Product Description:
#36250 Latin American Studies - Mission: Colombia (Run time 7 min.) DVD $39.95
The United States is pumping a huge amount of aid money into the Colombian army. Is the goal to kill coca plants, or is it to destroy the FARC anti-government forces? Is FARC really more concerned with protecting the coca crop than the coca farmers? And could Colombia become another Vietnam? This brief program raises these pointed questions as it visits Colombian army and FARC training bases. An excellent discussion-starter! (7 minutes)
#2607 Latin American Studies - Juan Peron (Run time 13 min.) DVD $49.95
This program provides and overview of the rise and fall and rise again of Juan Peron. Events covered include Peron's first presidency, during which his second wife, Evita (Maria Eva Duarte), died; the coup that drove Peron out of Argentina; Peron's return to Argentina and his second presidency; Peron's death and the succession of his third wife, Isabel Martinez de Peron (Maria Estela Martinez Cartas); the overthrow of Isabel Martinez de Peron; the "dirty war" to stifle dissent against the new government, which led to tens of thousands being tortured, killed, or simply "disappeared"; the defeat of Argentina in the Falklands War; the election of Raul Alfonsin; and the persistence of the Peronista movement. (13 minutes)
#7018 Latin American Studies - Bolivia: The Coca Leaf, Food of the Poor (Run time 60 min.) DVD $49.95
The plight of women in this poverty-ridden nation is examined on varying social and economic levels. A congresswoman discusses her fight against cocaine production and use; a teacher struggles against government apathy toward education; a peasant women reveals the harsh details of her existence. Progress made by women in the area of home business, art, and music is examined, as well as the antiquated customs that keep women subservient. Also available in Spanish. (60 minutes)English
#7019 Latin American Studies - Brazil: Priestesses, Samba Dancers, and Mulattos of Brazil (Run time 57 min.) DVD $49.95
This program discusses the lives of two groups of women-the women of northern Bahia and the mulattos of Rio de Janeiro-both descendants of African slaves. In Bahia, voodoo religious practices are revealed, as well as the problems of prostitution and AIDS. In Rio, the program examines the tradition of carnaval and the role of female mulatto samba dancers as sex objects. Also available in Spanish. (57 minutes)English
#7020 Latin American Studies - Chile: From Drama to Hope (Run time 59 min.) DVD $49.95
This program examines Chile under martyred socialist President Salvador Allende, and the subsequent Pinochet regime that followed. Allende's niece and novelist, Isabel Allende, exile Hortensia Bussi, Nobel Prize-winning author Gabriela Mistral, and others discuss women's role in the eventual toppling of Pinochet, and the formation of the Latin American Federation of Associations of Families of Prisoners Missing Since 1981-a tracking organization that helps families discover the fate of relatives kidnapped during the Pinochet reign of terror. Also available in Spanish. (59 minutes)English
#7021 Latin American Studies - Cuba: The Daughters of Fidel (Run time 60 min.) DVD $49.95
This program examines the pros and cons of Fidel Castro's Cuban revolution through the eyes of women exiles in Miami and Castro supporters in Cuba. We hear from several women, including an avid anti-Castro exile and a Cuban television reporter, who tell stories of repression under the Castro regime. Health workers and educators discuss the benefits of Castro's policies, and the role of women in the revolution. Also available in Spanish. (60 minutes)English
#7022 Latin American Studies - Dominican Women (Run time 60 min.) DVD $49.95
The program examines the Dominican Republic that tourists rarely see-a nation of sex markets, prostitution, poverty, and lack of educational opportunities. The current economic crisis and its effect on middle-class life are discussed, along with efforts currently under way to alleviate the social and economic problems. We hear from women on all levels of society, from prostitutes to the Vice President of the Dominican Revolutionary Party, who discuss rarely seen facets of Dominican life. Also available in Spanish. (60 minutes)English
#7023 Latin American Studies - Guatemala Silenced (Run time 57 min.) DVD $49.95
Stratification of women in Guatemalan society is the subject of this program. It examines the submissiveness of upper-class women; a new emerging middle class who are defying tradition and cultural expectations to fight for their equal rights; and the indigenous population, who are segregated and discriminated against. Scenes and descriptions of sexual abuse among lower economic groups are graphic, as are descriptions of political terror. Women refugees in Mexico discuss the terror that drove them into exile. Also available in Spanish. (57 minutes)English
#7024 Latin American Studies - Mexico: Rebellion of the Weeping Women (Run time 61 min.) DVD $49.95
