ART AND REVOLUTION IN MEXICO
C A
Nowhere but in Mexico has history been painted as superbly; nowhere else have outspokenly polemical painters, like Rivera and Siqueiros, produced such great art. The art of revolution of art seem, in this time and place, to have nurtured one another. Text by Octavio Paz. 51 mins / 1993

BRAZIL EXPERIENCE
M H A
Dance to the rhythm of Brazil’s hottest percussion group…play a game of soccer on the beach…float down the Amazon during a rainstorm…scale a palm tree…try your hand at capoiera, a combination of martial arts and acrobatics…experience Brazil! 47 mins / 1995

THE BURIED MIRROR
C A
A five-volume sweeping look at the past and present of Latin America, hosted by Carlos Fuentes. 59 mins each / 1991
THE VIRGIN AND THE BULL Best-selling Mexican author Fuentes looks for his forebears in the mix of people that created Latin America: Spanish, Arab, Jewish, Indian, and African. He asks what is unique in their culture that is cause for celebration in the 500th anniversary year of Columbus. His quest takes him from the quayside at Vera Cruz "where the Mediterranean comes to an end in the Caribbean" back to the dark caves of Altamirea, the harsh sunlight of the bullring, and the stamping feet of the flamenco dancer.
CONFLICT OF THE GODS In his lifetime, Fuentes has witnessed the rediscovery of the ancient Aztec temples beneath the central square of modern Mexico City. "So we found out that what we thought was dead was really alive." He retraces the Indian world through their magnificent pyramids and sculptures, a world of precise astronomy and human sacrifice, serenity and violence. The return of their blond, exiled god was forecast for the very year Cortes reached their shores.
THE AGE OF GOLD The New World bought Spain (and ultimately Europe) enormous treasures: gold, silver, chocolate, tomatoes, potatoes. Yet Spain’s most powerful ruler, Philip II, lived in austere solitude in a cell-like study. He sought to protect the Catholic faith, while the Spanish author Cervantes questioned all values in Don Quixote, the prototype of the modern novel. Courtly painters and Baroque style vaulted the Atlantic and celebrated its transformation into a tool for Indian fantasy in the magnificent churches of Potosi and Ocotlan.
THE PRICE OF FREEDOM Every year, a million Mexicans gather in the great central square of their capital to celebrate El Grito, the cry for Independence. Fuentes crosses the Andes in the steps of Bolivar and San Martin. The liberators succeeded n throwing off the Spanish yoke, but they found it harder to establish a just society. For the gaucho there was the consolation of the open spaces, the mountains, and the plains. And for those crowding into the new cities like Buenos Aires, there was the tango, a sad thought that can be danced.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS Spain, Latin America, the Hispanic communities in the U. S.: all have undergone enormous changes in this century. Within the lifetime of those born now, half the population of the U.S. will be Spanish speaking. Every year, half a million brave the border patrols to enter the States illegally. "They are looking for the Gringo gold, but also bringing the Latino gold," Carlos Fuentes observes. Hispanic immigrants contribute a wealth of tradition: diverse cultural creativity in art, music, and dace, respect for family ties--distinct hallmarks of the Spanish-speaking world.

CENTRAL AMERICANS
M H A
Poverty, political unrest and oppression compel many Central Americans to emigrate as refugees from Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama. Regardless of the expense and danger of the trip (made mostly on foot), as well as the restrictive immigration policies, more than 1 million Salvadorans and Guatemalans alone now live in the U.S., seeking freedom and economic opportunity. Though many live below the poverty level, in constant fear of detection by immigration authorities, their determination and courage enable them to endure. 30 mins / 1993

LA OFRENDA: THE DAYS OF THE DEAD
M H C A P
The study of holiday ritual in any culture is an excellent way to pull young people into multiculturalism. In Mexican culture, the Days of the Dead in early November acknowledge friends and family who have died. La Ofrenda ("the offering") refers to the gifts of flowers, fruit and candy that Mexicans arrange at altars designed to welcome the spirit of the deceased back to the community. "Los dias de los muertos" has all the panache of Halloween and all the joy of Easter, serving as "a playful reminder of our fearful end." This film shows the cathartic purposes of this holiday, while leaving its mystery and irony intact. Narration is spare, and English subtitles are plentiful. LA OFRENDA also invites a comparison of how death is dealt with in various cultures. By any measure, a fantastical and festive film. 50 mins / 1989

