In 1989, a monumental chapter closed with the final demolition of the Berlin Wall, coinciding with the collapse of Alfredo Stroessner's ironclad 35-year dictatorship in Paraguay. This marked the end of one of the longest-standing authoritarian regimes globally. Now, Juanjo Pereira's directorial debut feature documentary, "Under the Flags, the Sun" (Bajo las banderas, el sol), offers an unprecedented glimpse into this pivotal era.
This film stands as one of the precious few documentaries featured in the latest Panorama sidebar at the Berlin Film Festival and one of the rare Paraguayan productions to grace the festival's lineup. Ahead of its world premiere at the Panorama Dokumente program of the 75th Berlin Film Festival on Monday, THR is pleased to exclusively unveil the documentary's trailer below.
The demise of the Stroessner regime led to the neglect of audiovisual archives that had fortified its grip on power. A synopsis highlights, "This material, meticulously crafted to mold a national identity and exalt the regime, was allowed to slip into obscurity." Decades hence, a treasure trove of never-before-seen and long-forgotten footage—newsreels, public television broadcasts, propaganda films, and declassified documents—has been unearthed from within and beyond Paraguay, uncovering the covert mechanisms that underpinned Stroessner's reign. It unmasks "how the past was manipulated for indoctrination, the construction of a national imagery, and the cult of Stroessner."
As such, the film also serves as "a visual expedition through the 20th-century media landscape and an archaeological exploration of the present in a country where the descendants of regime leaders still wield influence," according to the Berlinale website.
The trailer showcases mere glimpses of the vast array of footage, both in black and white and color, that Pereira painstakingly curated. One scene captures Stroessner extolling "the wishes and views of the people," while another portrays him boasting about uniting his country—yet the visuals narrate a starkly contrasting tale.
"In Paraguayan primary and secondary schools, they fail to educate about Stroessner's dictatorship or the myriad other regimes in the nation's history," Pereira reveals. He made the film "to piece together discovered archives and comprehend how that epoch shaped society, my contemporary reality, thoughts, and emotions. Although I didn't live through these events, they resonate profoundly, shaping my worldview and innermost feelings," he elaborates.
The filmmaker adds, "In a rural country where fear muffles voices—fears of losing land, livelihood, or security—Paraguay remains isolated in regional press, its people bearing a heavy silence. Unlike its Latin American neighbors, Paraguay never truly embarked on a journey of remembrance after the fall of its last dictatorship. The silences here run deep."
Produced by Ivana Urízar for Cine Mío, Paula Zyngierman and Leandro Listorti for MaravillaCine, Gabriela Sabaté for Sabaté Films, and Pereira himself, "Under the Flags, the Sun" was co-produced by Bird Street Production and Lardux Films. Welt Film served as the associate producer, while Cinephil handles worldwide sales rights.
