For the 4th bridge project, we have to make a short documentary about a historical event that relates to us. For this project, I chose to make my documentary about what has been happening in Chile for the past three weeks. After a rise in the subway fare, a series of student protests started happening which developed in a big social movement around the country against all the injustices people have been living in for 30 years.
Some Historical Context:
- After the Coup of 1973, began a dictatorship that lasted for 17 years. During this period many people were killed, tortured and human rights were violated in many horrible ways. Thousands disappeared and 30 years later not even their families know what happened to them.
- When the dictatorship ended in 1990 we were left with a constitution that was made to prevent the political left to have any real power in the future. This has caused that only the political right has been able to make any significant changes in the country that only benefit a few of the richest people instead of attending to the real social necessities.
- In October 2019 the president announced a rise in the subway fare for the second time this year. To this, a big group of university and high school students made a call for everyone to evade public transport pay as a form of protest. Thousands of students and workers joined this practice which caused an unnecessarily violent response from the police.
- After this happened the Chilean people got angry because of the power abuse and went out on the streets to protest. The chaos around the city caused mass shootings by the Chilean police and many subway stations destroyed…
- On the night of October 19th, the president decided to declare a national state of emergency, bringing the military forces to the streets and declaring a curfew for the whole country. Something that hadn’t happened since the dictatorship.
- A protest that began because of the subway fare rise turned into the Chilean people fighting because of all the injustices they have had to live with for the past 30 years and a demand for good living conditions.
What are the Chilian people mad about:
- The pension system: created during the dictatorship. It doesn’t allow older people to live comfortably and most of them have to keep working in horrible conditions.
- The health system: giant waitlists were people die before they’re called. Poor resources on public hospitals in comparison to private clinics.
- The public transportation system: the price of public transportation is so high that it accounts for more than 22% of the total income of some people. In contrast with less than 1% of the income of other families.
- The education system: unbelievable differences between public and private education.
- The privatization of water: one of the only countries were water is privatized.
- Corruption and collusion
My objective is to share what’s truly happening in Chile and make them care about the situation. To show people that don’t speak Spanish what the situation is in Chile and how the people are fighting to change it. As it’s all very recent, not a lot of information is out there for everyone to see. People know that things are happening in Chile but they don’t know exactly what or why. There’s not a lot of information in English for other people to understand so I want to expand the range of spectators by breaking that language barrier. In the end, my objective is to inspire people. To share with everyone how meaningful our actions can be and that people united is the most powerful thing in the world.
Narration done by me, over clips of what’s happening in Chile. Mixing different media like photography, video, illustration and music.
