Once Upon a Time in Venezuela

Once Upon a Time in Venezuela is a 2020 documentary film that offers an intimate portrait of the Venezuelan village of Congo Mirador, a town built on stilts in Lake Maracaibo, which has been deteriorating and depopulating because of political corruption and the environmental crisis. Directed by Anabel Rodríguez Ríos, the film serves as a poignant allegory for the broader issues currently plaguing Venezuela.

The film captures the many facades of the crisis, seeping into everyday life while concentrating on two primary characters with opposite political views - Tamara, a devoted follower of Hugo Chavez, the fundamental leader of the Bolivarian Revolution in Venezuela, and Natalie, a schoolteacher who hopes for a better future for her community.

Once Upon a Time in Venezuela is an observational documentary, and thus it offers a raw, unfiltered perspective of life in Congo Mirador. The village is witnessing a slow death corroded by the pollution and sedimentation clogging up Lake Maracaibo, an effect provoked by years of neglect and reckless oil extraction. As such, the film hinges on the environment as an essential character in the narrative, reflecting the residents' plights and hopes.

The narrative structure masterfully braids the personal and the political, the micro and the macro. The first part is more observational, capturing the daily life of the villagers and their interactions, which gradually delineate the complex dynamics between community members. The second half, contrastingly, unveils the dark underbelly of political corruption as the village is gripped by the municipal elections, laying bare the tactics employed to secure power.

In one of the most revealing sequences, director Rodríguez Ríos depicts how free appliances, known as 'the Chinese white goods', were distributed by government officials as a ploy to secure votes. Through this instance, the audience gets a distinct sense of the extent to which the ruling party would go, exploiting the village's poverty and ignorance.

Meanwhile, Natalie, the schoolteacher, struggles to rally the people's hope and fight against the chaotic political system. Her classroom, with Rickety chairs and an eroding blackboard, is a symbol of the pathetic state of education in the area, yet she perseveres. She believes in the power of education as the tool to empower her pupils, illuminating their future beyond the confines of Congo Mirador.

Amidst this backdrop of environmental and socio-political decay, the villagers' resilience and spirit shine through. Children playing on makeshift swings, fishermen laboring to secure their daily catch despite the oil-slicked water, women preparing traditional meals amidst the squalor - these images paint a compelling portrait of a community clinging to their homes, their identity, and their way of life, despite the creeping devastation.

Alongside personable characters and narrative arcs, the film is also visually spellbinding. The splendid yet poignant cinematography of Congo Mirador paints a compelling picture of a place on the verge of disappearance. Remarkable shots of the dilapidated stilt houses, the oil-tainted waters with dying flamingoes splayed on the surface, and the sludgy marshland evoke a sense of imminent loss, an elegy to a dying world.

Rodríguez Ríos' documentary transcends the topicality of Venezuela's crisis to focus on the human beings at its heart. Through a potent blend of empathy and scrutiny, the film presents an emotional exploration of a country in a state of flux, a society grappling with institutional corruption, and a village fighting to survive amidst environmental degradation.

In the end, Once Upon a Time in Venezuela is more than a documentation of the environmental and political crisis that hits Venezuela. The film is a testament to the strength and resilience of its dwellers, who continue to find joy, solidarity, and purpose amidst chaos.

This film represents a significant contribution to contemporary world cinema due to its raw and realistic portrayal of Venezuela's crisis. It serves as an eye-opener for viewers unfamiliar with the complex situation in the country. Overall, it is not just a film. It is a moving picture of an era, of a society, and of human resilience.