26/08/09
New Documentary on Venezuela Premieres in London

Last Thursday around 270 people attended the premiere of ‘Inside the Revolution: A Journey into the Heart of Venezuela’, at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London. This feature-length documentary was made by the young British-Chilean filmmaker Pablo Navarrete, who introduced 2 screenings of the film on the night of the premiere.

Filmed in Caracas in November 2008, on the eve of the 10th anniversary of Chavez's controversial presidency, the documentary takes a journey into the heart of Venezuela's revolution to listen to the voices of the people driving the process forward.

Navarrete says he made a conscious effort to avoid the stereotypes and cliches that characterise so much of the media coverage of Venezuela. During the 18 months he spent living in Venezuela, Navarrete became acutely aware of how the reality he witnessed contrasted with how it was reported abroad. He was moved to make the film because of what he describes as the "misrepresentation of the country by the international mainstream media, especially English-language media."

"British media coverage of Latin America in general leaves a lot to be desired. Events in Latin America aren’t a priority for the British media, but when the death of a hippopotamus in Colombia takes precedence over the ongoing repression and murder of pro-democracy demonstrators by the new dictatorship in Honduras, I think that the priorities and motivations of the mainstream British media have to be seriously questioned," Navarrete explained.

This new documentary is a valuable contribution to a more balanced and deeper understanding of Venezuela’s process of radical change, which, for all its faults, is inspiring millions in Venezuela, Latin America, and around the world.

‘Inside the Revolution: A Journey Into the Hart of Venezuela’ will be screened again next Sunday (August 30) and the following Monday (September 7) at The Compass (58 Penton St, London N1 9PZ). For more information on these and other upcoming screenings visit: www.alborada.net

"Most of this article has been taken from Socialism of the 21st Century website: http://21stcenturysocialism.com/article/new_documentary_on_venezuela_to_premiere_in_london_01891.html