This is the story of Mexican women who have fought, and continue to fight, for equality and women's rights. They are women looking for children kidnapped during political pogroms, journalists, writers, and political activists. Machismo and the resulting sexism, as well as Catholicism and its perpetuation of the myth of the Virgin Mary as the standard for feminine behavior, are discussed as social factors contributing to the continued subjugation of Mexican women. Also available in Spanish. (61 minutes)English
#7025 Latin American Studies - Ecuador: The Indigenous Woman (Run time 57 min.) DVD $49.95
Isolated in jungles, or crowded into large cities, Latin American Indians constitute the most exploited sector of society. This program traces the harsh life of indigenous women from several tribes, including the Otavalan, Puruha, and Quechua of Ecuador, from pre-Columbian times to the present. Topics discussed include rape as an ongoing practice; labor exploitation; the effects of acculturation; and racial and sexual discrimination. Also available in Spanish. (57 minutes)English
#7026 Latin American Studies - Nicaragua: From Red to Violet (Run time 58 min.) DVD $49.95
This program follows the progress of women's rights and equal employment from the Contra war through the term of former president Violeta Chamorro. A former Sandinista fighter who lost a foot laying mines for the Contras wants the government to give her a job; a woman displaced from her job by men returning from the war objects; another whose daughter was murdered by the Somozist Guard wants justice. Dozens of others tell their stories, as Chamorro defends her coalition government's policies toward women against criticism by feminists, who seek a wider role in political and social decision-making. Also available in Spanish. (58 minutes)English
#7027 Latin American Studies - Peru: The Rage of Hunger (Run time 60 min.) DVD $49.95
In today's Peru, a country scourged by unemployment, political violence, and drug trafficking, the ability of the women to face the worsening societal and economic crisis is cause for admiration. This program looks at the noble efforts of city women in general, as they prepare community meals, work at menial jobs to support families, run employment workshops, and provide counseling for abused women, pregnant teenagers, and refugees fleeing war in the provinces. It also examines the importance of the coca leaf to the rural Peruvian economy. Also available in Spanish. (60 minutes)English
#7028 Latin American Studies - Puerto Rico: Paradise Invaded (Run time 59 min.) DVD $49.95
This program examines the work of the resolute women of the Puerto Rican independence movement. The first woman mayor of San Juan, Felisa Rincon, discusses problems of delinquency and crime within the culture, and how women are contributing to a solution. Feminism and women's rights in the areas of divorce, abortion, and employment are examined, along with racism experienced by Puerto Ricans in the U.S. Also available in Spanish. (59 minutes)English
#7029 Latin American Studies - To Be a Mother in Latin America (Run time 60 min.) DVD $49.95
This program discusses reproduction and motherhood in the hyper-patriarchal societies of Latin America. Women on different economic and social levels discuss such topics as working mothers, and how the extended family contributes to child-rearing; the sterilization movement; abortion; gay parenting; manipulation of women's reproductive rights by governments; and how access to medical services varies from country to country. Also available in Spanish. (60 minutes)English
#7030 Latin American Studies - Venezuela: The 21st Century to Prehistory (Run time 60 min.) DVD $49.95
In 1524, Venezuela was the first country with a woman ruler-on Margarita Island. Beginning there, this program traces the role of women in the nation's profitable oil industry, and their struggle with oil companies to protect the environment. The discussion is then extended to what general economic opportunities (or lack of them) are available to women within the culture-from drug smuggling to engineering-and the ongoing racism and violence that keep many women living in poverty. Also available in Spanish. (60 minutes)English
#36257 Latin American Studies - Illegal Immigration: A Dangerous Journey (Run time 12 min.) DVD $59.95
For many teenagers in Mexico, heading across the U.S. border after high school is much more common than heading off to college. But as law enforcement continues to tighten security, that journey is growing more and more hazardous. Filmed on both sides of the border, this program briefly examines issues surrounding illegal immigration-particularly how much more a person can earn in America than in Mexico. Footage of a BORSTAR search-and-rescue officer hot on the trail of illegals in Arizona's Sonoran Desert emphasizes the dwindling chances of successfully crossing into America illegally. (12 minutes)
#36258 Latin American Studies - Megacities (Run time 15 min.) DVD $69.95
