The Devil's Excrement

Milagros
Socorro in yesterday’s El Nacional has the interesting story of the documentary
producers who made the film “Another way is possible…in Venezuela”
three years ago. The documentary turned out to be very popular so that the Cultural
office (CONAC) of the Chavez administration brought them back for a second
documentary. Except that…

This time around
the movie makers worked for more than the nine days spent in 2002 and stayed
two months going around the country without in Socorro’s words “the commissars
of the revolution pointing out what they had to film, and brought the images
they found: a poor country, backwards, full of contradictions, of postponed
aspirations, of evidence of corruption, that is, ready for a change.”

The movie,
entitled “Our oil and other tales” was shown for the first time On Feb. 23d. and
again on March 4^th. According to Socorro, the Minister of Culture almost
stopped the second presentation. What is interesting according to Socorro is
that the showing took place because other Chavistas demanded it shouting “revolution
within the revolution” at the showing.

This has
reportedly led to a controversy around the film between pro-Chavez’ groups. It also
led to a firm response on the part of the filmmakers who wrote a firm open
letter to the Minister of Culture. That letter says in part:

“A novel and
open process of change like the one taking place in Venezuela can not just occur in linear
fashion. We dare say this with some authority having captured it in our earlier
film “Another way is possible…” that has gone around the world contributing to an
important source of international backing for this process….It should be
evident that in this path nothing, nor anybody, should be exempt of the social
comptrolling and the critical capability of the people. As Socorro says “What a
pity that that such statements have not been expressed by Venezuelan intellectuals
that believe in the “process”

The film
apparently paints a bleak and black picture of Venezuela:” There is a tone of
sadness and misery throughout it. The film concludes that the Government and
Chavez are responsible for a variety of calamities and have betrayed the
process of transformation. “

Socorro
concludes by saying: “If all revolutionaries would repudiate the cult of
personality and would promote the accountability of power (which implies the
separation of powers) and would point out how malignant any form of apology for
the Government and its hegemony can be, I would assure you that I would not be
insulted with the qualifier of “squalid”. I would be on their side.”

As usual,
well said Mrs. Socorro!

This entry was posted on April 2, 2005 at 12:02 am and is filed under Venezuela.