nuestra marca es crisis

I watched Our Brand is Crisis (associate produced by our own j seel) for the second time last night.

The first time was a mere months before my first trip to Lima. I saw OBIC at the film’s New York premiere at Film Forum. Afterwards, director Rachel Boynton answered questions. The only one I remember was someone asking whether Goni’s electoral success should be considered fortunate. Rachel answered that the film was not meant as an argument one way or another but was intended to present a pwerspective in which the audience could form their own opinions.

At the time, I appreciated this answer. I’ve always felt that in documentary, arguments are best made by lying out the information and (though it is clearly editied and positions) letting the audience reach their own conclusions. Basically, the opposite of Michael Moore’s brand of leading the audience along. I think there’s much to be said for trusting the intelligence of your audience.

I watched the firm for a second time, and with 3 years’ more knowledge of the history, culture, politics, and neoliberal positioning of the Andean nation, my feelings are a little different. I still appreciate Rachel’s answer and position, but I don’t believe the film does enough to provide the audience a solid base from which to judge Goni. His role in the privatization of natural gas in Bolivia is merely alluded to. His earlier presidency is reference, but never explained. And the U.S. role in placing Bolivia in their state of “crisis” goes unexplored.

I realize a feature length doc. Cannot necessarily fully survey a nation’s neoliberal history as well as look intricately at a particular election and candidate, but I can’t help vut feel a little slighted by being given the opportunity to “decide for myself” without the necessary background to do so.

Or maybe I just feel vengeful.