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Patricio Guzmán: The Watchful Eye

Screening of Patricio Guzmán's Madrid and La isla de Robinson Crusoe (Robinson Crusoe Island). Part of the film series "Patricio Guzmán: The Watchful Eye," a retrospective showcasing several of the acclaimed Chilean documentarian's films.

Wednesday, May 11, 2011
7:30 PM
Billy Wilder Theater
Hammer Museum
10899 Wilshire Blvd
Los Angeles,

“The only eternal lesson to be had is to study the past, so that we won’t repeat it.”— Patricio Guzmán.

In a remarkable 40-year career, Chilean filmmaker Patricio Guzmán has crafted a unique legacy among documentarians: cataloguing the cataclysmic modern events of his country in a body of work not only timely, but timeless. Influenced early on by the non-fiction work of Chris Marker, Frédéric Rossif and Louis Malle, Guzmán began his career in 1971, documenting the sweeping social and economic reforms enacted by Chile’s then-president, Salvador Allende, Latin America’s first democratically elected socialist head of state. In 1973, Allende’s government was brought down in a bloody coup that brought General Augusto Pinochet to power and Guzmán was forced to leave Chile for Europe where he completed The Battle of Chile, Parts 1-3 (1975-1979), a searing account of the Allende government’s final year. Guzmán has returned to the events of 1973 and their aftermath several times throughout his career while also expanding his field of inquiry to explore the very natures of cinema, history and memory. 

About the Films:

MADRID (2002)

Guzmán, who studied cinema in Madrid, where he also fled in 1973 after the coup, sets aside politics (sort of) to compose this charming, playful, savory ode to his second home. Eschewing the obvious tourist attractions, Guzmán guides us through the city’s maze of streets, sharing personal anecdotes that resonate with the rich history and rhythms of the neighborhoods he visits. His affection for the city and Madrileños themselves shine through in every shot.

41 Minutes | In Spanish with English Subtitles

 

ROBINSON CRUSOE ISLAND  (La Isla de Robinson Crusoe) (1999)

Guzmán was 13-years-old and living in Valparaiso, Chile when he discovered Daniel Defoe's novel Robinson Crusoe. In 1999, he made Robinson Crusoe Island on the real Robinson Island off the coast of Chile, which he had long believed fictitious. A meditation on the legend and odyssey of Crusoe as contrasted with the actual island, the film is also a travelogue of Guzman's adventures there.

45 Minutes | In Spanish & English.

 

Cost: Free to UCLA students with valid ID; General Admission: $10

Special Instructions

To purchase tickets, please visit http://www.cinema.ucla.edu/calendar (Filmforum members receive a $1 discount off the regular ticket price at the theater box office) Parking Information: Parking is available in the lot under the theater. Enter from Westwood Blvd., just north of Wilshire. Parking for people with disabilities is provided on levels P1 and P3. After 6pm: $3.00 flat rate. Before 6pm: $3.00 for first 3 hours with Museum validation and $1.50 per 20 minutes thereafter, maximum $12 per day. To obtain validation stamp show your ticket stub at the security desk in the Wilshire Lobby.

www.cinema.ucla.edu/calendar/

Sponsor(s): Latin American Institute, Center for Argentina, Chile and the Southern Cone, Film and Television Archive, Spanish and Portuguese, Los Angeles Filmforum