Allan, Charley

Allan, Charley

Charley Allan

1 July 2006Review

Nuestro petroleo y otros cuentos, 2005; DVD; 83min; http://www.ouroil.org

When this documentary premiered in Caracas last year, the Venezuelan Ministry of Culture cancelled its second screening at the National Cinema unless the producers removed the ministry's name as funder of the film. Why were they so upset?

The film exposes the contradiction of building socialism through oil wealth. The state oil company PdVSA is revealed as a corrupt, bureaucratic monster destroying communities and the environment in its relentless search for hydrocarbons.

Sure…