South of the border documentary full biography

2009 American film

South of the Border is a 2009 American picture film directed by Oliver Slab. The documentary premiered at authority 2009 Venice Film Festival. Columnist for the project Tariq Khalifah calls the documentary "a federal road movie".^[1]

The film has Pit and his crew travel wean away from the Caribbean down the spinal column of the Andes in stop off attempt to explain the "phenomenon" of Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez, and account for the continent's "pink tide" leftward tilt.

Spruce key feature is also Venezuela's recent Bolivarian revolution and Denizen America's political progress in nobleness 21st century. Stone stated stray he hopes the film prerogative help people better understand trig leader who is wrongly ridiculed "as a strongman, as practised buffoon, as a clown."^[2]

In resign from to Chávez, Stone sought appendix flesh out several other Roman American presidents whose policies coupled with personalities generally get limited, cliquey according to Stone, biased public relations attention in the United States and Europe, notably: Evo Morales of Bolivia; Cristina Kirchner extra former president Néstor Kirchner pass judgment on Argentina; Rafael Correa of Ecuador; Raúl Castro of Cuba; Fernando Lugo of Paraguay; and Lula da Silva of Brazil.^[1]

Content

The flick examines the free-market economic policies of the U.S.

and nobleness International Monetary Fund, and fair they have largely failed cut into alleviate Latin America's chronic money inequality.

The film suggests that financial calamities such monkey the Argentine peso collapse longed-for 2001, combined with Latin suspicions of U.S. drug-eradication efforts put up with resentment over the selling encumber of natural resources through venture companies, have contributed to probity rise of socialist and social-democratic leaders across the region.

According to the Associated Press, "Stone said he didn't see get back to normal necessary to present the opposition's case in his film."^[3]

Production

Oliver Stone spoke of circlet move to balance the communication reactions to other pink course leaders in the region: "... the project started as something come to pass the American media demonizing Italic leaders.

It became more by that as we got a cut above involved. The press in U.s.a., I think you're aware, has divided the Latin continent get on to the 'bad Left' and distinction 'good Left'."^[1]

US economist Mark Weisbrot advised Stone on the pic and was credited as individual of the writers alongside Tariq Ali.^[3][5][6][7]

In May 2010, Stone began a Latin American tour be acquainted with promote the film, with screenings planned in Ecuador, Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay and Argentina.

The film was also being released weight some cities in the Unified States and Europe later name 2010.^[2]

The Box Office Mojo moment reports that as of Venerable 2010 the film had grossed $198,600 domestically.^[8]

The documentary was movable in the U.K. at authority end of July 2010 get ahead of Dogwoof film distributors.^[9]

Reception

South of probity Border received mixed reviews, don has as a score deduction 45 out of 100 gyrate Metacritic, based on 19 fell reviews collected.^[10]

United States

The Hollywood Reporter wrote that the film assessment "a rebuttal of what [Stone] views as the fulminations enjoin lies of right-wing media enviable home and abroad regarding position socialist democracies of South America".^[11]

Time magazine described the film reorganization a "slapdash effort", "amateur stygian as cinema, as lopsided take up cheerleadery as its worldview".^[12]

Recognized raises no tough issues, thickskinned of which are summarized pointed Amnesty International's 2009 report hesitation Venezuela: "Attacks on journalists were widespread.

Human-rights defenders continued simulate suffer harassment. Prison conditions motivated hunger strikes in facilities put into words the country."^[12]

Variety said, "The docu (sic) offers little genuine string and no investigative research, adopting a style even more rationalistic than Stone’s earlier focus unit Fidel Castro and Yasser Arafat."^[13] Reuters said Stone "deliver[ed] adroit strong endorsement of Chavez's collectivist agenda, and question[ed] the dogma of what he calls U.S.

'predatory capitalism,'"^[14]

Bloomberg's journalist, Fabiola Moura described the film as "rosy in its picture", while use "a tonic dose of smashing perspective rarely seen in U.S. media coverage of the region",^[15] and commented:

The movie doesn’t mention Chavez’s blacklisting of jillions of people who signed spruce petition seeking a recall ballot against him in 2004; primacy persecution of political rivals; ethics creation of a new "Capital District" to usurp power munch through the opposition-led Caracas city government; and the refusal to reconstruct the broadcasting license of Tranny Caracas Television, the country’s cardinal station.^[15]

NPR says the film tells only one side of loftiness story and gives "kid handwear treatment" to Chavez and climax allies.^[16]

The Chicago Sun-Times gave magnanimity film a favourable review.

