ABSTRACT
One of the foundational tenets of neoliberal economics is that it seeks the privatization of all government functions. The case of the Peruvian film collective Grupo Chaski offers an opportunity to study the ways that political filmmakers have responded to the challenges of neoliberalism, which invariably privatizes vital public issues in the same ways that it privatizes national industries. 1 Founded in the early 1980s, Grupo Chaski emerged in a context of neoliberalism, state violence, guerrilla resistance, and massive urban growth. Focusing on the experiences of the most disenfranchised sectors of Lima society, Chaski has been dedicated to revolutionizing all components of the filmmaking process. From the group’s inception, they have consistently worked on creating alternative modes of exhibition at the same time that they have sought to make their films available to the public via commercial releases, television screenings, videos, and other more mainstream distribution outlets.
