Men of Honor
"This film was supposed to be my big break, and it turned out to be a big disaster!"
- Terry Flores (Jennifer Lopez), Anaconda
Venezuela. Oil rich. A picture of Bolivar practically everywhere you look. Officially home to the most beautiful women in the world. Custodian of nightclubs where a stumbling Englishman's bad dancing will be indulged by said beautiful women for about half an hour until they get bored.
A place where (as any student of the film Anaconda will tell you) psychotic snakes are likely to stalk you for hundreds of miles. A place where Brockley Central had arguably its best holiday ever, sleeping under the stars on Los Rocas, having our rum nicked by our safari guide in Los Llanos and watching Universal Soldier 2 more times than is healthy in Isla Margarita.
These, we suspect, are not the facts that Venezuela Information Centre wishes you to be aware of. They are screening a film at the Honor Oak Pub, so you can all learn about Hugo Chavez and why the US-led military-industrial complex is out to get him, or as David Aaronovitch put it:
"To varying degrees in Venezuela, Bolivia and Ecuador, the same national-Left populism is today in power. Industries are nationalised, oligarchies are excoriated, journalists are traitors and behind every reversal and problem is the demonic power of the Great Gringo in the White House. Powers are sought by the populist presidents, which, while they are argued to enhance the power of the people, unarguably enhance the power of the president."
The event is a free showing of the film Tocar y Luchar (To Play and to Fight) about the Venezuelan youth orchestras, introduced by Nestor Lopez of the Embassy for Venezuela. Organiser Fergus explains:
"The documentary portrays the inspirational stories of world class musicians trained by the Venezuelan system, including the Berlin Philharmonic’s youngest player Edicson Ruiz and world renowned conductor Gustavo Dudamel. With interviews with many of the world’s most celebrated musicians including the great tenor Placido Domingo, Claudio Abbado, Sir Simon Rattle, Guiseppe Sinopoli, and Eduardo Mata, To Play and To Fight is an inspirational story of courage, determination and ambition. Our screening of the film will be introduced by Nestor Lopez from the Venezuelan Embassy in London."
The screening takes place on Wednesday 4th March 7.30pm at THE HONOR OAK Pub, 1 St. German's Road London SE23 1RH For info: lgvic@talktalk.net
