Reconciling Re-emancipation and Industrial Development in Venezuelan Cinema

Abstract

Venezuelan cinema is unique in the context of Latin American cinemas due to the particular socio-political conjuncture of Venezuela since 1998. As was the case in Cuba in 1959, the Venezuelan socialist revolution of the twenty-first century views cinema as intimately intertwined with politics. Questions of identity, anti-imperialism and ideology underpinned state-sponsored televisual and cinematic discourses of the early years of the Bolivarian revolution, when Venezuelan filmmakers reignited the emancipatory project of the New Latin American Cinema of the 1960s and 1970s. While other Latin American cinemas in left-leaning countries such as Brazil and Argentina were attempting to make a strong impact on international film festivals or global markets, the Venezuelan government seemed more intent on developing a national audiovisual platform and on forging regional audiovisual alliances. These efforts have no doubt resulted in technological development and the democratization of the Venezuelan cinema and television spheres that will no doubt have a positive long-term effect. The incorporation of a significant number of first-time filmmakers to the Venezuelan film scene, the strong development of community filmmaking, the successful efforts towards audiovisual education across the country, the prioritization of co-productions with small producers, and the diversification of the ethnic composition of the film crew and cast, are some illustrative initiatives that characterize the direction of the Venezuelan government towards film development. In addition to these unquestionable achievements, the Venezuelan cinema platform has also reaped the benefits of its investments in the international arena, particularly in the 2010s, by garnering a number of awards at international film festivals such as Venice (From Afar) and Cannes (the co-production The Embrace of the Serpent).