I’m not ashamed to admit it; I’m not inclined to follow political issues closely. I believe that’s what Robert De Niro told Cybill Sheperd in Taxi Driver. However, I am aware that my vote and my personal views count with the best of them. During election season, I tend to analyze the advertisement campaigns. The television ads for both parties spend more time denouncing the opponents, taking below-the-belt hits. This may be a harsh generalization, but it’s my personal perspective. I never like it when one party throws the other under the bus in order to make their campaign look better.
The new, political drama from Chile, No, provides a fascinating and thought-provoking look at the peak of Augusto Pinochet’s dictatorship, circa 1988. I believe it’s important for little independent films like No to be made and acknowledged around the world; the content concerning Chile’s electoral process is universal. No is a scathing perspective of the campaign behind one of the most important international elections—the end of Augusto Pinochet’s regime.
Mexican superstar, Gael Garcia Bernal, plays as Rene, a young and savvy advertiser that lands the job of the century. He’s the mastermind of the “No” campaign. During that time in Chile, the citizens could either vote “Yes” or “No.” The most votes can either discharge or continue Pinochet’s reign of fear. These votes will change Chile’s government.
One should never underestimate the political clout of advertisement. These guys might seem like the snarling executives who instill fear into our consumer population. By that same token, they speak to our latest trends and youngest generation of voters. Rene’s job is to speak to a younger crowd; the group sees Pinochet differently than the older generation. A rainbow sign becomes the recurrent motif of the campaign—a political symbol. Most people believe that the rainbow signifies homosexuality. Yes, this is true, but it also represents peace and unity, an important symbol during the sixties.
Besides the cerebral content of the film, No is a subtle, technical achievement as well. The entire film is shot on grainy video, kept in its original aspect ratio. The video look of the 80s blends with the archival footage, which includes commercials, newscast, and riots and protest. In fact, the entire film is structured around the found footage; a sublime and daring way to tell a story, especially a story of political enlightenment. One can look at the film itself as a piece of advertisement. The Reagan-era of the 80s is wonderfully recreated in South America’s metropolitan society. It’s a wonder to see how much of American pop culture influenced the younger generation in Chile.
Towards the end of the film, there’s a simple, yet victorious shot of Rene walking through the celebrated streets, with his son in hand. The back story of Rene is that his father was persecuted by Augusto Pinochet. He’s doing for his own son, what his father tried to do for Rene. There’s a legacy at play. His freedom isn’t just for the Chilean people, but for the sake of his own family, his own heritage. He’s just a normal guy with a regular job in advertisement. Similar to Woodward and Bernstein of the Nixon-era, Rene is aware of the progressive impact his work has on society, not just in Chile, but society as a whole.
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