Intending to make a straightforward portrait of the president of Venezuela, Irish filmmakers Bartley and O'Briain instead found themselves in the midst of a coup d'etat. This stirring piece of cinema verite, shot on the streets and inside the presidential palace, follows the attempted overthrow of President Hugo Chavez, whose socialist programs have incited the wrath of the nation's elite. At first, the film looks like a typical Latin American political tragedy — a democratically elected government is overthrown, allegedly with the support of the CIA. (Jesse Helms calls Chavez a "narco-terrorist," and the coup's leaders are flown to the White House.) Venezuela's citizens, however, have the final word, and that makes Revolution an inspiring, immediate expression of the power of the people. (JS)The Revolution Will Not Be Televised official website