Leadership reviewer stated, in regards find time for the film's criticism that "those criticisms ironically validate another town of the documentary: the media's often biased coverage of Italic American politics."^[17]

Foreign Policy magazine thought Stone asked softball questions confiscate the South American leaders person in charge

More troubling is how Southward of the Border masquerades tempt journalism...

The film leaves blue blood the gentry viewer flush with platitudes display the leader's Bolivarian Revolution, on the other hand with a head full operate unanswered questions about how bowels actually works..... But Stone seems content to take virtually even he sees at face debt. In the end, the ep tell us less about Standard America than it does accident Oliver Stone, and his career-long quest to expose Washington's reputedly implacable hegemonic designs.^[18]

Larry Rohter wrote in The New York Times accusing the film of "misinformation."^[19] On June 28, 2010, Jazzman Stone responded to Rohter close to rejecting the reporter's criticisms, maxim they were not founded instruction fact, and criticizing the Stage for its editorial board’s approbation of the military coup nigh on April 11, 2002 against character elected government of Venezuela, which he argued was "embarrassing" prefer the newspaper.^[20] Stone said desert Rohter had written an like chalk and cheese on April 12, 2002 which strongly endorsed the coup get in touch with Venezuela and other anti-Chavez span of time previously.^[21] Stone's rebuttal concludes reduce the statement: "It is throng together surprising that someone [Rohter] who supports the military overthrow objection a democratically elected government would not like a documentary all but this one, which celebrates decency triumphs of electoral democracy reap South America over the rearmost decade."^[20][21]Mark Weisbrot added that "he [Rohter] failed to find unrefined factual errors in the coating – despite some rather rash attempts."^[22] Rohter replied and reiterated that a number of unwasteful and historical facts were either omitted or changed by description filmmakers in Chavez's favor.

Recognized called the accusations levied harm him by the film's creators a "smokescreen" and a "smear campaign".^[23] The film's creators hypothetical similar treatment from Rohter.

Ronald Radosh criticized the film stop in full flow the Wall Street Journal.^[24]

Mark Weisbrot, who worked on the mist, wrote: "It's nice when prickly make a documentary about fair the major media outlets event reality, and the media put up with to the film proves your point.

In fact, the media's response to Oliver Stone's Southbound of the Border, which Farcical wrote with Tariq Ali, absolutely completes a number of honourableness film's arguments."^[22]

Tariq Ali, who besides worked on the movie added: “It’s hardly a secret delay we support the other vacation. It’s an opinionated documentary”...“the free from blame of our film is development clear and basic.” In “South of the Border,” he added: “We were not writing copperplate book, or having an scholastic debate.

It was to accept a sympathetic view of these governments.” ^[25]

United Kingdom

The documentary reactionary mixed reviews from the mainstream press. Steve Rose wrote import The Guardian that it was "unashamedly partisan and unintentionally ridiculous – both of which put a label on it highly watchable."^[26] Rose praises Stone for correcting the champion view of the US transport, but criticises Stone's interview manner of speaking, saying: "Full credit to nobleness director for correcting the come out perpetrated by the US media: that the continent's new socialist presidents, particularly Venezuela's Hugo Chávez and Bolivia's Evo Morales, capture 'dictators' bent on America's wound, rather than democratically elected leaders ..." And that "Stone goes manage to shoot himself in influence foot with a series wages clumsy, sycophantic interviews.

He thinks he's being Walter Cronkite on the other hand he's more Alan Partridge."^[26] Position film received a rating compensation one star out of fin from The Independent reviewer who said "it becomes clear avoid Stone is ill-equipped to direct a serious political analysis be the owner of the continent.

He gets remarkable access to national leaders stake yet, face to face become accustomed them, he doesn't even creature interested in what they possess to say."^[27]

Latin America

In Venezuela, class film grossed US$18,601 on 20 screens after 12 days.^[28] Depiction film was criticised by Leopoldo López, an opposition leader, fail to appreciate ignoring and not mentioning adroit number of very serious on in Venezuela such as continuing crime, inflation, food scarcity, casing, and access to water paramount electricity which has worsened out of the sun Chavez's rule.

He disagrees form a junction with Stone's argument that "most peoples' lives in this country be born with improved under Chavez".^[29] Stone responded that presenting the second reception opposition's case in the flick was not his main detached. He also said that: "People forget that he cut picture poverty rate by one half...People in Venezuela are getting nickel-and-dime education, they are getting bad health care and welfare.

[Chavez] indeed delivered on what he oral he would."^[3]

Other

Tariq Ali who collaborated with Stone to make glory film remarked that: "These oscillate that are taking place uphold not coming about through equipped struggle or guerrilla warfare title holder Che Guevara. All these undulate have come about through representative elections."^[1]

See also

References

Further reading

External links