Venezuela documentary wins top media award ('Chavez - Inside the Coup' )

[Say_What]

<clips>

AN RTE documentary about a coup in Venezuela has won the top award in this year's ESB Media Awards.

This is the second award for the film-makers behind 'Chavez - Inside the Coup' who already received a global television grand prize at a ceremony held in Canada during the summer.

The documentary, which was screened as part of RTE's 'True Lives' series, came about when the Kim Bartley and Donnacha O'Briain of Power Pictures visited Venezuela to film President Hugo Chavez.

They were granted virtually unlimited access to Chavez to carry out the profile and were allowed to continue filming as he was dramatically removed from office and returned to power 48 hours later.

<http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/stories.php3?ca=9&si=1068816&issue_id=9964>

---

<clips>

Politician to the People. A Review of the Documentary "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised"

In 1998, a passionate majority of Venezuelans elected a new president. His name was Hugo Chavez, and he was the first leader in generations to come from outside the ruling class. He vowed to redistribute Venezuela's oil wealth and to involve the people intimately in the political process. Openly comparing his populist movement to that of Simon Bolivar, he encouraged literacy, enfranchised many thousands of working poor, decried globalization, and promised to liberate his country of the "free-market policies imposed on Venezuela by the United States."

Oops.

In the fast-paced, riveting, and affecting documentary The Revolution Will Not Be Televised, directors Kim Bartley and Donnacha O'Briain set up shop in Venezuela to "get behind the layers of myth and rumor" surrounding Chavez' presidency. With nearly unlimited access to the presidential palace, they trace his administration from the early days of jubilant rallies and heartfelt handshakes to the shocking coup d’état that ousted the leader from power for two tense days in April 2002 -- and, in a breathtaking display of popular will, through the revolution that brought him back. The directors could not have anticipated this level of drama, but they immediately commit to it, placing themselves in harm's way to record a view from inside that is otherwise uncovered. As a result, the film cuts to the quick.

Chavez is a warm, charismatic man whose demeanor invites connection with the people of his country. He's also gifted at straight talk, giving authentic, unscripted speeches and communicating directly with the people via a weekly call-in television show. Compared with the steel-jawed opposition leaders and oil millionaires, who demonstrably lie through their teeth, Chavez is a savior, a leader who trusts the people, communicates with them, and holds himself accountable to his promises to them.

http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/articles.php?artno=1045

[Minstrel Boy]

1. Excellent!

So glad I taped it when it was last broadcast on CBC. It's so important that this be seen now, before Chavez, God forbid, gets "Allende'd."

[AP]

2. This movie is showing tonight at the Castro Theater in SF (last night)

it's been there for about a week. It's showing at 7pm and 9pm

http://www.sfstation.com/film/castro.htm

[Say_What]

5. Thanks!!!

[arcane1]

9. damn, this is the last night, too!

I won't be able to get there in time :evilfrown:

[AP]

3. More screenings (UK, Argentina, Chi., Minneapolis, Denmark, NY, Mont...)

Cambridge Film Festival, England
24 Oct - 2 Nov



Buenos Aires, 2nd International Festival for
Children and Young People, Argentina
31st October - 6th November 2003



Chicago / Venue: Landmark's Century Centre Cinema,
opens October 31st 2003



Minneapolis
6-9 Nov



Copenhagen Int'l Docu Fest, Denmark
7-16 Nov



New York / Venue: Film Forum
opens November 11th 2003



Cardiff, Wales
14-22 Nov



Montreal Int'l Film Festival
14-23 Nov



Los Angeles / Landmark's Nuart Theatre
opens November 21st 2003



Foyle Film Festival
21-30 Nov



Florence, Italy 28
Nov- 4th Dec



7th Seoul Int'l Labor Festival, Korea
Mid November

http://www.chavezthefilm.com/html/film/screens.htm

[Say_What]

4. More Evidence of Clandestine Opposition and CIA Activity Revealed

<clips>

Pro-Chavez legislators Juan Barreto, Nicolas Maduro, and Roger Rondon presented more material today, which implicates the leaders of the union federation and of the CIA in clandestine activity in Venezuela.

