be Televised IrelandKim Bartley and Donnacha Ó Briain [5]
2004 Chavez, Venezuela, and the New Latin America Cuba Aleida Guevara
Puente Llaguno: Claves de una Masacre VenezuelaÁngel Palacios [6]
X-Ray of a Lie VenezuelaWolfgang Schalk [7]
2006 ¿¡Revolución!? CanadaCharles Gervais [8]
2007The People and the President: A Portrait of the Bolivarian RevolutionNorwayStrønen and Wærness [9]
2008Venezuela: Revolution from the Inside OutUnited StatesClifton Ross [10]
2009Inside the Revolution: A Journey into the Heart of VenezuelaUnited KingdomPablo Navarrete [11]
South of the Border United States Oliver Stone [12]
Listen to VenezuelaUnited StatesJyotsna Kapur and Keith B. Wagner [1]
2014"From the Brink: Venezuela Rising"United StatesJoseph Melhuish [13]
"Venezuela Divided" episode of Fault Lines United States [14]
2015 Flor de la Mar Venezuela Jorge Thielen Armand [15]
2016 El ocaso del socialismo mágico Italy

Venezuela

Michele Calabresi [16]
2017 In the Shadow of the Revolution Venezuela, United StatesJ. Arturo Albarrán and Clifton Ross [17]
2018 Chavismo: The Plague of the 21st Century Venezuela Gustavo Tovar-Arroyo  [ es ] [18]
El pueblo soy yo Venezuela Carlos Oteyza  [ es ] [19]
2019 Colateral VenezuelaLucrecia Cisneros [20]
2020 A La Calle VenezuelaMaxx Caicedo and Nelson G. Navarrete [21]
The Crossing ColombiaJuliana Peñaranda-Loftus [22]

Fiction films

YearTitleCountryDirectorRef.
2005 Secuestro Express Venezuela Jonathan Jakubowicz [23]
2006 Maroa Venezuela Solveig Hoogesteijn
2009 Libertador Morales, el Justiciero VenezuelaEfterpi Charlambidis [24]
2010 Hermano Venezuela Marcel Rasquin [25]
2012 Blue and Not So Pink VenezuelaMiguel Ferrari [26]
2013 Bad Hair Venezuela Mariana Rondón [27]
2015 From Afar Venezuela Lorenzo Vigas [28]
2016 La Soledad Venezuela Jorge Thielen Armand [29]
2017 The Family VenezuelaGustavo Rondón [30]
2019 Infección VenezuelaFlavio Pedota [4]
2020 La Fortaleza Venezuela Jorge Thielen Armand [31]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hugo Chávez</span> President of Venezuela (1999–2002, 2002–2013)

Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías was a Venezuelan politician and military officer who served as president of Venezuela from 1999 until his death in 2013, except for a brief period of forty-seven hours in 2002. Chávez was also leader of the Fifth Republic Movement political party from its foundation in 1997 until 2007, when it merged with several other parties to form the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV), which he led until 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cinema of Mexico</span>

Mexican cinema dates to the late nineteenth century during the rule of President Porfirio Díaz. Seeing a demonstration of short films in 1896, Díaz immediately saw the importance of documenting his presidency in order to present an ideal image of it. With the outbreak of the Mexican Revolution in 1910, Mexican and foreign makers of silent films seized the opportunity to document its leaders and events. From 1915 onward, Mexican cinema focused on narrative film.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cinema of Peru</span> Filmmaking industry in Peru

While the Peruvian film industry has not been nearly as prolific as that of some other Latin American countries, such as Mexico or Argentina, some Peruvian movies produced enjoyed regional success. Historically, the cinema of Peru began in Iquitos in 1932 by Antonio Wong Rengifo because of the rubber boom and the intense arrival of foreigners with technology to the city, and thus continued an extensive, unique filmography, with a different style than the films made in the capital, Lima.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carlos Caridad Montero</span> Venezuelan director, scriptwriter, and journalist

Carlos Caridad Montero is a Venezuelan film director, scriptwriter, and journalist, from the Escuela de Cine y Televisión de San Antonio de los Baños, Cuba. He now resides in Caracas.

<i>¿¡Revolución!?</i> 2006 Canadian film

¿¡Revolución!? is a 2006 political documentary directed by Quebec journalist and filmmaker Charles Gervais. It examines the Bolivarian Revolution led by Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez. It was produced by Télé-Québec, the Quebec government's public television network.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United Socialist Party of Venezuela</span> Socialist political party in Venezuela

The United Socialist Party of Venezuela is a left-wing to far-left socialist political party which has been the ruling party of Venezuela since 2007. It was formed from a merger of some of the political and social forces that support the Bolivarian Revolution led by President Hugo Chávez.

