In April 2002, the democratically elected Venezuelan president, Hugo Chavez, faces a coup d’état by an American-backed opposition party. The two-day coup fails to topple Chávez, but the tumultuous event proves to be great dramatic material for two Irish filmmakers who happen to be making a documentary about Chavez as the coup erupts. They capture footage of the massive opposition and pro-Chavez crowds and analyze how Venezuelan TV manipulated images for propaganda purposes.
Rec. Grade Levels Archives: 11
Ringside
Ringside looks at the dangerous, volatile world of Chicago’s South Side from the perspective of two remarkably gifted young boxers and the fathers who train them ; as one begins a rising career in the ring, the other serves an eight-year-prison sentence for criminal trespass and burglary.
Runaway
Runaway follows the stories of five young girls who arrive at a refuge in Irans capital city Tehran, having run away from abusive or neglectful families.
Salaam Dunk
Through traditional interviews and private confessional video diaries, Salaam Dunk follows the ethnically diverse AUIS women’s basketball team as they discover what it means to be athletes. From the joy of their first win to the pain of losing the coach who started their team, the film gives a glimpse into an Iraq we don’t see on the news.
Set Me Free
Following a 13-year-old girl adrift in a sea of powerful emotions in Montreal in 1963, the heartfelt “Set Me Free” is simultaneously an insightful family portrait, a homage to the French New Wave and a testament to the potential of film to shape and redeem life.
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