LA PRISION INSOMNE

Title: LA PRISION INSOMNE
Description: This documentary gives the viewer the unfortunate important facets of life and the controversial work of the poet Gabriel de la Concepción Valdés, Plácido, during the first half of the turbulent and contradictory colonial nineteenth century in Cuba. The audiovisual speech reveals different nuances and mysteries about the identity of the bard and the essential features and significance of the poetry staff. The film also delves into their participation in the so-called Escalera Conspiracy against the Spanish government in power at the time.
Type: Documentary
Year: 2009
Director: Regino Olivar
Country: Cuba
Film ID: 757
Comments:
Created: 11/30/2011
Copy: M   Format: DVD   Language: Spanish   Subtitles: English   Length: 47 min.   Copy ID: 1389   Comments:    Source: M. Barret   Price: 0   Acquired: 11/1/2011

LA CONJURA DE APONTE

Title: LA CONJURA DE APONTE
Description: With the help of two important Cuban historians, La Conjura de Aponte describes the social context at the time of Jose Antonio Aponte’s rebellion against Spanish rule in Cuba. Aponte, a free black, sought to unite slaves and free blacks in order to stop Spanish rule.
Subject: History, Social Issues
Type:
Year: 2010
Director: Regino Oliver
Country: Cuba
Film ID: 761
Comments:
Created: 1/13/2012
Copy: 1 m   Language:    Subtitles:    Length: 24 minutes   Copy ID: 1394   Comments: master copy for classroom use only   Source:    Price: 0   Acquired: 9/9/9999

ARDIENTE PACIENCIA

Description: A young man is in love with the daughter of a local bar owner in a Chilean village. The young man enlists the help of the famous poet Pablo Neruda to woo his beloved.

Copies: 2 (DVD)

Length: 76 minutes

ART AND REVOLUTION IN MEXICO

 Description: Part I is a documentary dealing with the art of the Mexican revolution as a political movement and a revolution in art. Text by Octavio Paz. Part II examines these monumental creations not only for their great aesthetic value, but also as an essential and fascinating part of Mexico’s history. The murals are examples of the marriage of art and political thought. Includes works by Rivera and Siqueiros. Part III is an insight into the elements of the life experiences of Tamayo, a Zapotecan Indian and a famous Mexican painter.

Copies: 1 (DVD)

Length: 60 minutes; 30 minutes; 28 minutes

ART OF ELIZABETH BISHOP, THE

 Description: This is a documentary allows the viewer a glimpse into a Brazilian art symposium which celebrates the art and poetry of Elizabeth Bishop. The symposium occurs in Ouro Preto in Minas Gerais. Literary discussions and some presentation material included. UNC-Chapel Hill Brazil, 1999.

Copies: 1 (VHS)

BAILE PERFUMADO

 Description: The inhospitable backlands, or sertão, of northeastern Brazil was home to a fearsome group of social bandits – the cangaceiros. Among the most infamous of these outlaws, known by their hats covered with mystic talismans, was the bespectacled Lampião whose depredations became legend in the 1930s. The film portrays the filmmaker and photographer Benjamin Abrahão, a Lebanese immigrant, who captured the elusive bandits with his camera.

Copies: 1 (DVD)

Length: 93 minutes

BISPO DO ROSARIO

Description: This docudrama about the life and art of the Brazilian artist Arthur Bispo do Rosário takes the artist’s imagination as its viewpoint. Bispo spent 50 years in a psychiatric hospital in Rio and his art was almost completely unknown before his death in 1989. He is now considered one of Brazil’s most important artists.

Copies: 1 (VHS)

Length: 46 minutes

BOLIVAR SOY YO

Description: The actor, Santiago Miranda, abandons the set of a soap opera that he thinks fails to illustrate the real vision and dream of Bolívar. Miranda is determined to finish Bolívar’s dream of creating the “Great Colombia.” Wrapped in his own delirium, he kidnaps the President of Colombia and tries to start a revolution. However, Miranda’s beloved, Manuelita Saenz, intervenes in his dreams.

Copies: 1 (VHS)

Length: 108 minutes

CABEZA DE VACA

Description: Freely adopted from the book Naufragios by Alvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca (written in 1542). The film portrays the saga of the adventures of a group of Spanish soldiers in Mexico. Their leader, Cabeza de Vaca, is considered to be one of the first Spaniards to come to some appreciation of the native Indians.

Copies: 1 (DVD)

Length: 112 minutes

CARMEN MIRANDA: BANANAS IS MY BUSINESS

Description: This film relates the intimate saga of the star who captured the world’s heart and imagination. It reveals the lasting image of Latin American women she created and serves as a celebration of her glorious talents. Using active footage, film fragments, interviews and dramatic re-enactments, acclaimed director Helena Solberg goes behind the scenes to convey the true life story of the “Brazilian Bombshell.”

