Newsreel Shorts: Santiago Alvarez
In the tradition of great propagandists such as Dziga Vertov and Frank Capra, Santiago Alvarez was driven by political ideology—specifically the ideals of Castro’s revolution. In these films, Alvarez offers his unique and controversial perspective on the Vietnam era.
PROGRAM
-
L.B.J.
Directed by Santiago Alvarez.
Cuba, 1967, 16mm, black & white, 20 min.
Alvarez shows no mercy in skewering Lyndon B. Johnson using old movie clips and cartoons to parody his cowboy image. He also employs an inventive, audacious formal structure in which he implicates the former president in the murders of Martin Luther King and the Kennedy brothers.
-
79 Springs (79 primaveras)
Directed by Santiago Alvarez.
Cuba, 1969, 16mm, black & white, 25 min.
Interweaving still photos and newsreel footage and making expressive use of split-screen and freeze frame techniques, Alvarez crafts a lyrical tribute to Ho Chi Minh, the leader of Vietnam’s independence movement. The film’s title refers to Ho’s age at the time of his death.
-
Hanoi, Tuesday The 13th
Directed by Santiago Alvarez.
Cuba, 1967, 35mm, color, 40 min.
On December 13, 1966 the city of Hanoi was enduring the height of U.S. bombing. Alvarez documents the lives of the North Vietnamese as they continue living and working amidst the ongoing assault.
Part of film series
Screenings from this program
High School / Basic Training
The Fog of War
