The Mala Noche Recommends: “Where Chaos Reigns,” an Uncompromising Look at the Venezuelan Humanitarian Crisis and the Anti-Government Protests of 2017

Written by: Miguel Torrellas

In the spirit of full transparency, I will disclose the fact that I know some of the people who made this documentary. My response to it might be affected by my proximity to the subject at hand and the people examining it. But I doubt that any compassionate person will be able to watch “Where Chaos Reigns” without some form of visceral or emotional reaction and a desire to answer its urgent call to action.

It is impossible to cram over 15 years of Venezuelan social and political unrest in a ten-minute piece. Instead, directors Braulio Jatar and Anais Michel chose to focus on one of its most gruesome parts, the anti-government Protests of 2017, through the eyes of the Green Cross, an organization of doctors and medical students that assists anyone afflicted during the conflict.

Narrated by Daniella Liendo Bouquet, one of the directors of the Green Cross, the film features the unnerving scenes of repression and violence in contrast with her humanitarian mission. In one of the earliest scenes, we see the team of medical professionals saying a prayer before entering the urban battlefield, and the moments of brutality that arrive later prove how necessary this is. By framing the story through Bouquet’s experience, the documentary allows for a somewhat hopeful and active voice to provide context and guide us through an endless cycle of pain.

The draining nature of their plight and that of everyone involved in the struggle is evoked with a selection of instrumental pieces by French musician Monplaisir. The songs may feel meditative at times, bringing a subdued moment of reflection while also producing a disheartening repetition. At the most horrendous segments, the dissonance of the music increases as the veneer of civilization falls apart.

While the music is certainly entrancing, it is the unprecedented on-site footage captured by Jatar what commands the attention of the viewer. Displays of panic and bravery abound almost as much as tear-gas grenades and Molotov cocktails. The menacing presence of the policing bodies is threatening, but the glimpses into the Green Cross’ work are almost unbearable to watch. Fueled by the weight of history, these images channel the agony and passion of its subjects.

Because of this, it’s not hard to see to see the value of “Where Chaos Reigns” as a text worthy of examination in the effort to understand the convoluted analysis of contemporary Venezuela. There’s no doubt of the filmmakers’ profound sympathy for the cause of the protesters, but because of their commitment to the story of the Green Cross, they have managed to avoid the issues that come with editorialization. Instead, by soberingly present the facts of the ongoing humanitarian crisis and the evident madness of 2017, they crafted the fiercest of attacks to the oppressing regime, one that is as eloquent as it is undeniable.

Among all of the misinformation surrounding the country’s political turmoil, it is heartening to see such a well-thought-out project cut through all of the clouds of confusion with a clear moral plea: Venezuela needs help.