Copies: 1(VHS)

Length: 90 minutes

CHE, PART I: EL ARGENTINO

Description: Based on Ernesto “Che” Guevara’s memoir Reminiscences of the Cuban Revolutionary War, this film constitutes part 1 of the two part series directed by Steven Soderbergh on the life of this iconic hero of the Cuban revolution. While focusing on Guevara’s role in the guerrilla campaign that begins in the Sierra Maestra and ultimately ousts Fulgencio Batista from power, the movie also splices in scenes depicting Guevara’s visit to the United Nations and audio re-creation of an interview that presents some of Guevara’s political philosophies and thoughts on being a revolutionary. The film portrays the personal dynamics of his relationship with Fidel Castro, Camilo Cienfuegos, and other anti-Batista activists during the war, Guevara’s leadership style as reflected in his efforts to maintain discipline in the rebel army, and the final military campaign that culminates in the capture of the city of Santa Clara and the flight of Batista from the country.

Copies: 1 (DVD) Length: 135 minutes

CONQUISTADORS (PART I)

Description: The conquest of the New World in less than 50 years is one of history’s most profound events–and remains one of its greatest adventures. British historian Michael Wood captures the bravery, endurance, greed, cruelty, and suffering involved in these 16th-century explorations. Wood turns his attention to the Americas to follow four amazing tales: Cortes’ dramatic conquest of the Aztecs in Mexico; Pizarro’s daring overthrow of the Incas in Peru; Orellana’s obsessive search for El Dorado and discovery of the Amazon; and Cabeza de Vaca’s pivotal crossing of the North American continent. Great Britain/Latin America.

Copies: 1 (VHS) Length: 120 minutes

CONQUISTADORS (PART II)

Description: The conquest of the New World in less than 50 years is one of history’s most profound events–and remains one of its greates adventures. British historian Michael Wood captures the bravery, endurance, greed, cruelty, and suffering involved in these 16th-century explorations. Wood turns his attention to the Americas to follow four amazing tales: Cortes’ dramatic conquest of the Aztecs in Mexico; Pizarro’s daring overthrow of the Incas in Peru; Orellana’s obsessive search for El Dorado and discovery of the Amazon; and Cabeza de Vaca’s pivotal crossing of the North American continent. Great Britain/Latin America.

Copies: 1(VHS) Length: 120 minutes

ESTADIO NACIONAL

Description: After the coup d’etat that occurred on September 11, 1973, the Chilean government initiated an atrocious pursuit against former allies of the overthrown Socialist President, Salvador Allende. A series of house raids were conducted and thousands of people were arrested. This documentary tells how more than 12,000 prisoners were confined, tortured and some were killed at the National Stadium—making it the largest concentration camp in Chile. Copies: 1 (DVD) Length: 90 minutes

EVA PERON: THE TRUE STORY

Description: A film biography about Evita Perón, the work seeks to portray the political acumen and skill of a consummate politician–"the power behind the throne"–of the populist Argentine, Juan Perón. The film represents an Argentine perspective grounded in history rather than treatments of Evita such as Andrew Lloyd Weber musical and Madonna versions. Copies: 1 (DVD) Length: 114 minutes

FIDEL (2001)

Description: This film is an intimate portrait of the Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro. Filmmaker Estela Bravo presents rare interviews with Castro and footage of him swimming with bodyguards, visiting his childhood home and school, and trading jokes with his friend Nelson Mandela. It introduces a positive portrayal of Castro rarely shown in the US media. Copies: 1 (DVD) Length: 91 minutes

FOTO QUE RECORRE EL MUNDO, UNA (THE PHOTO THAT WENT AROUND THE WORLD)

Description: A single, iconic image of Ernesto “Che” Guevara has been remembered, revered and reproduced over the years. In this documentary, photographer Alberto Korda recounts his feelings at the moment he snapped the world famous photo. A fast-paced collage of images follows, showing how this photo was used internationally as a symbol of inspiration in liberation and human rights struggles. Copies: 2 (DVD and VHS) Length: 15 minutes

FOUR DAYS IN SEPTEMBER

Description: This thriller is based on the true-life events. In 1969, the MR-8 urban guerrillas kidnap the US Ambassador to Brazil (Alan Arkin) to demand the release of prisoners held by the military junta. The dictatorship’s secret police close in on the bungled operation while time runs out. Now, the diplomat’s life hangs in the balance, caught between a government unwilling to cooperate, and his fear for the captors themselves. Copies: 1 (DVD) Length: 107 minutes

FRESCOES OF DIEGO RIVERA, THE

Description: “An artist must be the conscience of his age.” In this way Diego Rivera, a leader of the Mexican mural renaissance movement of the 1920’s and 1030’s expressed the philosophy behind his work; in particular the spectacular series of murals he created for public buildings in the US and Mexico. Vividly exploring Rivera’s evolution as an artist, his use of the fresco technique, and his explosive political beliefs; this stunning documentary reveals one of the true geniuses of the twentieth century. Actor Michael Moriarty narrates. From the “Portrait of an Artist” series. Copies: 2 (DVD and VHS) Length: 35 minutes