In 1950, New York City was the world's only megacity, but today there are nearly two dozen that qualify. This program travels to Sao Paulo, the world's third-largest megacity, to offer a glimpse of what it's like for the urban poor scraping out a living there. Visits to the slums and the streets of this 3,000-square-mile Brazilian metropolis paint a stark picture of a place where shootings, high levels of air and water pollution, and extreme traffic congestion continuously endanger the safety of its 18 million inhabitants. (15 minutes)
#816 Latin American Studies - Simon Bolivar: The Great Liberator (Run time min.) DVD $89.95
Here is a portrait of Simon Bolivar-aristocratic revolutionary, victor in battle, and loser to those who considered the revolution their personal mandate-and of the landscapes and forces that shaped the Latin America of his day and ours. This superb documentary details how and why Spain lost her colonies, and the historic trends and national heroes responsible for the outcome. (58 minutes)
#2188 Latin American Studies - Hernan Cortez (Run time 30 min.) DVD $89.95
A dramatized portrait of the redoubtable conquistador, who instigated the collision of two highly sophisticated and very different cultures when his tiny army clashed with the forces of Montezuma. The resulting holocaust gave rise to the birth of modern Mexico. In English. (30 minutes)
#2516 Latin American Studies - El Espectador: The Press and the Drug Lords (Run time 53 min.) DVD $89.95
This is the extraordinary story of the Bogota newspaper whose offices were bombed and members of whose staff were killed in the pursuit of their work-which included reporting on the details of the Colombian drug trade. This documentary shows how the politics of cocaine can dominate an entire country. (53 minutes)
#5239 Latin American Studies - Danza Azteca de Anahuac (Run time 26 min.) DVD $89.95
Centuries before Cortez, their ancestors migrated south from what is today Colorado and New Mexico; today, united in heritage and spirit with their brothers and sisters across the political boundary that separates Mexico from the United States, they celebrate the past and its continuity. In this fascinating program, celebrants of this ancient native tradition demonstrate their dances and costumes, explaining their meaning-and not only the literal and symbolic meaning of feathers or face paint, but the larger meaning of the dance: that you don't have to be a Native American to accept its message. (26 minutes)
#5701 Latin American Studies - The Legacy of the Mexican Revolution (Run time 30 min.) DVD $89.95
This program provides an overview of the Mexican Revolution and traces its human legacy through the Mexican population in San Antonio, Texas. Several prominent Mexican-Americans discuss how the war drove thousands of poor Mexicans across the border into the U.S., and how their descendants are still struggling today for integration into American society. Segregation and exploitation of Mexican farm workers-examples of ongoing racial prejudice-are discussed, along with cultural contributions by Mexican-Americans in the areas of art, business, and education. The program provides excellent insight into the roots of anti-Mexican sentiment, as well as the often quarrelsome relationship between the U.S. and Mexico from a historical perspective. (30 minutes)
#7932 Latin American Studies - The Evolution of Chile: Prosperity for Some (Run time 29 min.) DVD $89.95
In just 25 years, Chile has gone from a Marxist state to a dictatorship to a democracy. The transition has strengthened Chile's economy, but not all Chilean citizens have shared in the prosperity. In fact, the divisions between rich and poor have widened, causing critics to question whether democratic capitalism is the right solution. As the scenario unfolds, so do the moral issues surrounding the economic path Chile has chosen. Using Chile as a case study, this program examines these issues, and the difficulties experienced by other Third World nations also riding the tidal wave of post-Cold War economic reforms. (29 minutes)
#9107 Latin American Studies - The Spanish Conquest of Mexico (Run time 30 min.) DVD $89.95
Although Hernan Cortes hardly considered himself the reincarnation of Quetzalcoatl, the Aztecs did-and his conquest of Mesoamerica utterly destroyed their world, exactly as prophesied. In this program, Spanish historian and Oxford University professor Sir John Elliott and cultural historian Dr. Elizabeth Baquedano survey political, cultural, and religious aspects of Aztec civilization; analyze Cortes' military campaign in detail; and discuss Spanish influences on Mexican culture. Artwork, artifacts, 3-D models, and excerpts from the writings of Bernal Diaz add depth to this penetrating study of Spanish opportunism in the New World. (28 minutes)
#31052 Latin American Studies - Don Francisco: Spanish-Language TV's Superstar Showman (Run time 22 min.) DVD $89.95
