Film-makers Rodrigo Acuña and Nicholas Ford discussed their upcoming production, Venezuela: The Cost of Challenging an Empire, at a forum at the Addison Road Community Centre in Sydney on April 6.
The film addresses the challenges facing Venezuela including the United States economic sanctions. Acuña spoke about the “harsh impacts of the US sanctions on Venezuela” and the universally hostile mainstream Western media to the revolution.
He travelled to Venezuela last year and interviewed community members, militants of the revolution and some right-wing opposition figures.
Acuña said the film explores a few key themes: the impact of the US sanctions on Venezuela; who is behind the political violence; Silvercorp USA and an encounter with the Venezuelan opposition; and the successes of the revolution.
Silvercorp USA, or Operation Gideon, was a failed uprising by right-wing Venezuelans, together with by US-backed mercenaries, and two former US soldiers, which was defeated by local villagers on the Venezuelan coast in 2020.
A 2020 report by Advocacy for Human Rights in the Americas said the US sanctions against Venezuela had cost at least 100,000 lives and an economic loss to the Venezuelan state of between US$17-31 billion.
Ford said the film, expected to be premiered in July, being produced is “a documentary that highlights the true story of Venezuela”.
The filmmakers are looking for financial support. If you can help visit Kickstarter.