Americas in transition

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Movie
Original title Americas in transition
Country of production United States
original language English
Publishing year 1981
length 28 minutes
Rod
Director Obie Benz
script Obie Benz
production Obie Benz
music Wendy Blackstone ,
Bernardo Palombo
cut Judith Sobol
occupation

Americas in Transition is an American short - documentary by Obie Benz . It is about US military interventions in different countries of America .

action

The film introduces various countries in Latin America whose history is closely linked to US interventions. Former Ambassador Murat Williams , former CIA Director Lyman Kirkpatrick , Maryknoll missionary Peggy Healy and the writer Carlos Fuentes , who was Mexican Ambassador to France from 1975 to 1977, will speak .

The film begins with the presentation of the current situation in Nicaragua . In addition to the aforementioned, culture minister Ernesto Cardenal was questioned , who compares the current situation with the Cuban revolution .

The next stop is Guatemala , which was considered an export nation for bananas. The film tells of the short phase of democracy until Jacobo Árbenz Guzmán took on the United Fruit Company . They fabricated a lie about a communist conspiracy and the United States supported the forces of dictator Carlos Castillo Armas . The film now shows the current situation with Fernando Romeo Lucas García at the head of the state. While the state itself is wealthy, the population, especially the Native American Indians, is impoverished and victims of various death squads . What follows is a review of anti-American protests against Richard Nixon . Then General Smedley Darlington Butler is introduced and quoted from his biography.

It continues with Cuba and the US response to the Cuban Revolution. What follows is an excerpt from a US propaganda film that deals with guerrilla techniques and the training of Cuban soldiers.

Then the Dominican Republic is shown. There the film begins when Rafael Trujillo was overthrown and shows a speech by Juan Bosch , who, with the help of US troops, was dismissed shortly afterwards on charges of communist activities. In Chile, too, the United States had a hand in supporting Augusto Pinochet's military dictatorship. In El Salvador , too, the United States has backed the military. At the time of the film, there is a bloody civil war. The murder of Óscar Romero and the landowner Enrique Alvarez and the machinations of the death squads were mentioned.

In addition to warning words from Williams and Fuentes, the film ends with excerpts from the United States Constitution and film recordings of peaceful trials in El Savador.

background

The film was in response to the right wing documentary Attack on the Americas , which advocated US intervention in Latin America.

reception

The film was perceived as an outstanding documentary. So called Ardis Nelson of Florida State University the film a "coherent interpretation" of history of a continent 'n its problems by an incomplete press coverage and an inconsistent US policies are veiled. "The Los Angeles Times said the film a mandatory film for every American. While the reviews were mostly positive, the film was also criticized as one-sided, including by Arthur Unger in the Christian Science Monitor . Ed Asner, who played the role of speaking, lost his series Lou Grant on CBS because of the film and a speech he made in relation to the film about the death squads in El Salvador .

The film was at the Oscars 1982 in the category Best Short Documentary nominated but lost to Close Harmony . He also won the Blue Ribbon at the American Film & Video Festival 1982, the Golden Eagle of the Council on International Nontheatrical Events (CINE) and was named best film at the National Educational Film Festival 1982.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c Americas in Transition. Icarusfilms.com, accessed February 1, 2020 .
  2. ^ Pat Aufderheide: The Final Word . In: Cineaste Publishers, Inc. (Ed.): Cinéaste . No. 16, (1/2, 1987-88) , pp. 92 , JSTOR : 41687543 .
  3. ↑ "An outstanding documentary! A coherent interpretation of an area whose problems have been obfuscated by incomplete media coverage and inconsistent US policies." from: Ardis Nelson: Americas in Transition by Review . In: American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese (Ed.): Hispania . 68 (March 1985), pp. 211-212 , JSTOR : 341650 .
  4. ↑ Arthur Unger: 'Americas in Transition': the issue as Edward Asner sees it. Christian Science Monitor, May 21, 1982, accessed February 1, 2020 .