In the Spanish-speaking world, the name Don Francisco is synonymous with spectacle: if it can be done on TV, chances are that Sabado Gigante's zany host, with the help of his wildly enthusiastic studio audience and outrageous family of regulars, will do it. But who is the man behind the facade of Don Francisco? This ABC News program examines the remarkable success of Mario Kreutzberger, the son of German Jews who fled Nazi Germany for Chile, and his phenomenal variety show that has run continuously since 1962 and is avidly watched every week by more than 100 million people in 42 countries. (23 minutes)
#34469 Latin American Studies - Ecuador: Divided over Oil (Run time 26 min.) DVD $89.95
This program contrasts indigenous, community-based culture with market economics driven by multinational corporations. The film assesses the growing conflict between Burlington Resources, an American oil company licensed to prospect in regions of Ecuador, and the self-sufficient Achuar people of that country, who believe the oil industry will destroy their environment and non-materialistic way of life. Underscoring the Ecuadorian government's tendency to accommodate U.S. interests, the video portrays a country divided by incompatible definitions of wealth and happiness. (Portions have English subtitles, 26 minutes)
#34470 Latin American Studies - Nicaragua: Turning Away from Violence (Run time 26 min.) DVD $89.95
In Nicaragua, a growing awareness of domestic violence and its consequences has spurred grassroots activism. This program documents the efforts of two groups, the Xochitl-Acatl Center and the Association of Men Against Violence, both of which confront gender and sexual abuse. Arguing that economic and political oppression influence male tendencies to exercise physical authority within the home, the video describes educational campaigns that build financial self-sufficiency and self-esteem in both men and women. Interviews with participants feature more than one success story. (Portions have English subtitles, 26 minutes)
#34472 Latin American Studies - Guatemala: The Human Price of Coffee (Run time 26 min.) DVD $89.95
Coffee is second only to oil as the world's most valuable traded commodity, but small-scale producers rarely profit from it. This program reveals the hardship and uncertainty faced by coffee farmers in Guatemala, and how many are taking steps to obtain better prices and build better lives. Analyzing the country's traumatic history and the lingering effects of its civil war, the video sheds light on the reluctance of some citizens to organize for fear of persecution and murder. The video clearly demonstrates that behind every pound of coffee lies a story of human struggle. (Portions have English subtitles, 26 minutes)
#37099 Latin American Studies - Eduardo Galeano-in Spanish with English Subtitles (Run time 27 min.) DVD $89.95
Articulating his profound and compelling worldview, Uruguayan writer Eduardo Galeano imbues this program with a poetic sensibility and an unconstrained intellectual curiosity. Ruminations on prehistoric gender roles, global warming, and the twilight of socialism underscore Galeano's notion of disabled memory-his term for the reshaping of history according to one's fears and prejudices-as well as his thoughts on humanity's chances for survival. The author of Memory of Fire and Open Veins of Latin America also contemplates the effects of Uruguay's past military dictatorship, which imprisoned him and subsequently forced him into 11 years of exile. (Spanish with English subtitles, 27 minutes)
#37534 Latin American Studies - Sing and Don't Cry: The Mariachis-in Spanish (Run time 59 min.) DVD $89.95
The mariachi sound is the heart and soul of Mexico-and a form of music that today is enjoyed throughout the world. In this down-to-earth program, mariachi aficionado Cornelio Garcia introduces viewers to the music, history, and cultural importance of mariachi bands in Mexico and elsewhere. Whether they are marching in a parade, performing onstage in a restaurant or at a fiesta, or even serenading mourners at a funeral, mariachis bring pleasure to all who hear them. The renowned Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlan is spotlighted. (Spanish, 58 minutes)
#37554 Latin American Studies - Sing and Don't Cry: The Mariachis-in Spanish with English Subtitles (Run time 58 min.) DVD $89.95
The mariachi sound is the heart and soul of Mexico-and a form of music that today is enjoyed throughout the world. In this down-to-earth program, mariachi aficionado Cornelio Garcia introduces viewers to the music, history, and cultural importance of mariachi bands in Mexico and elsewhere. Whether they are marching in a parade, performing onstage in a restaurant or at a fiesta, or even serenading mourners at a funeral, mariachis bring pleasure to all who hear them. The renowned Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlan is spotlighted. (Spanish with English subtitles, 58 minutes)
#39111 Latin American Studies - Coca: A New Leaf of Life (Run time 26 min.) DVD $89.95
