JustCuriosity
Las Sandanistas was warmly received in its world premiere at Austin's SXSW Film Festival. It is a provocative film on an unexpected subject. It tells the untold stories of the women revolutionaries within the Nicaraguan Sandanista movement in the 1970s. They fought both the corrupt Somoza regime and the patriarchy from within their own movement. The theme is not new; it is not at all unusual for anti-racist and revolutionary movements to also be dominated by men and to function highly patriarchally. The women's stories are powerful - told mostly through interviews - and insightful. Sadly, it appears that Nicaragua - even under the Sandanistas - remains highly oppressive to women today, especially in the area of abortion rights. The film is fascinating and well-edited with a combination of modern and archival footage. Highly recommended for those interested in truly understanding the complexity of social change.