SANTIAGO RISING takes place on the streets of Chile’s capital city in late 2019 as massive protests over economic inequality engulf the country.
Filmed during the weeks after protests began, we meet social movements, protesters and ordinary people in their struggle for equality and human rights.
The film charts the build-up to the historic vote, in October 2020, that saw Chileans vote for a new constitution to replace the one imposed during the brutal Pinochet dictatorship.
Santiago Rising emphasises the prominent role of music and art in political dissent. We also see the state’s attempts to crush the protest movement through a violent police crackdown.
Although the odds are stacked against them, Chileans find strength in unity as they fight to overcome Pinochet’s enduring legacy.
"Chile was the ground zero of Chicago Boys, now it is the ground zero of insurrection. Santiago Rising is a must-watch for anyone interested in emancipatory politics!"
SREĆKO HORVAT
Philosopher and author
"This was a revolution. New forms of people’s democracy were emerging on the streets. But it is surprising how few people outside Chile noticed it. I don’t remember seeing a single report on the major TV bulletins. That’s why Nick MacWilliam’s excellent new film, Santiago Rising, is so important; he was on the streets, documenting this people’s uprising."