A seldom-discussed dimension of the war on drugs is the plight of impoverished farmers in the developing world. This program tells the story of Peru's struggling cocaleros, whose livelihoods and ancient agricultural traditions have become a casualty of antidrug policies. Shot on the steep hillsides where Peruvian growers have produced the crop since pre-Columbian times, as well as in villages and town halls where a movement to protect their way of life is gathering momentum, the film interviews several self-described peasants who predict a dark future for their fragile economy. Global drug policy scholar Ricardo Soberon and legal coca grower Genaro Cahuana offer expert commentary. (26 minutes)
#6549 Latin American Studies - Threads of Hope (Run time 51 min.) DVD $129.95
This program tells the powerful story of a group of women who banded together and dared to defy the brutal dictatorship of Chile's Gen. Augusto Pinochet. The women-mothers, wives, and sisters of the tens of thousands of victims of the regime's torture and execution-armed only with scraps of cloth, sewing needles, and the overwhelming desire to find their loved ones, set to work to tell their stories by creating arpilleras, colorful handmade tapestries which chronicled the horror and injustice of Pinochet's reign of terror. The tapestries were ultimately smuggled out of the country and sold, with the proceeds returned to Chile to support the victims' families. The program, narrated by Donald Sutherland, explores the compelling stories of three of these women and how through their vibrant and beautiful art they were able to transform their trauma, grief, and their hope into commitment to help the survivors, and in their own way, to help democracy to return to Chile. (51 minutes)
#11498 Latin American Studies - Simon Bolivar: The Liberator (Run time 30 min.) DVD $129.95
The duration and scope of the 19th-century Latin American wars for independence dwarf all other conflicts in the New World up until that time. This program-enhanced by period paintings, engravings, maps, and documents from The John Carter Brown Library's Bromsen collection and other esteemed collections of Latin Americana-tells the remarkable life story of Simon Bolivar, founder of Bolivia and liberator of Venezuela, Colombia, Panama, Ecuador, and Peru from Spanish colonial rule. Although his dream of Latin American unity was not realized in his lifetime, Bolivar's passion for independence lives on. (30 minutes)
#29913 Latin American Studies - A Hazy Transparency: Peru's 2000 Elections (Run time 27 min.) DVD $129.95
As opposed to passively monitoring the electoral process, the Organization of American States responded actively to the lack of procedural transparency and the blatant corruption in Peru's 2000 elections, waging a campaign to keep voters informed of irregularities. This program provides a detailed account of the elections and shows how the OAS observation mission set a controversial precedent by contributing to quasi-dictator Fujimori's resignation. Eduardo Stein, the leader of the OAS mission, talks at length about the political situation at the time and how his team worked to maintain fairness at the polls. (27 minutes)
#35661 Latin American Studies - Fernando Botero: Searching for the Heroic in Art (Run time 54 min.) DVD $129.95
Fernando Botero's distinctive style-smooth inflated shapes with unexpected shifts in scale-reflects the Colombian artist's constant search to give volume presence and reality. This program combines commentary by Botero himself with abundant examples of his paintings and sculptures to examine the remarkable life and work of a world-renowned visionary. By integrating and reworking artistic themes from the Middle Ages, the Quattrocento, the Latin American colonial period, and the 20th century, Botero continues to flesh out his conception of a remarkably monumental and exaggerated world of pleasure and plenty. (53 minutes)
#36165 Latin American Studies - Cause for Murder: Fighting Corruption in Mexico (Run time 57 min.) DVD $129.95
Startled by the killing of two young women lawyers, one from the political right and the other from the left, Mexico struggles to confront its own political morass. This Wide Angle documentary examines the deep-rooted institutional corruption the attorneys had been battling-a system of bribes, debts, and favors that for decades has prevented the world's tenth-largest country from fulfilling its economic potential. The program also analyzes the effect of President Vicente Fox's election in 2000, the termination of more than 70 years of single-party rule, and the fear that graft and corruption in Mexican politics are intractable. In addition, writer Enrique Krauze talks with anchor Daljit Dhaliwal. (57 minutes)
#37589 Latin American Studies - Days of the Dead: A Living Tradition (Run time 54 min.) DVD $129.95
With the arrival of the conquistadors, many ancient Mesoamerican rituals were absorbed into Christian holidays. This program examines a collection of sacred, social, and artistic traditions that survived European assimilation and now compose one of Mexico's most important annual festivals. The film follows the travels and experiences of a young Purepecha artisan, her grandmother, and their family during the weeks leading up to the Days of the Dead. As these struggling craftspeople market their wares, study new techniques, and prepare for their deceased patriarch's spiritual return, viewers will see a wide variety of folk art practices-from pottery painting to flower decoration to papier-mache skeleton sculpture-coalesce into a momentous cultural event. (53 minutes)
