NO

Chile, 1988. Under international pressure, Augusto Pinochet allows a vote: should he govern for eight more years, yes or no? René Saavedra (Gael García Bernal), a sought-after young advertising man, is won over for the “No” campaign. Against the wishes of many in the opposition, who think in terms of indictment and mourning, he bets on the language of advertising: cheerfulness, colour, a promise of the future, the way it is sold for lemonade. His boss, meanwhile, works for the other side. “No” by Pablo Larraín, Chile 2012.

Larraín shot on U-matic videotape, the television format of the time, so that genuine 1988 commercials and news footage fit seamlessly into the film – the film looks like the material it is about. The premiere took place at Cannes in 2012 in the Directors’ Fortnight; “No” became the first Chilean film to be nominated for the foreign-language Oscar. The film was shown at Around the World in 14 Films in Berlin in 2012.

Shown at the 2012 edition of Around the World in 14 Films.

All films 2012 · Film Archive