<i>El Caracazo</i> (film) 2005 film by Román Chalbaud

El Caracazo is 2005 Venezuelan historical film that deals with the events of El Caracazo, the name given to a series of riots and lootings in and around Caracas on 27 February 1989. The film was produced and directed by the veteran Venezuelan filmmaker Román Chalbaud. It is a documentary drama, not only about the titular tragedy but also putting it in historical perspective. The film cost 3 billion bolívares, provided by the Ministry of Culture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Villa del Cine</span>

Fundación Villa del Cine is a government-funded Venezuelan film and TV production house that was inaugurated on 3 June 2006 by Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez in the city of Guarenas, near the capital, Caracas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cinema of Venezuela</span>

The cinema of Venezuela is the production and industry of filmmaking in Venezuela. Venezuelan cinema has been characterised from its outset as propaganda, partially state-controlled and state-funded, commercial cinema. The nation has seen a variety of successful films, which have reaped several international awards. Still, in terms of quality, it is said that though "we can point to specific people who have made great films in Venezuela [and] a couple of great moments in the history of Venezuelan cinema, [...] those have been exceptions". In the 21st century, Venezuelan cinema has seen more independence from the government, but has still been described as recently as 2017 to be at least "influenced" by the state.

<i>Aló Presidente</i> Venezuelan TV series or program

Aló Presidente was a long-running, unscripted talk show hosted by former Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez. It was broadcast on Venezuelan state television and radio channels, including Venezolana de Televisión, on Sundays from 11:00am until mid/late afternoon. The show was a powerful tool in promoting Chavista socialist ideals of the Bolivarian Revolution to supporters in Venezuela and beyond. Many editions were filmed outdoors before large audiences, commonly featuring a local farm, factory, school, hospital, housing project or other public investment. Although Chávez typically appeared on television several times a week, Aló Presidente was his opportunity to reach most families on their day off.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bolivarian propaganda</span> Pro-Venezuela/Hugo Chávez nationalist propaganda

Bolivarian propaganda is a form of nationalist propaganda, especially in Venezuela and associated with chavismo, Venezuela's socialism. This type of propaganda has been associated with Hugo Chávez's Bolivarian Revolution, which used emotional arguments to gain attention, exploit the fears of the population, create external enemies for scapegoat purposes, and produce nationalism within the population, causing feelings of betrayal for support of the opposition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Román Chalbaud</span> Venezuelan film director (1931–2023)

Román Chalbaud was a Venezuelan film director, screenwriter, and prominent playwright. Starting work in television after prestigious training, Chalbaud moved into making films before the industry took off in his home country, returning to theatre where he had been a great success for several years until filmmaking became a viable industry. He served as the president of Venezuela's leading theatre, television, and film organisations.

<i>Chavismo: The Plague of the 21st Century</i> 2018 documentary film directed by Gustavo Tovar Arroyo

Chavismo: The Plague of the 21st Century is a 2018 documentary film directed by Gustavo Tovar-Arroyo. The film is an analysis of the causes, social, political and economic that caused the rise of Hugo Chávez as president of Venezuela; his abuse of power and the response of civil society, including the student movement; his political fall as well as the secrecy that surrounded his illness and the succession of Nicolás Maduro.

<i>El pueblo soy yo</i> 2018 documentary film directed by Carlos Oteyza

El pueblo soy yo, also known as El Pueblo Soy Yo: Venezuela en Populismo, is a 2018 documentary film directed by Venezuelan filmmaker Carlos Oteyza and produced by Mexican historian Enrique Krauze. It was inspired by Krauze's book of the same name. The film explores the populism of Hugo Chávez.

<i>Libertador Morales, el Justiciero</i> Venezuelan film

Libertador Morales, el justiciero, is a comedy-drama film produced by the Villa del Cine Foundation and directed by Efterpi Charlambidis, released on 31 July 2009. It was selected as the Venezuelan entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 82nd Academy Awards, but it was not nominated.

<i>La planta insolente</i> 2017 Venezuelan film

La planta insolente is a 2017 Venezuelan film directed by Román Chalbaud. The film depicts the tenure of Venezuelan President Cipriano Castro. It was a box-office flop and received generally negative reviews from critics.

<i>The Crossing</i> (2020 film) 2020 Colombian documentary film

The Crossing is a 2020 documentary film directed by Colombian filmmaker Juliana Peñaranda-Loftus. The documentary focuses on the Venezuelan refugee crisis, particularly at the Colombia-Venezuela border and in Cúcuta.