#2452 Latin American Studies - The Conquest of Mexico (Run time 35 min.) DVD $149.95
This program provides a portrait of Cortez and his world-the real world and the imaginary one painted by theologians, mystics, imaginative travelers, poets, and liars; of the New World as seen by a small number of Spaniards; and of the civilizations of Mesoamerica before they were "discovered"-the world of the Mayas and Aztecs, the nature of Aztec religion and politics. It describes the Battle of Mexico and explains how and why Montezuma lost-and why, today still, the descendants of the Aztecs speak Nahuatl. (35 minutes)
#3250 Latin American Studies - !Esplendores! Splendors of Mexico (Run time 28 min.) DVD $149.95
This program follows the magnificent museum exhibition that travels across 33 centuries of Mexican art, from the 12th- to 10th-century B.C. gigantic Olmec heads to Frida Kahlo's self-portrait. The exhibition is divided into four periods: the pre-columbian, whose artistic purpose was to venerate the gods, commemorate the rulers, and give form to the natural world; the Viceregal, whose art was intended to teach the native population about Christianity and turn them into loyal and productive servants of Spain; the 19th century, with its Mexican adaptation of European Romanticism and Naturalism; and the 20th century, with its themes of revolution and pride in Mexico's Indian heritage. The artistic voyage, which covers a range of ages and peoples, beliefs and styles, is united by the strong prevailing sense of Mexican identity and place. (28 minutes)
#4043 Latin American Studies - Rigoberta Menchu: Broken Silence (Run time 25 min.) DVD $149.95
"In recognition of her work for social justice and ethno-cultural reconciliation" she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize on October 12, 1992. "The celebration of Columbus is for us an insult," said Menchu, one of the most outspoken and articulate and persuasive advocates of native rights. This program presents a profile of this extraordinary woman, whose life has become a symbol of the sufferings, not only of her own Mayan Quiche people, but of all the indigenous people of the Americas. It is a moving portrait, too, of a self-taught woman who dreams of two things: a Guatemalan Congress integrating indigenous and non-indigenous men and women-and having a child "so I can plant my own seed, for better or worse." (25 minutes)
#6273 Latin American Studies - The Walls of Mexico: Art and Architecture (Run time 56 min.) DVD $149.95
This beautifully filmed program looks at the wall paintings of some of the most famous Mexican muralists-Diego Rivera, Juan O'Gorman, Jose Clemente Orozco-and at the work of Luis Barragan, the greatest Mexican architect of the 20th century. Their common medium is the wall. The muralists sought to return art to the people, by putting it on the walls of public buildings, just as it had been in the days of their Mayan forefathers. Barragan embraced a modernism imported from Europe, but developed a style that echoes with memories of ancient times. Both the muralists and Barragan used the wall to create something distinctively new and vital, but they all found their guiding force in the roots of Mexican art and culture, in traditions grounded in the pre-Columbian era. (56 minutes)
#8146 Latin American Studies - Approach of Dawn: Forging Peace in Guatemala (Run time 53 min.) DVD $149.95
A 36-year civil war has left over 150,000 dead and more than 1 million displaced in Guatemala. This program presents stirring portraits of three Mayan women and their efforts on behalf of peace. Adela, a widow, bravely sustains her refugee family. Justina tirelessly travels the countryside explaining the human rights movement to fellow villagers. Francesca, a Mayan priestess, reaffirms the cultural identity of her people. Stunning photography evokes the Mayan Popol Vuh creation story and punctuates the women's courageous struggle. (53 minutes)
#9043 Latin American Studies - Che Guevara: A Guerrilla to the End (Run time 51 min.) DVD $149.95
Ernesto "Che" Guevara was both a romantic and a rebel, honored by many for his commitment to liberation yet vilified by others as a rogue. This compelling program traces the life of a man whose idealism and determination gripped the imagination of an era. Interviews with family members, partisans, enemies, and others-including the photographer who immortalized him-share their recollections and impressions. Topics include Che's victory in Cuba, his failures in Africa, and his attempts to gather support in Bolivia, ending in his capture and execution. Archival photos and footage, plus readings from his letters and diary, round out this compassionate account of revolutionary fervor. (51 minutes)
#10008 Latin American Studies - Colombia's Guerrilla War: A Sundered Nation (Run time 53 min.) DVD $149.95