LUIS RODRIGUEZ: ALWAYS RUNNING
M H A
Luis Rodriguez, award-winning poet and social critic, recounts the story of his youth in a gang in East Los Angeles with a group of students from Manual High School in Indianapolis. Rodriguez, whose memoir Always Running provides a vivid account of gang life, describes his barrio youth, and how literature served as a way out of the cycle of self-destructive behavior. He provides insights into why young people are drawn to gang life and the action he thinks communities and young people must take to break the recurring pattern of violence. 30 mins / 1994

MEXICAN AMERICANS
M H A
A concise overview of the history of the Mexican people from the "Multicultural Peoples of North America" series. Starting from the Spanish conquest of the Aztec people in 1521, this video covers the Mexico-U.S. battle over Texas and the southwestern United States. This land seizure created the problem of the "border crossing the people" rather than the people crossing the border for the Mexicans who already lived in what is now California. The many that remained after the territory was claimed by the U.S. contributed their hard labor to the building of America and are now 5% of the population. Prominent Mexican Americans are highlighted and a modern Mexican family discusses the continuing of Mexican musical tradition. 30 mins / 1993

THE MEXICANS THROUGH THEIR EYES
H C A P
A National Geographic special examines the mosaic of modern Mexico through the eyes of its Indians, peasants, artists, and philosophers. As they work to save an endangered habitat, the Mexicans draw on the rich legacy of their pre-Hispanic past to shape their future. 59 mins / 1990

MEXICO: THE NATION
E M H A P
Contemporary Mexican economics, industry, and geography is reviewed in this program. Viewers will see how rapidly growing Mexico City and smaller villages are preparing for the future. The tension between traditional customs and sophisticated urbanity informs Mexico's modern identity. From the racial backgrounds of Mexican citizens, to topography and class status, diversity and contrast can be found in every aspect of Mexican life. 23 mins / 1993

MEXICO: YESTERDAY AND TODAY
M H A
This video is a terse overview of Mexico as perceived by its Central American neighbors. Its geography and ancient past are reviewed, plus the Spanish conquest, colonial era, independence, development, and revolution. The history focuses on Mexico's unique blend of Native American and Spanish influences. The video concludes with a look at Mexico's challenges: rapid population growth, class divisions, debt, and environmental degradation, with an eye toward a more democratic future. The companion teacher's guide provides activity sheets and questions. 20 mins / 1993

NO NOS TIENES
H C A P
NO NOS TIENTES is the proud and urgent voice of Guatemalan student protest. Shot in urban ghettos, rural villages and jungle encampments, this documentary reveals the immediate and personal struggle of a cross-section of the country’s population. For 40 years, a brutal civil war has raged in Guatemala. Poverty, indiscriminate violence by death squads and military dictatorship have bred a culture of fear. Impassioned by their youth and made bold by their solidarity, generations of students have emerged as a vanguard of change. By situating the current struggle within a context of developing political action, this documentary provides a unique engagement within an ongoing process of social transformation. 52 mis / 1992

PUERTO RICANS
M H A
Beginning with the first few nationalist refugees of the late 19th century and continuing with the thousands of laborers who flocked to the mainland after World War II, the Puerto Rican people have had a significant impact on contemporary life in the United States. Their impact is felt in the arts, in sports and in politics. Though Puerto Ricans face no legal barriers in migrating to the continental United States, many find it difficult to assimilate into the mainstream of U.S. society because they have often experienced the ravages of racial, cultural and linguistic discrimination. /

SIXTEENTH CENTURY PERCEPTIONS OF LATIN AMERICANS: CIVIL OR SAVAGE?
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This program shows how value judgments mar history by creating misperceptions that can linger for centuries. The viewer witnesses such a case in the cultural encounter between Europeans and Latin American Indians. The attitudes that perpetuated the myths associated with the age of discovery are revealed as revisionist narrative and images examine the symbolism in early maps and iconography. 27 mins / 1988

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