''In the Hell of Chaco'' ( es, En el infierno del Chaco) is an Argentine black-and-white, silent documentary directed and filmed by

Roque Funes Roque Funes (1 December 1897 – 15 June 1981 in Buenos Aires) was the most prolific Argentine cinematographer in the history of the Cinema of Argentina whose career spanned over 40 years of cinema. He began working in cinematography in 192 ...

from his own script. It premiered on 21 December 1932.

Cast

* President

Eusebio Ayala Eusebio Ayala (August 14, 1875 – June 4, 1942) was an intellectual and statesman, and List of Presidents of Paraguay, President of Paraguay from 7 November 1921 to 12 April 1923 and again from 15 August 1932 to 17 February 1936. He was a member o ...

... Himself * Mariscal

José Félix Estigarribia José Félix Estigarribia Insaurralde (February 21, 1888 in Caraguatay – September 7, 1940 in Altos) was a Paraguayan military officer, politician and president. He was Commander in Chief of the Paraguayan Army during the Chaco War (19 ...

... Himself * Julia Miranda Cueto ... Herself

Overview

The

Chaco War The Chaco War ( es, link=no, Guerra del Chaco, gn, Cháko ÑorairõChaco Boreal region. Open warfare ran from September 1932 to June 1935, however, the respective armies had prepared for hostilities well in advance. The Argentine cameraman and cinematographer Roque Funes traveled to the region in July 1932 and recorded the first three months of the conflict, focusing specially on the battle of Boqueron. Back in

Buenos Aires Buenos Aires ( or ; ), officially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires ( es, link=no, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires), is the capital and primate city of Argentina. The city is located on the western shore of the Río de la Plata, on South ...

, Funes immediately cut footage and rolled maps and explanatory texts into a documentary. The film was thought lost for many years, but an original copy to nitrate was retained by the Estragó family in Paraguay. Hugo Gamarra, President of the Cinematheque of Paraguay, worked with APROCINAIN on restoration of this copy in Buenos Aires, with the cooperation of Cinecolor and

Kodak The Eastman Kodak Company (referred to simply as Kodak ) is an American public company that produces various products related to its historic basis in analogue photography. The company is headquartered in Rochester, New York, and is incorpor ...

. Appearing in the film were

, President of Paraguay, Marshal

, commander of the Paraguayan troops, and his wife Julia Miranda Cueto. Shortly after being elected president of Paraguay on 15 August 1939, Estigarribia died alongside his wife on 7 September 1940 in a plane crash in Loma Grande.

Comments

The film is said to be: "Elemental in ideology, the enemy is demonized as Bolivian counterpart to the heroic deeds performed by Paraguay at a disadvantage. It is also a unique historical document, by the fact that records, such as film (with creative resources and improbable mood for your theme) and as journalism". Roque Funes said: "Nobody can give a full account of what this is. The fighting leaves a trail of mangled bodies and the stench from the decay of rapidly decomposing corpses".

The advertisement banner of the film, whose ticket cost two pesos, reads: "The only film of the Paraguayan-Bolivian war, filmed with the permission of the Government of Paraguay. The real expression of the struggle in the Chaco Boreal, under a sky of fire, shot by the "cameraman" Argentina Roque Funes, who with the kind collaboration of the Government of Paraguay, managed to take the most interesting notes of the current war. The attack on Boquerón. The Bolivian offensive. Flying over the line of fire. Troops pushing through the jungle. Bayonet charge. Artillery in action. Fall of Boqueron. Wounded and captured up to Asuncion and a thousand scenes of war taken in the same fields from the front. The horror and heroism of the man in front of thirst, hunger and death."

References

External links

* {{Authority control Documentary films about the Chaco War Paraguayan documentary films Argentine documentary films Argentine black-and-white films 1932 documentary films 1932 films 1930s Spanish-language films Films shot in Paraguay Black-and-white documentary films Argentine silent films Rediscovered Argentine films

Cast

Overview

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External links