"The event I had been waiting for since my student struggles in 1973 finally materialized...” Patricio Guzmán

With unassuming elegance, Chilean doc master Patricio Guzmán finds hope and political optimism in his homeland's recent protest movement.

In October 2019, social protests erupted in Chile, following years of inequality, corruption and the ruling establishment’s inability to dismantle Pinochet’s structures of dictatorship. Over a million people took to the streets, only to face brutal repression from the military. The demonstrations led to a new, gender-equal government that embraced a move towards reform and introduced seismic constitutional change, ultimately decided upon through a nationwide referendum.

Through on-the-ground footage and interviews, Guzmán highlights the role women have played in the democratic movement. From how a song became an anthem for feminist action and the role played by Mapuche campaigners to a mother seen struggling to feed her children, My Imaginary Country a timely testament to the collective power of people uniting to force change.

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