The Dawsonians

The Cordillera of Dreams

October 2019 •Spanish

"In Chile, when the sun rises, it had to climb hills, walls and tops before reaching the last stone of the Cordillera. In my country, the Cordillera is everywhere. But for the Chilean citizens, it is an unknown territory. After going North for Nostalgia for the Light and South for The Pearl Button, I now feel ready to shoot this immense spine to explore its mysteries, powerful revelations of Chile’s past and present history." Patricio Guzmán

Cuba’s Life Task: Combatting Climate Change

November 2021 •Spanish

Climate change is among the world’s greatest challenges. As a small Caribbean island, Cuba is disproportionately affected by climate change through extreme weather events. Up to 10% of Cuban territory could be submerged by the end of the century, wiping out coastal towns, polluting water supplies, destroying agricultural lands and forcing one million people to relocate. Finding solutions is now essential. In this documentary, Dr Helen Yaffe goes to Cuba to find out about ‘Tarea Vida’ (Life Task), a long-term state plan to protect the population, environment and the economy from climate change. The Cuban approach combines environmental science, natural solutions and community participation in strategies for adaptation and mitigation. Produced by DaniFilms with Dr Helen Yaffe from the University of Glasgow for the COP26 conference in Glasgow.

The Last Days of the USSR

December 2011 •French

From 1989 to 1991 a string of unpredictable events happened that brought to light the rivalry between two men: Gorbachev, hindered by the economic results of his perestroika, and Yeltsin, embodying the hopes of the Russian people. Illustrated with interviews of top protagonists such as Mikhail Gobachev himself, the documentary recounts the critical last two years of the former USSR.

The Lovers and the Despot

September 2016 •English

Hong Kong, 1978. South Korean actress Choi Eun-hee is kidnapped by North Korean operatives following orders from dictator Kim Jong-il.

My Imaginary Country

May 2022 •Spanish

This documentary explores the protests that exploded onto the streets of Chile’s capital of Santiago in 2019 as the population demanded more democracy and social equality around education, healthcare and job opportunities.

Arica

November 2020 •Swedish

A Swedish mining giant, Boliden, is accused of having dumped 20000 tonnes of toxic waste in a poor neighborhood in a Chilean desert town.

Vocacional: Uma Aventura Humana

July 2011 •Portuguese

The clash of a libertarian school with the military dictatorship in the 60s. An exciting and little-known page in the history of public education in Brazil.

Plutocracy I: Divide and Rule

November 2015 •English

History of US labor movements and their suppression. It includes sections on the American Constitution; the Civil War draft riots; Reconstruction; Industrialization; the evolution of the police; the robber barons; early American labor unions; and major mid-to-late 19th Century labor events including the uprising of 1877, the Haymarket Affair, the Homestead strike and the New Orleans General Strike. The introduction examines the West Virginian coal wars of the early 20th Century, culminating in the Battle of Blair Mountain.

Ficción K

December 2015 •Spanish

Hard things were said. Incredible things were said. It is time to think about everything that was said. An account of Kirchnerism, a left-wing populist movement that ruled Argentina from 2003 to 2015, led by Néstor Kirchner (1950-2010) and his wife Cristina Fernández de Kirchner.

Wilmington on Fire

November 2015 •English

A historical and present day look at the Wilmington Massacre of 1898 and how the descendants of the victims of the event are asking for legal action in regards to compensation.

Welcome in Vienna

January 1986 •German

Freddy, a Viennese Jew who emigrated to New York after Hitler's invasion, and Adler, a left-wing intellectual originally from Berlin, return to Austria in 1944 as soldiers in the U.S. Army. Freddy falls in love with the daughter of a Nazi, and Adler attempts to go over to the Communist Zone. But with the advent of the Cold War and continuing anti-semitism, the idealism of both characters is shattered as they find themselves surrounded by cynicism, opportunism, and universal self-deception.

Marcos: A Malignant Spirit

January 1986 •Tagalog

Containing rare footage and recorded conversations, this documentary about "the plunder of a nation" hosted by ABS-CBN's Angelo Castro, Jr. looks into "the inhuman manner in which Marcos and his henchmen systematically drained the economy in their greedy and unrelenting quest for fortune.

Puma!

October 2015 •English

It is a powerful predator, one of the most elusive animals in Patagonia and rarely filmed. In the very South of Chile the Pumas' hunting grounds lie in the awe-inspiring Torres del Paine National Park, follow a mother Puma as she rears her cubs in the wild, teaching them to survive and thrive.

Tsar to Lenin

March 1937 •English

A documentary film account of the Russian Revolution, based on archival footage.

Freedom Isn't Free — The Freedom Charter Today

June 2018 •English

Since its adoption in June 1955 by the Congress movement, the Freedom Charter has been the key political document that acted as a beacon and source of inspiration in the liberation struggle against Apartheid. It was reputedly the main source that informed democratic South Africa’s liberal constitution and a constant reference point for the ruling African National Congress (ANC) and rival political parties that it spawned since 1994, all claiming the Freedom Charter’s legacy. Freedom Isn’t Free assesses the history and role of the charter, especially in relation to key political and socio-economic aspects of developments in South Africa up to the present period. It includes rare archival footage with interviews of a cross-section of outspoken influential South Africans.

Chile: Obstinate Memory

February 1997 •Spanish

After decades of fascist rule in Chile, Patricio Guzmán returns to his country to screen his documentary The Battle of Chile.

L'Homme Que Nous Aimons Le Plus

January 1949 •French

Thomas Sankara: The Upright Man

September 2006 •French

Thomas Sankara, former president of Burkina Faso, was known as "the African Che", and became famous in Africa due to his innovative ideas, his devastating humor, his spirit and his altruism. More than a classic biography, this film sheds light on the impact that this man and his politic made on Burkina Faso and Africa in general.

The Night of the Long Knives

August 2020 •French

In June 1934, Hitler decided to eliminate the powerful leadership of the SA. With his pistol drawn, he entered the Hotel Hanselbauer in Bad Wiessee on June 30, where his friend Ernst Röhm and other SA functionaries were staying. The three-day murder operation within the SA's own ranks has gone down in history as the "Night of the Long Knives".

The Battle of Chile: Part I

March 1975 •Spanish

The chronicle of the political tension in Chile in 1973 and of the violent counter revolution against the democratically elected government of Salvador Allende.