Documentary Screening: Chasing Chavez

Chasing Chavez, a new documentary directed by Brisbane filmmaker Katrina Channells, tells the story of Australian Venezuela solidarity activist Dr Coral Wynter’s quest to present President Hugo Chavez with a copy of her co-authored book, Voices from Venezuela: Behind the Bolivarian Revolution (Resistance Books, Sydney 2008).
 
Wynter’s determined efforts to meet with President Chavez while visiting Venezuela in 2008-09 are ultimately successful and, in a very moving encounter between the two, she is able to explain to him how solidarity with the Venezuelan people and their Bolivarian revolution is growing around the world, even in a far-away country like Australia.
 
With stunning cinematography, beautiful music and plenty of humour, the 60-minute film tells the personal story of Wynter’s longstanding connection with Venezuela, going back to the 1970s, and her more recent involvement in leading the Australia-Venezuela Solidarity Network’s group tours to study the revolution. Against this foreground, the films offers an inspiring “behind the scenes” look at the reality of Venezuela today – its  developing models of “people’s power”, the health and education social missions, and how Venezuela’s vast oil wealth is being used for the benefit of the poor majority. Along the way, the warmth, generosity and commitment of the ordinary Venezuelan people shines through.  
 
Chasing Chavez is directed by Katrina Channells and filmed by Nik Lachajczak.