‘Once Upon a Time in Venezuela’: To the Oscars representing Venezuela with what is not shown | The State

‘Once Upon a Time in Venezuela’ It is the documentary film made in El Congo Mirador, Venezuela, a town of water about to become a swamp, which the conquerors called ‘la Piccolo Venezia’ is on its way to the Oscars.

For 8 years, its director, Anabel Rodríguez Rio, traveled for a day and a half with his team to make the people fall in love with the fact that the world should know its history, that mixture of rivalry with innocence, love with fanaticism, and the great desire to believe in the possibility of a world rather, within a great violation of human rights .. But it was all worth it because today they are being recognized by the world.

Yes, for example, the Oscars, ‘Best International Film’, and because of that, they dream of having a godfather or godmother to help them promote the film, so that it can enter the category.

We speak exclusively with Claudia lepage, executive producer of ‘Once Upon a Time in Venezuela’ or ‘Once upon a time in Venezuela, Congo Mirador’, one of the most prestigious, beloved and professionals in the world of cinema, who tells us, from the inside, how this dream that premiered last year in the Sundance Film Festival and that today enters Hollywood.

“The film shows the polarization that Venezuela is experiencing, which is a bit of the polarization that is seen in many countries, where politically ideologies are very opposed … The inhabitants have to agree, Chavistas and opponents, to see if they want to save their people, then it is a metaphor for what is happening in Venezuela. The Congo Mirador is a microcosm, a town with 600 inhabitants, but at a macro level that happens, that we citizens have to agree to solve our problems and our differences … Show the world this reflection that human beings must dialogue , listen to us, be tolerant to smooth things over and solve problems and move on “explains Lepage, who lived the whole process in the first person.

Making this film / documentary took 8 years, 14 trips, and a lot of patience and love. As Lepage herself defines it, it was an ant’s work, and a film work that was simmered, although deep down, the inhabitants of what the conquerors once called the ‘Piccolo Venezia’, they needed to talk.

‘The Congo Mirador wanted to let themselves be told, they have been very abandoned by the state at an educational level, in terms of health, the normal human rights that any citizen should have, not only in the Congo Mirador, in Venezuela, there is a violation of the human rights. Poverty, malnutrition, ignorance, even naivety are portrayed, everything we see there reflects even love for their land, for their people … It is a heartbreaking story “, says the producer.

As we told you, he has a race against time, and the lack of budget, to be able to get to be in the dream category of the Oscars, but they do not lose hope, because he has a reason why they say they deserve to be:

“‘ Once Upon a Time in Venezuela ’deserves to win an Oscar because it is the cry of a country, and in turn a reflection on the fragility of democracy in the world, on the importance of values, on freedom. A wake-up call about how dangerous polarization, corruption can be. It is a local story of what is happening in Venezuela, and in turn a mirror of what is happening in many parts of the world. I feel that we deserve to be at the Oscars, and also to give an opportunity to an emerging cinematography, which has had its important steps worldwide, is recognizing minorities, giving voices to communities that have not been sufficiently represented. We think we have a good chance to stand up well in the competition “, says Lepage.

In order to achieve this they need two things. The first: “We have a solidarity network, a very disadvantaged campaign with other countries. Previously, the Venezuelan state, through its film institute, financed the campaigns, for some time it no longer does. That is why we have created a campaign through our social networks and it is incredible how people have donated. Already out there I feel that we did a good job “.

And the second, and perhaps the most important, taking into account the demands of the Academy of the Oscars and its members, a godfather or godmother to carry the message:

“We are looking for a sponsor, a godmother who is sensitive to the film, and who wants to be a spokesperson, because we know thatAmong the members of the academy, on the one hand there is a lot of competition, and many extraordinary films, but perhaps not all of them are as urgent as these. A godfather or godmother to accompany us on this trip and give it a boost “, concludes.

WATCH HERE THE FULL VIDEO INTERVIEW AND PART OF THE FILM: