Argentina's economic crisis in the early part of this decade (together with the social and political upheaval created by the downturn) is the subject of Pascal de Rauglaudre's compelling documentary May Justice Be Done, which follows the nation's harrowing decline (traceable to the so-called “Dirty War”) into a terrible state of affairs by the late 1990s. In 2001, the film notes, 21 million Argentines (in a country of 36 million) were living below the poverty line, and the country seemed ready to implode (even the level of healthcare was affected, as tuberculosis and leprosy—thought to have been wiped out—made an unexpected return). Attempts to organize political demonstrations were met with violence by the police, who apparently were still stuck in a 1970s mind-frame in regard to respecting basic civil rights. Combining archival footage and stills together with solid interviews, May Justice Be Done carefully explains the complexities in renegotiating Argentina's foreign debt, while also offering a balanced and non-partisan view of how the International Monetary Fund works (or, in this case, what happens when its policies short circuit). Economic discussions don't always translate into compelling cinema, but in this case de Rauglaudre presents the decline and fall of Argentina's economy in a manner that is both intellectually stimulating and emotionally devastating. Highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)
May Justice Be Done
(2007) 53 min. In French & Spanish w/English subtitles. DVD: $49.95: public libraries & high schools; $195: colleges & universities. California Newsreel. PPR. Volume 23, Issue 4
May Justice Be Done
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