The Battle of Chile: Part 1

Monday, October 19 - Thursday, October 22, 2015

Digital projection

On September 11, 1973, President Salvador Allende’s democratically elected Chilean government was overthrown in a bloody coup by General Augusto Pinochet’s army.

Patricio Guzmán and five colleagues had been filming the political developments in Chile throughout the nine months leading up to that day. The bombing of the Presidential Palace, in which Allende died, would now become the ending for Guzmán’s seminal documentary The Battle of Chile (1975-79), an epic chronicle of that country’s open and peaceful socialist revolution, and of the violent counter-revolution against it.

THE BATTLE OF CHILE is shown in three parts. Individual tickets are available for each part, or a ticket for the complete epic is available for showings of the full cycle on Mon Oct 19 at 12:00pm & 6:45pm, and Tue Oct 20  & Thu Oct 22 at 12:00pm  for $30 general public/$20 IFC Center members.

“Great films rarely arrive as unheralded as The Battle of Chile.” – Pauline Kael, The New Yorker

“The major political film of our times – a magnificent achievement.” – Tom Allen, Village Voice

“A landmark in the presentation of living history on film.” – Judy Stone, San Francisco Chronicle

THE BATTLE OF CHILE (Part 1): The Insurrection of the Bourgeoisie (96 minutes) examines the escalation of rightist opposition following the left’s unexpected victory in Congressional elections held in March, 1973. Finding that democracy would not stop Allende’s socialist policies, the right-wing shifted its tactics from the polls to the streets. The film follows months of activity as a variety of increasingly violent tactics are used by the right to weaken the government and provoke a crisis.

Part of Obstinate Memories: The Films of Patricio Guzman

  • Country Venezuela/France/Cuba
  • Language In Spanish with English subtitles
  • Year 1975
  • Running Time 96 minutes
  • Director Patricio Guzmán

IFC Center does not generally provide advisories about subject matter or potentially triggering content in films, as sensitivities vary from person to person. In addition to the synopses, trailers and other links on our website, further information about content and age-appropriateness for specific films can be found on Common Sense Media, IMDb and DoesTheDogDie.com as well as through general internet searches.