Las Vegas, baby!

I talk about the nudity in Maleficarum

Lots of news lately, Maleficarum is doing well in the movie theaters, and receiving all kinds of feedback. Not only that, but has inspired a debate in the Cinemateca Boliviana (more below), Sirwiñakuy is going to Las Vegas, and we did another TV interview for Maleficarum, which is posted right here below.

Wait, Sirwiñakuy is going to Las Vegas? Yes, you read correctly! I'm excited to announce that Sirwiñakuy will be shown in CineKink Las Vegas. If you're in that area, you can catch it Friday, June 8th, 2012 at 11PM at Theatre7  1406 South Third St. in the Downtown Arts District Las Vegas, NV 89104 (702.568.966). Hooray!

In Las Vegas June 8th!

I'm very excited about how Sirwiñakuy has been projected and seen in so many places now in the world, and the international response, which remains polemic.

Sirwiñakuy and Maleficarum can been had on DVD and download here:

DVD

DOWNLOAD

In other news, Jac has been invited to a debate in the Cinemateca Boliviana, about "censorship, curation, and cinematic exhibition spaces", which should be interesting. The Cinemateca has repeatedly claimed that they did not "censor" Maleficarum, but when you tell someone for months that you will show their film, you then see the film in question, and then write a letter saying that the film uses "explicit language" and you "do not have any slots to project the movie", because of said explicit language, that's censorship.

I might add that the Cinemateca Bolivia, while it carries that name, is not in fact a national organization, it's a private foundation that claims to represent Bolivian cinema. In my opinion, if they are going to carry on in the way they have been, refusing to show many Bolivian films (we are certainly not the only ones), and show instead commercial films such as "The Avengers", they should change their name and stop asking for funds on the basis of being the "Cinemateca Boliviana". In many countries it would be considered misrepresentation to ask for, and accept, funding from national or international groups and organizations on the basis of that name, when it does not represent the Bolivian cinematic industry and community, nor is it a national organization.

In other countries, France for example, the Cinemateque is a national organization, it receives funds from the French government, and from outside, and adheres to a strict code of showing national films and educating the public about film. It is a serious institution which would never show commercial Hollywood films if they were not represented in the context of education. The government utilizes the Cinemateque as a representation of a facet of their culture. Their directors and actors are often seen as ambassadors.

If the Cinemateca Boliviana were to be nationalized and transform itself into a serious institution, it would be more liable to receive funds from other organizations and institutions. It should represent Bolivian cinematic culture, and foster and grow said culture. If that is not their intention, or if they continue to refuse to follow through with their supposed edicts to show all Bolivian films, it would be better if they change their name and end the misrepresentation of the Bolivian cinematic community.

As a filmmaker in Bolivia, I care about Bolivian cinema, not just some of it, but all of it as a whole. Every Bolivian film should be projected, regardless of content, and in context. Bolivian cinema is growing, and the Cinemateca Boliviana should be involved in that growth, not blocking it.

Here's an interesting article about the Cinemateca and censorship, along with some good comments at the bottom.