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August 8th 2009

New documentary on Venezuela to premiere in London

February 2009 marked ten years since Hugo Chavez took office in a landslide election victory and launched his revolution to bring radical change to Venezuela. Whilst wildly popular with many in the country, Chavez's policies and his outspoken criticisms of the US government have made him powerful enemies, both at home and abroad.

‘Inside the Revolution: A Journey Into the Heart of Venezuela’,  is the first feature-length documentary made by young film maker Pablo Navarrete. 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 Heart of Venezuela’ will have its London premiere on Thursday August 20th. For more information visit: www.alborada.net