In the 1980s, the multifaceted Venezuelan artist, painter, and filmmaker Diego Rísquez (who passed away in January 2018) undertook the daunting project of creating a trilogy of films about the real and mythical histories of the Latin American continent. The first part of the trilogy, and Rísquez’s feature debut, was BOLÍVAR, TROPICAL SYMPHONY, which became the first Super 8 film to be selected for the Directors’ Fortnight at the Cannes Film Festival. Rísquez here foregoes dialogue to create an unconventional and highly allusive cinematic exploration of the life and death of South America’s famed libertador, Simón Bolívar, in which two separate actors embody dueling conceptions of this historical figure.

“With stunningly rich and complex visual images, Rísquez’s films eschew all dialogue yet present a coherent and critical reinterpretation of Venezuelan history.” –Ana M. López