Wikipedia:Today's featured article/March 18, 2011

The Revolution Will Not Be Televised is a 2003 documentary centered on the April 2002 Venezuelan coup d'état attempt, which saw President Hugo Chávez temporarily removed from office. Focusing on the role of Venezuela's private media, the film examines several key incidents: the protest march and violence that provided the impetus for Chávez's ousting, the opposition's formation of an interim government, and Chávez's dramatic return. Given direct access to the president, Irish filmmakers Kim Bartley and Donnacha Ó Briain intended to make a fly-on-the-wall biography; they spent seven months filming in Venezuela, following Chávez and interviewing citizens. As the coup unfolded, Bartley and Ó Briain captured footage of protesters and the erupting violence on the streets of the capital, Caracas. Later, they filmed many of the political upheavals in the presidential palace. The film was positively received by mainstream critics and won several awards. Reviewers cited the filmmakers' unprecedented proximity to key events and praised the film for its "riveting narrative". Criticism focused on its lack of context and pro-Chávez bias, a perception which has led to disputes over its neutrality and accuracy; particular attention is paid to its framing of the violence of 11–13 April, the filmmakers' editing of the timeline, and the alleged omission of incidents and personnel. The film is variously cited as an accurate portrayal or a misrepresentation of the events of April 2002. (more...)

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