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My Imaginary Country film image, director Patricio Guzmán

My Imaginary Country

Mi país imaginario

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One of the finest nonfiction filmmakers in the world, Patricio Guzmán is celebrated for poetic and philosophical ruminations on his native Chile, like Nostalgia for the Light (2010) and The Pearl Button (2015). But the octogenarian’s latest takes us back to the first phase in his career, the fervid reportage of The Battle of Chile (1975-1979), his account of the military coup which deposed his friend and comrade, President Allende. If you haven’t been paying close attention to recent events there, My Imaginary Country will come as a welcome surprise. It’s that rare thing, a good news story about a popular uprising of the Left.

Guzmán, who has lived in exile in France for most of his career, admits to surprise himself, tracing the roots of the protests back to—of all things—transit fare hikes in 2019. Cut to just a couple of months later, and over a million people congregate in the capital, Santiago, to demand change. This was a radically expansive movement, suspicious of political parties, and energized overwhelmingly by women. Their fundamental demand: a new constitution. In an ideal world, this stirring tribute to people power would be shown in schools—and everywhere else.

Director
Credits
Country of Origin

Chile/France

Year

2022

Language

In Spanish with English subtitles

Film Contact
Links
18+
83 min
Documentary Human Rights & Social Justice
Atacama Productions, Market Chile, Arte France Cinéma

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Credits

Executive Producer

Benjamin Lanlard

Producer

Renate Sachse

Screenwriter

Patricio Guzmán

Cinematography

Samuel Lahu

Editor

Laurence Manheimer

Original Music

Miranda y Tobar

Director

Patricio Guzmán headshot, My Imaginary Country director

Patricio Guzmán

Patricio Guzmán was born in Santiago, Chile and studied cinema in Madrid. From 1972 to 1979, he directed The Battle of Chile, a five-hour trilogy about Salvador Allende’s government and its fall to General Pinochet in a deadly military coup. After Pinochet took power, Guzmán was arrested and in 1973, he left Chile and moved to Europe. Guzmán founded the International Documentary Festival in Santiago, Chile (FIDOCS) in 1997. The Cordillera of Dreams (2019) closed a trilogy which began with Nostalgia for the Light (2010) and The Pearl Button (2015).

Filmography: Nostalgia For The Light (2010); My Jules Verne (2005); The Pearl Button (2015); The Cordillera Of Dreams (2019)