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.
Chile/France
2022
In Spanish with English subtitles
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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
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)