[rating=8.00]
The Sandinista movement isn’t something we spend a lot of time thinking about here in the States. What little we do know about it probably stems from some vague memories of Ronald Regan giving speeches decrying the revolutionary Nicaraguan movement as a force of evil, communism out of control. We also might remember that they had something to do with the Iran-Contra scandal that plagued much of Regan’s political life, staining, in many eyes, his legacy as leader of this country.
None of that really tells us much about who the Sandinistas were, however, or what they were fighting over. Las Sandinistas!, the first feature documentary from director Jenny Murray, goes beyond the rhetoric and explores the Sandinista movement from its inception and sheds a bright light on the realities of who these guerilla fighters were, as well as why they were fighting.
This is far from the first film to try to dig deeper into the Sandinista movement, but it’s arguably the best. This feat is accomplished in no small part by telling the story from the perspective of the women who fought with and supported the movement, taking us deep inside the push for revolutionary change that, all demonization be damned, accomplished some great and exciting things for a country that had been long stagnant under dictatorial rule.
Using a mix of archival footages and images with modern interviews with leading women of the movement, Las Sandinistas! paints an in depth and intimate portrayal of FSLN that pierces right to the core of the revolutionary ideals that moved them. Through their eyes, the movement is intensely humanized, and their so-called evil is given a face that tells another side to the story—one that showcases the improvement of healthcare, education, and the lives of so many in Nicaragua.
The film serves as a tense reminder that the struggle for freedom is never a passive act; true freedom is active and requires a depth of engagement even when the battle has long been won. Portraying this story through the eyes of the women in the movement serves to hammer this point home. Even fighting side by side with men, the women still fought against the tyranny of sexist oppression and societal gender norms. For them, the fight for freedom was deeper than the toppling of a corrupt and unjust government. For them, freedom was a struggle pitched to them by birth.
Murray explores this all with shocking depth and stunning detail, creating a powerful portrait of the nature of freedom and what it means to be willing to die to earn it. This was a movement beset by the forces of the government it fought and by the forces of American anti-communist fervor. Too often the forces of social changes are painted in negative lights, demonized as something they’re not in order to maintain the status quo.
Las Sandinistas! breaks away your conceptions and shows you a side of the story you might be unfamiliar with. It’s an important side to consider as we move into an uncertain future. The Sandinistas weren’t fighting for communism necessarily, so much as they were fighting for another way. Theirs is an important movement, whether you agree with them or not, and deserves study away from the passions of the era to gain true understanding. This film might not tell you everything you need to know, but it’s truly a stunning start to a larger conversation—one that is vital that we begin to have.
