Retrospective: The Battle of Chile Part I: The Insurrection of the Bourgeoisie (Patreon)

The atmosphere of Chile in 1973 is electric. The revolutionary government of Salvador Allende has handed working class Chileans a way of living which allows many of them to consciously foster aspirations for the first time. The crew of Patricio Guzmán's The Battle of Chile, some of whom are new to filmmaking, capture the mood of the nation in a montage of man on the street interviews. The working class is elated; they've never had a government which ensured they had bread everyday.

There's no shortage of tension in the MOS interviews. A sizable portion of the country supports the Christian Democrat opposition. Numerous people on the street say they're fighting a battle between democracy and Marxism. The tension gradually builds — this is a documentary with a sense of cinematic tension. The destruction of Chile at the hands of the U.S. State Department hangs over the film like a pendulum. When the first part of The Battle of Chile ends, the military coup hasn't quite begun, but we feel like we've witnessed a whole story. The film ends with real murder of Argentine cameraman Leonardo Henrichsen from his perspective through footage he shot as he was killed. This is not a story of conquerors but of a dying people, chronicling their murder for posterity.