The new material the legislators presented included documents and a video recording of a presumed CIA operative leaving from the Valencia airport in Carabobo state. The airplane, according to Maduro, is registered to the CIA by the Federal Aviation Administration. The video shows the same individual who, in a video Maduro presented last week, was giving a course in security and surveillance, boarding the airplane.

Juan Barreto presented a report by the Disip, Venezuela’s national police, which described the arrival and departure of the plane, with the registration N202HG, on July 25th, 2003. The people who boarded the plane were carrying weapons, which is illegal in Venezuelan airports. The report further states that the individuals boarding the plane were with the security firm Wackenhut, which in Venezuela is owned by Isaac Perez Recao, one of the main individuals implicated in organizing last year’s 2002 coup attempt against President Chavez. The plane, according to Barreto, did not follow the normal migration protocols.

Last week, both the U.S. embassy and the security company Wackenhut denied supporting any CIA activity in Venezuela.

http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/news.php?newsno=1083

[knowledgeispower]

8. Wackenhut

These fuckers are wrapped up in everything. I wouldn't be surprised if they shot Kennedy.

[Say_What]

13. Venezuela CIA plot charges ''malarkey''- US diplomat

Golpista supporter and US ambassador Shapiro are again denying that the CIA is involved--it's sorta like denying they weren't involved in the failed coup in 2002.

<clips>

CARACAS, Venezuela, Oct. 29 — Contentions by some Venezuelans that the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency is plotting to undermine leftist President Hugo Chavez are ''complete malarkey,'' the U.S. ambassador in Caracas said on Wednesday.

''As you say in good Venezuelan slang, that is complete 'paja,''' Ambassador Charles Shapiro told reporters, using a colloquial term meaning malarkey, nonsense, or baloney. ''I think this is just the result of a hyperactive imagination.''

Shapiro's remarks came after three pro-Chavez National Assembly lawmakers on Wednesday repeated allegations of CIA involvement in opposition attempts to unseat the populist Venezuelan leader.

Venezuelan officials have repeatedly accused Washington of plotting against Chavez. A recent string of tit-for-tat comments between Caracas and Washington have tested relations between the two countries.

Pro-government National Assembly representatives Nicolas Maduro, Juan Barreto and Roger Rondon presented two video recordings they claimed included evidence the CIA was involved in plots to destabilize the Caracas government.

<http://famulus.msnbc.com/FamulusIntl/reuters10-29-131030.asp?reg=AMERICAS>

[Judi Lynn]

14. This hard-right, Miami Mafia-pleasing spin from the Miami Herald

just may make you gag. Speak about mangling reality:

Posted on Thu, Oct. 30, 2003

Chávez steps up criticism of U.S.
BY PHIL GUNSON AND ANDRES OPPENHEIMER
[e-mail]

CARACAS - Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez, a leftist firebrand who is facing demands at home for a recall referendum, appears to be doing his best to pick a fight with Washington.

He has hinted that the U.S. ambassador in Caracas is gay and branded Bush administration officials as ''imbeciles'' and ''criminals,'' while his minions accused the CIA of trying to destabilize the government.

Venezuelan political analysts differ as to whether Chávez is seeking to bolster his chances in the recall referendum by playing the nationalist card, or is looking for excuses to push his ''Bolivarian Revolution'' further to the left.

Bush administration officials have largely avoided responding to Chávez' jabs, saying they don't want to fall into any provocations by Chávez and turn an internal political problem into a U.S.-Venezuelan problem. (snip)

(snip) He noted that U.S. Ambassador Charles Shapiro had kissed a male guest at a recent embassy function and said, ''How strange,'' in what virtually all Venezuelans perceived as calling him a homosexual. (snip/...)