In Colombia, government and paramilitary forces are terrorizing the populace to deprive the FARC and NLF guerrillas of civil support. But far from stamping out the war, this policy has led to an escalation that threatens to destroy the country. This program combines newsreel and documentary footage of life and death in Colombia's rural districts, cities, and guerrilla camps with interviews to explore the roots and the results of the 20th century's longest guerrilla war. Members of Bogota's Institute of Political Studies, the Red Cross, and the Church; army officers; guerrillas; politicians; and some of the 1.5 million refugees air their views on the terror and the tragedy of a nation divided. (53 minutes)
#11687 Latin American Studies - Telenovelas: Love, TV, and Power (Run time 59 min.) DVD $149.95
If TV is the opiate of today's masses, then the Latin American telenovela-broadcast six days a week in prime time to more than 120 countries-is the leading genre. This program examines the cultural impact of the telenovela and its influence on Latin American power politics. Interviews with sociologist Joan Luis von Tilburg; media moguls Emilio Azcarrage and Roberto Marinho; and others are included, along with generous clips from the sensational By These Streets, which closely parallels Venezuelan news events, and the mega-popular Brazilian romantic melodrama Body and Soul. (59 minutes)
#29179 Latin American Studies - David Alfaro Siqueiros: Uno de Tres Grandes (Run time 29 min.) DVD $149.95
One of the Tres Grandes of Mexican mural painting, Siqueiros was a technical innovator and social activist. This documentary traces Siqueiros' emergence as an artist dedicated to social change. Archival material, his own murals, and interviews with those who knew him reveal a man whose life and work were inexorably intertwined. (Spanish with English subtitles, 29 minutes)
#29180 Latin American Studies - Rigoberta Menchu: Cassandra and Crusader (Run time 28 min.) DVD $149.95
Rigoberta Menchu has become widely known as a leading advocate of Indian rights and ethno-cultural reconciliation-and also a center of controversy-not only in her native Guatemala, but throughout the western hemisphere. In this program, Menchu, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize and other international awards, talks about her life both at home and in exile, her autobiographical I, Rigoberta Menchu, her associations with the Committee of the Peasant Union and The United Representation of the Guatemalan Opposition, and other topics. (Spanish with English subtitles, 28 minutes)
#29318 Latin American Studies - Lascurain: In Power for Less Than an Hour (Run time 47 min.) DVD $149.95
Focusing on the life and career of Pedro Lascurain, this program scrutinizes the turbulent beginning and violent ending of democracy in 20th-century Mexico. The events leading up to Lascurain's noble moment as president are thoroughly examined, as is the heavy-handed American interference in Mexican politics. Political analyst Arnaldo Cordova, professor of history Eugenia Meyer, and other experts on this pivotal time period offer their views on topics including the Diaz regime, the challenges facing the Madero government, and the characters of Ambassador Henry Lane Wilson and General Victoriano Huerta. (47 minutes)
#31475 Latin American Studies - Aztecs: The Exposition of a Culture (Run time 38 min.) DVD $149.95
Presented by sculptor Antony Gormley, this program was created to complement the 2002-3 exhibition of Aztec culture at London's Royal Academy. Many of the incredible works loaned to the exhibit are shown, along with sculptures and artifacts filmed in Mexico City and at important Aztec sites. Leading scholars and curators explore how the nomadic Aztecs drew inspiration from earlier cultures. The variety and sophistication of Aztec art are extensively illustrated, along with the exquisite craftsmanship of their manuscripts and their jewelry. (37 minutes)
#35824 Latin American Studies - Hugo Chavez (Run time 54 min.) DVD $149.95
Ascending to the Venezuelan presidency on a wave of anti-corruption, anti-poverty, and anti-American sentiment, Hugo Chavez has become one of the most charismatic and controversial leaders on the world stage. This program details the rise of the Chavez government and the challenges it has faced in reforming the South American nation's economy and political culture. Incorporating incisive commentary from Venezuelan journalists, academics, and opposition leaders-as well as in-depth interviews with Chavez himself-this case study in developing-world politics provides a penetrating look at a confrontational and transformative head of state. (Portions in Spanish with English narration and subtitles, 54 minutes)
#37087 Latin American Studies - Fidel Castro: History of a Commander-in Spanish (Run time 45 min.) DVD $149.95
