[Peace-discuss] Culture & politics

[C. G. Estabrook]

[And watch for the local opening of the new George Clooney film, "Up in the 
Air," in which I have an interest; it premieres at the Toronto Film festival 
this week.  --CGE]

	Hugo Chavez attends Venice for Stone doc
	'South of the Border' charts Chavez's rise to power
	By Eric J. Lyman
	Sept 7, 2009, 11:00 AM ET

VENICE, Italy -- Controversial Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez arrived on the 
Venice Lido Monday for the world premiere of "South of the Border," the Oliver 
Stone documentary that looks into Chavez's rise to power.

Chavez's arrival capped a two-day period heavy in films that took a critical 
view of U.S. culture. In addition to "South of the Border," which sought to 
debunk criticisms that Chavez was a danger to the U.S., the 66th Venice Film 
Festival also saw the world premieres of Michael Moore's take on the financial 
crisis, "Capitalism: A Love Story" as well as Steven Soderbergh's "The 
Informant!," which stars Matt Damon as an unreliable corporate whistle blower in 
a story that pokes at some of the evils of U.S. corporate culture...

The arrival of Chavez added some unscheduled star power to a Venice festival 
criticized in the Italian press for falling short of previous editions of the 
festival in terms of glitz and glamour.

On his arrival in Venice, Chavez -- the first non-European head of state to 
appear at the Venice festival in recent memory -- told the massive crowd 
gathered that events like film festivals had a role to play in international 
politics.

"Use what you see here to educate yourselves so you can educate your countrymen 
and your leaders," he said.

Moore was similarly well received in Venice, thronged by well wishers every time 
he made a public appearance and applauded for his attacks on the administration 
of former U.S. President George W. Bush and on what he called "an endemic 
culture of corporate greed." His film screened four times on the Lido, each time 
to a full house.

"I am personally affected by good people who struggle and work hard and who have 
seen their lives destroyed by decisions from people who only have the best 
interest of a company's bottom line at heart," Moore said at a press briefing.

Unlike "South of the Border" and "The Informant!," Moore's "Capitalism" screened 
in competition for Venice's Golden Lion, which will be presented at the 
festival's conclusion Saturday. This is Moore's first trip to Venice after two 
appearances in which he took home a major prize in Cannes, for "Bowling for 
Columbine" in 2002 and "Fahrenheit 9/11" two years later.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/world/news/e3i418c5bc24c7b68c5a5ff84dd1077778e