<i>Colateral</i> 2019 Venezuelan documentary

Colateral is a 2019 Venezuelan documentary directed by journalist Lucrecia Cisneros. The documentary is about extrajudicial executions in Venezuela and their consequences on the affected families. The documentary was awarded several recognitions in film festivals, including in Venezuela the category of best documentary in the Short Film Contest of the National Film School and the International Festival El Grito.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Neoliberalism and global cinema : capital, culture, and Marxist critique. Kapur, Jyotsna., Wagner, Keith B. New York: Routledge. 2011. ISBN   9780203813638. OCLC   730500588.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  2. 1 2 Uzcategui, Rafael. (2011). Venezuela : Revolution as Spectacle. Bufe, Chaz. Chicago: See Sharp Press. ISBN   9781884365942. OCLC   756484761.
  3. Political documentary cinema in Latin America. Traverso, Antonio, 1962-, Wilson, Kristi M. (1st ed.). London. 2014. ISBN   9781315769653. OCLC   1053733038.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: others (link)
  4. 1 2 Drax, Victor (2019-11-13). "The Dawn of Venezuelan Horror Films". Caracas Chronicles. Retrieved 2019-11-15.
  5. McKay, Alastair (Winter 2008). "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised, But The Coup Attempt May Be Sexed Up". Product Magazine (Red Herring Arts and Media): 10. ISSN 1468-9901.
  6. Kirk, Alejandro (2005-04-26). "Film-Venezuela: Documentary Revolution". Inter Press Service. Archived from the original on 2008-01-09. Retrieved 2008-06-14.
  7. Holland, Alisha (2008). Venezuela: A Decade Under Chavez Political Intolerance and Lost Opportunities for Advancing Human Rights in Venezuela. Human Rights Watch. p. 69.
  8. "Le nouveau Quichotte?" by Jérôme Delgado, Voir, December 7, 2006 (in French)
  9. "Documentary film: The People and the President. A Portrait of the Bolivarian Revolution". CMI - Chr. Michelsen Institute. Retrieved 2019-09-01.
  10. Venezuela: Revolution from the Inside Out , retrieved 2019-09-01
  11. "Review: Inside the Revolution: A journey into the heart of Venezuela". Ceasefire Magazine. 2012-06-22. Retrieved 2019-09-01.
  12. Johnson, Reed (September 1, 2009). "Oliver Stone heads 'South of the Border' to chat up Chavez and others". Los Angeles Times . Archived from the original on January 28, 2010.
  13. "VICE Film School — From the Brink: Venezuela Rising". Vimeo. Retrieved 2019-09-01.
  14. "The art of the Bolivarian revolution in Venezuela". america.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 2019-09-01.
  15. "Flor de La Mar: Una Historia de Abandono" (in Spanish). Revista Endémico. Retrieved 20 July 2021.[ dead link ]
  16. "El ocaso del socialismo mágico - PLAY TV". ABC (in Spanish). 2017-12-02. Retrieved 2021-09-11.
  17. "World Premiere: In the Shadow of the Revolution". Caracas Chronicles . 2017-10-08. Retrieved 2022-02-19.
  18. ""Chavismo: la peste del siglo XXI" es premiado como mejor documental en Nueva York" (in Spanish). El Nuevo País. Archived from the original on 2 November 2018. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
  19. Sánchez Amaya, Humberto. "El pueblo soy yo, un documental para evitar la indiferencia" (in Spanish). El Nacional. Retrieved 7 February 2019.
  20. Salgado, Diego (2019-12-06). "Cortometraje de estudiantes de la UCAB fue premiado por la Escuela Nacional del Cine". El Ucabista (in Spanish). Retrieved 2023-05-03.
  21. "Doc Corner: 'A la calle'". The Film Experience. Retrieved 2022-01-29.
  22. "'The Crossing', un retrato de la migración venezolana que compite para los Óscars 2021". Confidencial Colombia (in Spanish). Retrieved 2022-01-29.
  23. "Why Latino Movie Stars Have Never Been More Necessary". Vulture. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
  24. Abraham, Pablo (2009). "Revista de cine Libertador Morales, el justiciero". El Espectador Imaginario. Retrieved 2019-12-16.
  25. "Brother (Hermano) (2012)", Rotten Tomatoes, retrieved 2019-08-31
  26. "Blue and Not So Pink (Azul y no tan rosa): Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2019-09-01.
  27. "In 'Pelo Malo,' boy's hair issues spark tensions with mother". Los Angeles Times. 22 January 2015. ISSN   0458-3035 . Retrieved 4 December 2017.
  28. "'From Afar' ('Desde alla'): Venice Review". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 13 September 2015.
  29. "Backed by the state, Venezuelan cinema has thrived at home and abroad". The Economist. 2017-09-15. ISSN   0013-0613 . Retrieved 2019-09-01.
  30. van Hoeij, Boyd (28 May 2017). "'La familia': Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved 30 August 2018.
  31. Wendy Ide (14 Jan 2020). "'La Fortaleza': Film Review - A nervy, feverish follow-up to 'La Soledad' from Venezuela's promising young director Jorge Thielen Armand". Screen International . Retrieved 20 July 2021.