The life of Cuba's Communist leader reveals much about the Cold War, 20th-century Latin American history, and the political and military dimensions of revolutionary movements. This program reaches into all those subjects as it explores the rise and decades-long rule of Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz. Interviews with Latin American experts-including Argentine columnist Oscar Raul Cardoso, historian and psychologist Mario Pacho O'Donnell, and Dr. Roberto Quinones, expatriate son of famous Cuban dissident Dr. Hilda Molina-are included. After outlining Castro's early years, the film guides viewers through his alliance with Che Guevara, his ascension to head of state, his prolonged reign, and his transfer of power to his brother Raul. (Spanish, 45 minutes)
#37145 Latin American Studies - Fidel Castro: History of a Commander-in Spanish with English Subtitles (Run time min.) DVD $149.95
The life of Cuba's Communist leader reveals much about the Cold War, 20th-century Latin American history, and the political and military dimensions of revolutionary movements. This program reaches into all those subjects as it explores the rise and decades-long rule of Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz. Interviews with Latin American experts-including Argentine columnist Oscar Raul Cardoso, historian and psychologist Mario Pacho O'Donnell, and Dr. Roberto Quinones, expatriate son of famous Cuban dissident Dr. Hilda Molina-are included. After outlining Castro's early years, the film guides viewers through his alliance with Che Guevara, his ascension to head of state, his prolonged reign, and his transfer of power to his brother Raul. (Spanish with English subtitles, 45 minutes)
#38827 Latin American Studies - Brazil in Black and White: Skin Color and Higher Education (Run time 58 min.) DVD $149.95
"Am I black or am I white?" New affirmative action quotas for higher education in Brazil-one of the world's most racially diverse nations-launch a controversial dialogue about race and identity as this Wide Angle report follows five college candidates from diverse backgrounds competing for a spot at the University of Brasilia. In addition, lawyers from the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund visit Brazilian civil rights leaders to discuss the legal challenges of affirmative action. With nationwide surveys identifying more than 130 different categories of skin color, who will be considered "black enough" to qualify for the new racial quotas? (57 minutes)
#39175 Latin American Studies - Cuba: After the Revolution (Run time 60 min.) DVD $149.95
Although dreams of a socialist utopia in Cuba have all but vanished, decades of U.S. trade sanctions have not had the expected effect, either. This program looks at the legacy of Cuba's Communist revolution and the Castro regime, examining political, social, and economic conditions prevailing in the island nation today. Positive and negative aspects alike are discussed-from Cuba's high literacy rate and world-class healthcare system to its authoritarian political structure and its deplorable human rights record. A successful urban agricultural program highlights the resourcefulness of the Cuban people in the face of poverty, international pressure, and governmental abuse. The role of Raul Castro is also explored. (60 minutes)
#38819 Latin American Studies - Rebel Music: Americas (Run time 80 min.) DVD $159.95
From Tierra del Fuego to the Rio Grande, musicians are lending their voices to dynamic political movements. This program features several defiant artists in performances that are interwoven with social commentary on displaced or disadvantaged communities. Mexican-American Lila Downs sings songs of turmoil at the U.S. border. Anibal and Charly, from the group Santa Revuelta, take us inside the Argentine monetary crisis. Brazilian songwriter Chico Cesar has taken up the cause of landless peasants. With the vallenato of Oyeme Choco, members of an Afro-Colombian community sing of the military operations that drove them off their land. Through their music, these groups take viewers inside major grassroots movements shaping the Americas of today. (Portions in Spanish with English subtitles, 80 minutes)
#7017 Latin American Studies - Women of Latin America (Run time min.) DVD $649.35
This series examines life in 13 Latin American nations through the eyes of its women. Some of the women transport drugs across borders, fight in rebel armies, bear children in poverty, search for sons and daughters who have vanished during political pogroms, and generally bear the burden of living a harsh, third-world existence. Other women-teachers, engineers, and politicians-also contribute their stories. Combined, the women-different as the countries of Latin America are different-paint a disturbing portrait of people struggling against all odds to survive racial and class discrimination, revolution, political injustice, and chronic economic instability. This is Latin America as never seen before. Produced and directed by Carmen Sarmiento Garcia. Caution: some of these programs contain graphic violence. All should be previewed before being shown to students. An RTVE production. Also available in Spanish. 13-part series, 58 minutes each.English