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/7137945.htm

Any semi-conscious person can grasp the simple truth that calling attention to Shapiro's kissing someone was pointing out a POLITICAL connection, just as the press, during the coup attempt pointed out that Shapiro raced out of his office to embrace and smooch Pedro Carmona, the would-be President of Venezuela. There's nothing at all new about pointing out this servile, pandering, public display of fawning over Chavez' oppositiion figures in Venezuela.

Can you believe this small-time, shabby article? Looks as if they got confused and ran an article meant to go into their "for "exile" eyes only" El Neuvo Herald." LOATHESOME. Laughable.

I just noticed the author is the peculiar, offensive, extremely right-wing Andrés Oppenheimer. That goes a long way towards explaining this brain-rot.

[Say_What]

15. Just read that one myself. Man, do they call that tripe *journalism*??

Oh I forgot. It's the Miami Herald </sarcasm>

[bemildred]

6. Great movie.

The only place I know of where you can really get a feel
for who Chavez is, watch him in action.
:thumbsup:

[GinaMaria]

7. Playing at the

Landmark Century Cinema in Chicago. In case anyone is interested. I believe it won an award at the Chicago International Film Festival.

[Judi Lynn]

10. Oh, a revolutionary!

"Yes, let's find the terrorists," he says, "but let's not have a carte blanche to do anything. You cannot fight terror with terror. We demand that you think before you act."


Now that's an attitude which'll get him in DEEP trouble with the current pResident!

People who take time to think are people who aren't easily swayed by cheap, emotional attempts to gain support. They are stronger.

[Say_What]

11. U.S. official: Venezuela 'deeply polarized;' needs more scrutiny

Noriega is urging *heightened international scrutiny* of the referendum process to guarantee the stability of Venezuelan democracy. How 'bout guaranteeing democracy in the good ol' US of A??

<clips>

senior Bush administration official says Venezuela is "deeply polarized" and needs more tolerance from its politicians and more involvement by other nations to ensure its stability.

Roger Noriega, assistant secretary of state for Western Hemisphere affairs, didn't single out President Hugo Chavez or his opponents, who claim Chavez is amassing authoritarian power in the oil-rich nation.

Speaking Wednesday at The Miami Herald's Americas Conference, Noriega said Venezuela's problems lie with "political leaders who are focusing too much on their own interests and not bringing together the country in a constructive way."

Unrest in Venezuela led to a brief 2002 coup and a devastating general strike earlier this year that cut oil exports, closed thousands of businesses and cost tens of thousands of jobs.

Venezuela's opposition plans a petition drive in late November to demand a possible recall referendum on Chavez's presidency next year. Chavez was elected in 2000 to a six-year term and says he is confident the petition drive will fail.

<http://gainesvillesun.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20031030/APN/310300726&cachetime=5>

[Judi Lynn]

12. Noriega is spreading some real Bush poison in these meetings

From another article on the same meetings in Coral Gables (Miami Cuban Mafia territory):

(snip) October 29, 2003 07:34 PM US Eastern Timezone

Free Trade and Venezuela Are Lead Topics of Second Day of Seventh Annual Miami Herald Americas Conference

MIAMI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 29, 2003----U.S. leaders urged patience and compromise in the negotiation of the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA), and Venezuelan leaders pushed for a recall of current Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez during the second day of the Seventh Annual Miami Herald Americas Conference today.
Eric Farnsworth, Council of the Americas Vice President, referring to difficulties experienced at recent Free Trade of the Americas (FTAA) talks in Cancun, Mexico, indicated the talks turned out to be a protest.

"Some were more interested in issues rather than solutions," said Farnsworth.

Roger Noriega, Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, acknowledged that many think free trade agreements are about exploiting low wage workers, but insisted free trade helps the poor.

"Poor countries have as much or more to gain from the multilateral, rules-based trading system that we have put so much energy into promoting," said Noriega. "First world countries and their companies can survive by throwing their economic weight around; small, developing countries rely on rules."

Too bad nothing can be done about cleansing the ethers of these filthy greed-based blatherings.

[nolabels]

16. Too Cool, I thought I was only going to be able find out about it .......

on the internet :kick: