Good morning FFF!
Here is today's film choice: No. Based on an unpublished play (El Plebiscito), No follows the Chilean presidential election in 1988. Still in power since 1974, dictator Augusto Pinochet is up for re-election when a group of ad professionals uses advertising tactics as a counter to Pinochet's political campaign.
The dictatorship itself is wrought with controversy. On the one hand, Pinochet is credited with boosting a declining Chilean economy via currency stabilization and opening Chile's markets to the global trade networks; however, this came at the price of disappearances, killings, and torturings numbering in the 10,000s. Pinochet finally stepped down in 1990... yeah, that long.
During these decades, there was a dramatic flight of the minds not just in Chile, but in all of Latin America. Many academics and artists fled the Southern Cone fearing being identified (and dealt with) as 'radicals' or 'communists', etc. The family of Ana Tijoux, whose song 1977 I've posted below, fled to France for most of her childhood. Returning to Chile in the early 80's, she has since developed a powerful presence in the hip-hop scene, using her music to address social issues: http://www.npr.org/2012/02/11/146694189/ana-tijoux-addressing-global-unrest-in-rhyme
I added most of Ana Tijoux's discography to a playlist in the grooveshark account. And in case anyone was wondering, I heard this song first during a Breaking Bad binge a couple of weeks ago (Season 4 Episode 5). I watched all 4 1/2 seasons in 1 and 1/2 weeks. I have no shame.
Enjoy and see you tonight!
---FFF
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