Written by the legendary Chilean folk singer Víctor Jara, the 1971 song, “El Derecho de Vivir en Paz,” or “The Right to Live in Peace,” was originally dedicated to Vietnamese communist leader Ho Chi Minh, as the United States waged war in Vietnam. By 1973, Chile, too, would be at war; following a military coup that overthrew socialist president Salvador Allende, General Augusto Pinochet would assume power until 1990. By Pinochet’s orders, Jara was held prisoner in a football stadium, where along with thousands of other civilians, he was tortured and murdered by soldiers.
- 10/28/2019
- by Suzy Exposito
- Rollingstone.com
“All great food is soul food” could be the logline for this polished foodie flick from directors Jose Antonio Blanco and Angel Parra, which documents two world-famous chefs from the East and West to show how, deep down, they have a lot in common.
Taking us inside the kitchen of Eneko Atxa’s three-Michelin-star restaurant Azurmendi in northeastern Spain, and to the legendary Tokyo sushi joint run by 91-year-old Jiro Ono (already the subject of 2011’s Jiro Dreams of Sushi), the simply titled Soul does not break any new ground in the culinary genre and sometimes feels closer to a lavish...
Taking us inside the kitchen of Eneko Atxa’s three-Michelin-star restaurant Azurmendi in northeastern Spain, and to the legendary Tokyo sushi joint run by 91-year-old Jiro Ono (already the subject of 2011’s Jiro Dreams of Sushi), the simply titled Soul does not break any new ground in the culinary genre and sometimes feels closer to a lavish...
- 2/13/2017
- by Jordan Mintzer
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
There's a lot to be said about the new wave of Chilean filmmakers these days that are drawing much deserved attention to that region of South America. Arguably one of the most noted has been Andres Wood whose latest film, 'Violeta fue a los cielos' (Violeta went to heaven) a bio-pic of Violeta Parra, a folk singer who helped pioneer the Nueva Cancion movement in Chile that would soon play pivotal roles in the social unrest in other Latin America countries. Francisca Gavilán poignantly and lyrically unfolds before us as Violeta in this beautiful rendering of an artist who believed she had a song to sing and she sang it to the end.
LatinoBuzz: I think you have a way of capturing the identity and soul of Chile at particular periods in its history. Was making films about Chile something you felt you always wanted or needed to do?
Andres Wood: When I start thinking of a film to make, I don't have any "big" concept or idea like to represent the soul of the country. I would be paralyzed. First I get in love with the characters, then with small anecdotes and at the end something like the context. I do believe that film has to be very personal. And my imagination is Chilean. The way we see things, the way we talk, the landscape, our contradictions. So, it is not something that I look at intentionally but it is something that I like a lot that is in the films.
LatinoBuzz: Why film?
Andres Wood: I have been always a film lover. I got in love with the process of making a film. I believe in the power of a film to help, at least, create a conversation.
LatinoBuzz: With this incredible wave of Chilean filmmakers winning awards and the Oscar nod for 'No' - given the filmmakers are not too far apart in age - how much did living under the dictatorship do you think influenced the filmmaking and voices of you all as artists?
Andres Wood: The dictatorship affected all the society in different ways. Some people were politically affected, others were affected because they were not aware of what was happening, others were in favor, others against, some were victims, some were murderers. Everyone was affected due to economic changes (for good and bad). It is impossible to do a film that doesn't have some footprint of the dictatorship.
LatinoBuzz: With Violeta now immortalized in a beautiful film of her complex life, do you think it's time that Victor Jara's story should now be told also?
Andres Wood: I would love to see a film about Victor Jara. It is still to make one complex because the trail against his murderers is still open. He is one of the inheritors (with Angel Parra and others) of Violeta Parra's legacy. And as Violeta he is a true and complex artist with many talents and incredible bravery.
LatinoBuzz: Violeta was obviously a public figure - what was the casting process like? And what was the collaboration with Francisca as a director like?
Andres Wood: The film is based on the performance of the actress. We were so lucky to find Francisca. She worked almost a year preparing for the role. We didn't expect her to sing but after her work with Angel Parra, she sang all the songs in the film. Her understanding of the character helped us to rewrite and improvise a lot. It was a joy to work with her.
LatinoBuzz: Was there anything about Violeta that you related to most.
Andres Wood: I wish I have something of her. I can tell you only my big admiration.
LatinoBuzz: With a lot of Latin American film's being co-productions with companies overseas and in some cases, between several countries, does that ever affect the creative process?
Andres Wood: Co-production between production companies between different countries is an act of faith. You have to choose your partner believing that they want to do the most original film that we can. Of course there are legal restrictions but I have been lucky enough that our partners always have helped us to keep the soul of the film.
LatinoBuzz: Who is the person that you admire the most?
Andres Wood: My wife. Admiration and love go together.
LatinoBuzz: Your favorite journey?
Andres Wood: The South of Chile.
LatinoBuzz: What's your next film?