FRIDA

Description: Taymor recreates the tactile passion and beauty of Frida Kahlo’s art as a backdrop for her life of romance and revolution. Frida chronicles the life of artist Frida Kahlo (Salma Hayek), from her upbringing to her worldwide fame. The film shows the turbulence and controversy that surrounded both Frida and her husband, Diego Rivera, throughout their lives as political activists, artists, and lovers. Frida received a BAFTA Award, a Golden Globe and two Oscars. Copies: 1 (DVD) Length: 123 minutes

FRIDA KAHLO

Description: Visually depicts the life of Frida Kahlo through her own paintings and the surroundings of her home in Coyoacán, Mexico City. Copies: 2 (DVD and VHS) Length: 16 minutes

FRIDA KAHLO: PORTRAIT OF AN ARTIST

Description: A documentary about Frida Kahlo’s painful life and creative process. Part of the series “Portraits of an Artist.” Copies: 1 (DVD) Length: 62 minutes

FRIDA: NATURALEZA VIVA

Description: On her deathbed artist Frida Kahlo (played by Ofelia Medina) conjures up images and memories of her life as a painter, revolutionary and woman of the world. Her stormy relationship with muralist Diego Rivera, her tender hospitality for exiled Leon Trotsky, her struggle for acceptance as an artist, and the travail of her illnesses and injuries are all recalled in a style reminiscent of her own work, simultaneously sophisticated and primitive, flamboyant and delicate. Copies: 1 (DVD) Length: 108 minutes

GRINGO IN MAÑANALAND

Description: This film is a montage of scenes from travelogues, dramatic films, industrial films, newsreels, military footage, geography textbook illustrations and political cartoons. Together they explore the stereotyped image of Latin America in popular US media during the 20th century. Copies: 1 (DVD) Length: 61 minutes

GUEVARA: ANATOMIA DE UN MITO

Description: This film presents a revisionist view of the life Ernesto “Che” Guevara. Various interviews with former comrades of Guevara present a portrait of the man that is a stark contrast to the official mythology of Che’s historical role in the revolution. Their stories present a cruel, vindictive side of Che’s personality responsible for a number of botched revolutionary ventures, including the campaign in Bolivia that led to his death. Far from the selfless hero of official Cuban history, viewers are presented with a cowardly, incompetent ideologue whose disregard for the views of others led to his downfall. Copies: 1 (DVD) Length: 71 minutes

HISTORIAS DE GENTE GRANDE

Description: Based on the research of Felipe Vázquez Palacios and his team in the state of Veracruz. This documentary depicts the daily life of those whom society considers to be “old.” The testimonies of these men and women teach us that the process of growing old is a construction that combines biology with work, family and society. Due to their diminishing status and lack of social support, these older adults invent survival strategies while they wait for their death. Copies: 1 (DVD) Length: 27 minutes

LIFE AND WORKS OF FRIDA KAHLO, THE

Description: This Masterpiece Series provides a triple treat – a close-up look at the lives and works of the world‘s most famous artists plus three art lessons that focus on the style of each. These lessons reinforce the techniques and skills that the artist used and students will experience hands-on learning. Copies: 1 (DVD) Length: 25 minutes each segment

MEMORIAS DE UN MEXICANO (MEMORIES OF A MEXICAN)

Description: The pioneer film maker Salvador Toscano portrayed the key events and figures of the Mexican Revolution from 1904 to 1924. Capturing the flavor and reality of war-torn Mexico, the film presents the political and military upheaval that shaped present day Mexico using exclusive, authentic footage. It also describes the women’s role in Mexico during this period. Copies: 2 (DVD) Length: 50 minutes

MISSING

Description: John Shea, Sissy Spacek, Jack Lemmon. A young American journalist mysteriously disappears during the violent 1973 military coup in Chile. When his wife and father attempt to find him, they are confronted with a deeply disturbing political reality relating to their own country and the country they are investigating. A 1982 Cannes Film Festival winner. Copies: 1 (DVD) Length: 122 minutes

MONTANA DE LUZ

Description: On a Honduran mountainside overlooking vast fields of sugar cane, a six-year-old boy named Marlon dreams of becoming an artist. Twelve-year-old Inri dreams of attending university. Little Yorleni simply dreams of having a family. Meet the children of the Montaña de Luz orphanage, their lives a living testament to the beauty and innocence of childhood in the face of adversity beyond their years. With artistry and honesty, the camera paints a stirring portrait of a loving community where nothing is truly certain but hope and where each birthday is a celebration of dreams fulfilled and dreams to come.

MURALLA VERDE, LA

Description: A young family, determined to escape the pressures of life in Lima, struggles to exist in the exotic, overgrown Peruvian jungle. Godoy’s autobiographical story is perhaps the most honored Peruvian film of all time.

Copies: 1 (DVD) Length: 112 minutes

YO LA PEOR DE TODAS

Description: Based on the novel by Octavio Paz, Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz: Las trampas de la fe, deals with the life of this Mexican nun. Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz remains in many ways an enigma to those who read her poetry and essays.

Copies: 2 (DVD and VHS) Length: 101 minutes