18th October 2010 Cinema Paradise @ SHE-D presentsThe Many Faces of Power 4

dublin | arts and media | event notice Sunday October 17, 2010 01:53 by SHE-D

VIDEOCRACY by Erik Gandini

INFO SHE-D 43 Gardiner Lane D1
(rear of HILL 16 pub on Gardiner st or BUS PARKING on Mountjoy Sq)
Donations(*): 5,00 Euro DOORS @ 21:00 pm

Cinema Paradise @ SHE-D presents VIDEOCRACY by Erik Gandini,
(85 min, 2009, italian language, english subtitles)

THE MANY FACES OF POWER
is a cycle of movie screenings that tries to investigate and dissect
the complex notion of power from different points of view. The
screenings will focus on four films directed by some of the most
important Italian filmmakers who in different times and from different
standpoints gave an interesting insight into the many expressions of
power meant as the ability to control and repress our lives either in
the political, private or social sphere.

A look at segments of the Italian population who are consumed with celebrity worship. A brilliant snapshot of how political and media monopolies in the ever-smiling face of Silvio Berlusconi have shaped public opinion and the dreams of Italian youth today.
In Italy, for thirty odd years, the image has been controlled by one man. TV-magnate and Presidente Silvio Berlusconi has influenced the content of commercial television in a way never before done in Italy. His TV-channels, with their young skimpy-clad girls, are seen by many to mirror his own taste and personality.
In Videocracy, Italian-born director Erik Gandini portrays the consequences of a TV-experiment that Italians have been subjected to for 30 years. Gaining unique access to the most powerful media spheres, he unveils a remarkable story, born out of the scary reality of ”TV-Republic” Italy.

Controversy around Videocracy
Both Berlusconi’s Mediaset channels and public broadcaster RAI refused to air the trailer for Videocracy, which Fandango released on 4 September 2009. RAI issued a statement saying that its three networks had refused to promote the movie because ”it is too much critical towards the Italian government”

In an interview with IndieWIRE, Erik Gandini said, ”Italy is probably the only country in the world where celebrity/TV and political power is merged together in the person of Silvio Berlusconi”.
In a twist of fate, instead of dampening interest in the film, cinema requests from Italy went from 30 to 90 prints!
”I was scared by the ban, and by RAI’s Orwellian-style letter, but the day after there was a huge explosion of interest on the internet”, Erik told
In January, La voce di Romagna reported that a female teacher at Alessandro da Imola highschool near Bologna used Videocracy to illustrate the power of media in Italian society which sparked an outpouring of complaints from parents of students attending her classes. It escalated when local politicians Alessandro Fiumi and Galeazo Bignami from Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi’s party wrote a letter of complaint (Italian) to the Minister of Youth Giorgia Meloni expressing their discontent at showing the film in Italian schools.

Reviews

No, it isn’t a documentary, it would be wrong to approach this movie in that way. It’s a horror film
Wu Ming Foundation

Tragicomic in its nature… the politics-entertainment mix is chilling
Kate Muir, The Times

Its portrait of the perversion of culture in Berlusconi’s Italy will hang in the memory of all who managed to enjoy the privilege of seeing it.
The Guardian

A jaw-dropping documentary… a chilling, cautionary expose of Orwellian dimensions.
Sly Fox

Erik Gandini’s documentary is the swedish horror film of the year
Dagens Nyheter

CINEMA PARADISE is a collective of cinema enthusiasts.
It aims to explore social and political themes in cinema history
through specific cycles of screenings. Each cycle will have its own
title.
Films have English subtitles to favour foreigner audiences.

SHE-D is a private workspace/Cultural Documentation Centre aimed at
experimentation in creative and participative ways to socialize and
communicate through the arts focused in the Inner City area of Dublin.
To enter you need to be participants in its projects. Participation is
encouraged in a variety of ways from providing feedback to and asking
questions of the artists to work specific interactions encouraged by
particular artists.

(*) Donation means that you are expected to donate the
mentioned amount as you are one, and maybe the sole active supporter
of the space row costs. If you like to donate something more you are
welcome, if you are in great difficulty, you will be allowed to enter
even from less