Andres Wood: I am in pre-production of a miniseries for Chilean TV related with the 40 years of the military coup.
For information about Violeta Went to Heaven and screening times, check out: http://bit.ly/10eHD8X
Written by Juan Caceres and Vanessa Erazo, LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow @LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook...
LatinoBuzz: I think you have a way of capturing the identity and soul of Chile at particular periods in its history. Was making films about Chile something you felt you always wanted or needed to do?
Andres Wood: When I start thinking of a film to make, I don't have any "big" concept or idea like to represent the soul of the country. I would be paralyzed. First I get in love with the characters, then with small anecdotes and at the end something like the context. I do believe that film has to be very personal. And my imagination is Chilean. The way we see things, the way we talk, the landscape, our contradictions. So, it is not something that I look at intentionally but it is something that I like a lot that is in the films.
LatinoBuzz: Why film?
Andres Wood: I have been always a film lover. I got in love with the process of making a film. I believe in the power of a film to help, at least, create a conversation.
LatinoBuzz: With this incredible wave of Chilean filmmakers winning awards and the Oscar nod for 'No' - given the filmmakers are not too far apart in age - how much did living under the dictatorship do you think influenced the filmmaking and voices of you all as artists?
Andres Wood: The dictatorship affected all the society in different ways. Some people were politically affected, others were affected because they were not aware of what was happening, others were in favor, others against, some were victims, some were murderers. Everyone was affected due to economic changes (for good and bad). It is impossible to do a film that doesn't have some footprint of the dictatorship.
LatinoBuzz: With Violeta now immortalized in a beautiful film of her complex life, do you think it's time that Victor Jara's story should now be told also?
Andres Wood: I would love to see a film about Victor Jara. It is still to make one complex because the trail against his murderers is still open. He is one of the inheritors (with Angel Parra and others) of Violeta Parra's legacy. And as Violeta he is a true and complex artist with many talents and incredible bravery.
LatinoBuzz: Violeta was obviously a public figure - what was the casting process like? And what was the collaboration with Francisca as a director like?
Andres Wood: The film is based on the performance of the actress. We were so lucky to find Francisca. She worked almost a year preparing for the role. We didn't expect her to sing but after her work with Angel Parra, she sang all the songs in the film. Her understanding of the character helped us to rewrite and improvise a lot. It was a joy to work with her.
LatinoBuzz: Was there anything about Violeta that you related to most.
Andres Wood: I wish I have something of her. I can tell you only my big admiration.
LatinoBuzz: With a lot of Latin American film's being co-productions with companies overseas and in some cases, between several countries, does that ever affect the creative process?
Andres Wood: Co-production between production companies between different countries is an act of faith. You have to choose your partner believing that they want to do the most original film that we can. Of course there are legal restrictions but I have been lucky enough that our partners always have helped us to keep the soul of the film.
LatinoBuzz: Who is the person that you admire the most?
Andres Wood: My wife. Admiration and love go together.
LatinoBuzz: Your favorite journey?
Andres Wood: The South of Chile.
LatinoBuzz: What's your next film?
Andres Wood: I am in pre-production of a miniseries for Chilean TV related with the 40 years of the military coup.
For information about Violeta Went to Heaven and screening times, check out: http://bit.ly/10eHD8X
Written by Juan Caceres and Vanessa Erazo, LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow @LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook...
- 4/3/2013
- by Juan Caceres
- Sydney's Buzz
Actress Francisca Gavilán grew up listening to the music of folksinger Violeta Parra in her home, quietly. Parra’s music wasn’t exactly forbidden during Augusto Pinochet’s military dictatorship, but the authorities frowned upon it.
“We sang it silently,” Gavilán says.
Now, as the star of the biopic “Violeta Went to Heaven,” Gavilán sings Parra’s music professionally. The film opened Friday in New York, bringing the story of one of Latin America’s most famous musicians and iconic figures to the big screen in the United States. The movie will also play in Chicago, Los Angeles, and other U.S. cities.
One of the early exponents of Latin America’s “nueva canción,” or “new song” movement, a style of folk music that flourished in the 1950s and 1960s and continues today, Parra dedicated her life to both songwriting and documenting Chile’s traditional music. Parra penned some of the genre’s classics,...
“We sang it silently,” Gavilán says.
Now, as the star of the biopic “Violeta Went to Heaven,” Gavilán sings Parra’s music professionally. The film opened Friday in New York, bringing the story of one of Latin America’s most famous musicians and iconic figures to the big screen in the United States. The movie will also play in Chicago, Los Angeles, and other U.S. cities.
One of the early exponents of Latin America’s “nueva canción,” or “new song” movement, a style of folk music that flourished in the 1950s and 1960s and continues today, Parra dedicated her life to both songwriting and documenting Chile’s traditional music. Parra penned some of the genre’s classics,...
- 3/30/2013
- by The Huffington Post
- Huffington Post
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