‘Under the Flags, the Sun,’ About Paraguay’s 35-Year Dictatorship, Acquired by Cinephil Ahead of Berlinale Premiere (EXCLUSIVE)

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International sales company Cinephil has taken on “Under the Flags, the Sun,” a movie by Paraguayan director Juanjo Pereira. This film is scheduled to make its world debut in the Panorama section of the Berlinale Festival, one of the few documentaries chosen for this year’s program.

1989 saw the downfall of Alfredo Stroessner’s 35-year authoritarian rule in Paraguay, which was one of the longest lasting such regimes globally. However, with this change also came the unfortunate loss of the audiovisual archives that had been instrumental in upholding the regime’s power. These recordings, carefully curated to mold a national identity and glorify the rule, gradually slipped from public consciousness.

After many years, a collection of previously undiscovered and almost forgotten recordings – such as newsreels, public TV programs, propaganda movies, and declassified papers – have been found in Paraguay and other places, shedding light on the concealed workings of power that upheld Stroessner’s regime.

The discovered footage from Paraguay shows how the past is being used for brainwashing, building a national identity, and worshipping Stroessner, as stated in a recent announcement.

Pereira explains: “During primary and secondary school in Paraguay, they didn’t cover the topic of that era or the multiple dictatorships that took place within the country. I created this documentary to explore how this period influenced the development of society, my generation, and shaped my beliefs and emotions. This is why I opted to delve into various cinematic depictions that have emerged in Paraguay throughout the 20th century.

According to Suzanne Nodale and Shoshi Korman, co-managing directors of Cinephil, Juano Pereira’s movie transcends the boundaries of a typical historical documentary. Instead, they describe it as an urgent analysis that delves into how media influences power dynamics and collective recollections. By skillfully integrating archival footage with contemporary insights, the film reveals persisting mechanisms of control that are strikingly relevant today. In their opinion, it is a powerful piece of work.

Under the Flags” was created by Ivana Urízar for Cine Mío, Paula Zyngierman and Leandro Listorti for MaravillaCine, Gabriela Sabaté for Sabaté Films, and Juanjo Pereira. This production is also a collaboration between Bird Street Production and Lardux Films. Lardux Films serves as an associate producer. Cinephil holds the global distribution rights.

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2025-02-10 12:18