So Much More Than Style: “Chile Estyle” Tells a People’s History at World Premiere in NYC

Making its World Premiere in New York at the Urban World Film Festival this month (Oct 26-30), Chile Estyle testifies to the powerful role street art, graffiti, and political muralism have had on city citizens for decades.

Santiago de Chile has been cited for years as an international progenitor of political and consequential street art – owing perhaps to its muralism advocating social change as early as the 1960s in parallel with the student movement in Paris and the birth of graffiti movements in Philadelphia and New York. The documentary illustrates how pro-public antecedents like Mexican muralists shaped what was to come – including David Alfaro Siqueiros, who used walls to converse with the citizenry in the 1930s and 40s at home and in Chile.

Drawing a narrative line from supporting indigenous and working people to the Ramona Parra Brigade of political painting during Pinochet´s dictatorship, to the pixaçao scene in Brazil, and to the stencil culture in Argentina, you see the forces inspiring all manner of grafiteros to make their mark in Santiago, Valparaiso, and other regions of the country. With a sense of conviction, Chile Estyle shows that many origins of this global movement went far beyond style.

To give context to the gravitas driving the movement, the movie includes interviews and profiles of people like  Brigadas Ramona Parra founder Mono González, American urban culture photographer and videographer Henry Chalfant, graffiti pioneers Cekis and Sick, indigenous Mapuche artist collectives Alapinta and Aner & Tikay. It also certifies a gender counterbalance in a scene often stereotyped as ‘boys only’ with a look at the powerful women’s street culture movement courtesy Bisy, Juana Perez and Anis.

Chile Estyle: The History Of Street Art In Chile. A film by Pablo Aravena. (photo still from the movie courtesy of Hard Bop Films)

With Chile Estyle the documentary filmmaker Pablo Aravena directs viewers toward a richer appreciation for the spirit and motivation that drives Chile’s unique street art tradition; a veritable remix of style and substance foretelling the global/local nature of today’s art-in-the-streets.

We’re told that Mr. Aravena will be in attendance for the opening on October 29th, along with some special guests. We will not miss this one. New York graffiti old skoolers like to say, “know your history.” Serious heads will not miss this greater expanse of history either.

Chile Estyle: The History Of Street Art In Chile. A film by Pablo Aravena. (photo still from the movie courtesy of Hard Bop Films)

SCREENING DATE INFORMATION

“Chile Estyle” @chileestyle World Premiere at  @urbanworldff Urbanworld Film Festival 2022 October 26-30 happening in New York City! 

Chile Estyle Screening date:

Sat, Oct 29th, 4:45 PM @ Cinépolis – Theater 9

CINÉPOLIS CHELSEA

260 W 23rd St, New York, NY 10011

Order your tickets

https://uwff22.eventive.org/schedule/633db424ecaddd004cd42c79

 

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