Venezuela has always been the country that attracted the attention of many people. In Indonesia, the country is famous for numerous of telenovela(television soap opera) that is aired in many private television stations in the 90’s. Besides, Venezuela is known for Hugo Chavez, the president, because of his anti-United States statements. This is a paradox among the international communities which simultaneously recognize the hegemony of the United States and are competing to establish relations with the superpower.
However, Venezuela is not just merely identified with the dramatic soap opera, the beautiful Miss Universe, or the revolutionary Hugo Chavez. "These three things are just stereotypes we know because we did not know much about Venezuela from different sides," said Drs. Riza Noer Arfani, M.A, Coordinator of UGM’s Sociedad Indonesia para America Latina (SIpAL).
Riza conveys that with a spirit to know Venezuela more deeply, SIpAL cooperates with the Embassy of Venezuela in designing a series of film screenings and discussions which are open to the public, entitled SIpAL’s 1st Latin American Film Festival: VENEZUELA THROUGH CINEMA. The event was held for three days, 13-15 April 2011, starting at 13:30 pm, in the Seminar Room of UGM Unit I Library 2nd Floor.
The first day, Wednesday (13/4) saw the film Tocar y Luchar (2006, Alberto Avelo), a documentary about the most important social projects in the last decade. This film tells the story of more than 200 children and adolescents’ dream in Venezuela and other Latin American countries to play music.
Then Thursday (14/4) saw the film South of the Border (2008, Oliver Stone). It is a film about the revolution that is happening in Latin America. This film tells the story of Oliver Stone’s journey around the five countries in South America to study political and social movement that is happening while proves the misperceptions of mass media in the United States on these countries.
Finally, Friday (15/4) the film Miranda Regresa (2007, Luis Alberto Lamata) was screened. It is a film about Francisco de Miranda, a Venezuela freedom fighter, whose life was an inspiration for many people in Venezuela today.