The film «Radio Corazon» has shocked the Chileans
October 23, 2007
It is not for the first time that the Chilean filmmakers draw attention to amorous side of life of their compatriots, towards their sexual problems. Famous under the pseudonym «El Rumpy» Roberto Artiagoitia, anchorman of the popular program at Radio Corazon, has made his début in this film.
From Monday till Friday «El Rumpy» in his program «El Chacotero Sentimental» («Sentimental Joker») tells about love stories of his male and female audience, analyses them in his own way, gives advice.
The film «Radio Corazon» is just based on three stories that, according to the film director, have quite a realistic basis. No fantasies! Jolly and sad stories, narrated in the film have shaken Chileans. At least that's what elder people speak about it. Chile has always considered to be a conservative country. Even divorces until recently have been banned there. And here such things...
The director himself says that his work reflects the modern Chile, changes that have recently taken place there. Dictator Pinochet, who dictated very strict norms of behaviour is dead; catholic church is slowly losing the ground and this is especially noticeable at the youngest generation.
Here I would like to add to the director. Could recent neo-liberal «freedoms» bring to the surface the hidden trends of everyday life of Chileans? That is how Iosif Grigulevich, famous Soviet intelligence agent, when completing his illegal work at the continent, used to characterise that «sentimental» side of life:
«...In Chile, like in all South American countries, the word «cobarde» means more that just a coward. It has other meanings: meanness and baseness, insidiousness and treachery. God forbid you to use this word without real need, as well as «cornudo» - cuckolded, - it is none the less abusive, although in the real life of Chileans there may be quite a lot of reasons for this. Morals and manners in the country are very dissolute. One can frequently meet bigamists, and as for mistresses, every «normal» Chilean will definitely have one. It is peculiar but in Chile there is no cult of womanizing that Argentinians are famous for. A Chilean man does not think it a virtue and does not boast his success with women. Even among the working class circles, and moreover, among party leaders,- the most sound elements of the society, bigamy is pretty often met. You cannot say that a Chilean woman is a woman of pleasure in nature. In most of the cases a woman gives herself to a man free of charge, but with such an astounding easiness that I have never seen in any other country of the world»... (Quoted from the book of Nil Nikandrov «Grigulevich. The agent with luck».)