No

In 1973 the Chilean army overthrew

President Allende

and General Pinochet

took control of the country.

After 15 years of dictatorship,

Pinochet faced

increasing international pressure

to legitimize his regime.

In July, 1988,

a referendum was held.

The people would vote YES or NO

to another 8-year term

for Pinochet.

For 27 days, the two sides

would fight it out daily on TV:

15 minutes for the YES camp

and 15 for the NO.

First of all, I'd like to say

that what you're about to see

fits with the current social context.

We believe the country is ready

for communication like this.

Absolutely.

Remember, the citizens

have increased demands about the truth,

and what they want.

Let's be honest:

Today, Chile is thinking of its future.

Let's watch.

The new soft drink has arrived!

It's young, liberated, and Free!

The time has come

The time is right for Free

It's what you were waiting for

It was made for you

And now, Free!

Refresh yourself now!

And feel Free!

Free like you

Now, you. Now, Free!

It's OK, but...

Why the f*** is there miming in my film?

When did we talk about miming?

There is no doubt that...

that it is very well done,

You can see the effort.

Carlos,

This is very, very, very original.

It might work in the US,

but we have to trust our product.

We have a product

different to the competition.

It invites you to be young,

and be brave.

If you're brave, you're Free.

I think.

This is everything our youth needs.

Music, a rebellion,

an idyll.

But with order and respect.

Excuse me. There's a Mr. Urrutia...

No, we're in a meeting.

He's here.

Here?

Please go and see. Go on.

OK.

Take a look at the 30-second version.

There's no miming in it.

Thanks.

Jos Toms Urrutia?

Yes.

The communist?

Yes.

What do you want?

You've become very f***ing important.

No wonder you won't take my calls now.

I work.

What's going on?

How's Vero doing?

Well, I suppose.

What can I do for you?

I'm working on the campaign

for the referendum.

I know.

For the NO campaign, of course.

Everyone knows.

What does everyone know?

That you're with the NOs,

and you want me to do the campaign.

Who?

Me.

You?

Yes. Me.

No.

Besides...

Why are you bothering with it?

This election is rigged from the outset.

Listen,

international pressure

has forced Pinochet to agree

to an opposing campaign.

This is our chance

to overthrow the dictatorship.

So, Pinochet set up a referendum

in order to lose it.

No, be serious,

I'm being serious, man.

Pinochet could win this vote

without cheating, if he wants.

Really?

That's what's so terrible.

Legally?

People either vote for him

or not at all.

No, let's take a cab.

We'll take a bus.

A political campaign

takes up a lot of time.

A lot of people... A good team.

Of course, but the campaign

is in the hands

of experts in political communication

who know their job and do it well.

Let me tell you that at first,

I wasn't too sure,

but they've surprised me.

Good people, responsible, capable.

What I need, man...

is an external opinion.

An opinion!

Just an opinion from me?

I wouldn't even give you that.

Calm down, man.

No!

I didn't know

you were pals with that communist.

Urrutia's no communist.

Yes he is.

No.

He was my classmate. I know him.

No, he's not a communist.

What is he, then?

He's the other...

Christian Democrat?

No.

Socialist?

No!

It doesn't matter,

they're all forms of communism.

No, I know Urrutia from...

He's a family friend.

Are you going to tell me

how microwave works?

It's laser technology.

Invisible heat,

and you say "a" microwave.

A microwave.

Yes.

You were offered the NO campaign?

Are we going to talk about that

or about a microwave?

You tell me, dickwad.

Yes.

Yes,

but I said no,

I didn't have the time,

I had my hands full, and I couldn't.

I'm only going to give them my opinion.

Even if it hurts you.

Thank you.

You're such a showoff, a**hole.

Loads of people are offering me work.

Freelance.

With your family background,

I never should have hired you.

You'd have passed up a goldmine.

And what about you?

Forget my loyalty to Pinochet.

Please be coherent.

You didn't share that goldmine

with the communists.

Enough with the communists, old lady.

An old lady? No, an old man.

Who's on board with the campaign?

I don't know.

Did they call anyone from abroad?

No, just me I think.

You?

Yes.

But you've been away for ages.

What do you know about it? Nothing.

Do they have money?

No.

The communists don't have money.

It's not them.

Oh no? So who is it then?

Everyone but the communists.

Not the communists.

Nicaragua, Cuba and the Soviet Union

didn't put any money in.

No.

The Americans did.

No, they're on our side.

And yet they did it.

The CIA financed the coups

and are supporting us.

How much are they paying you?

The Americans are with the NO.

...for public spaces,

we've designed some posters.

This doesn't mean

that these are the definitive ones:

"If I govern, you govern"

"YES, for a winning country"

"We are millions."

Lucho Guzman.

Explain to us your theory

about reactionary people.

No, Minister.

What I meant to say

is that the concept of dictatorship

packs a strong punch.

And that on top of that,

now they're going to say it on TV.

split into different opinions

lost in the middle of the night.

That's what the opposition has.

The YES camp will have those 15 minutes

and all of the remaining time, too.

They didn't have that platform before.

Platform? How many parties are there?

Seventeen.

It'll be chaos.

They'll fight like cat and dog.

The general is respected everywhere.

Even the biggest hypocrites

know he's modernized this country.

Do you know what I've heard

my fellow Argentineans say?

"We want a Pinochet."

Everyone wants a Pinochet.

Show him.

You control the radio,

the newspapers, television. But...

we have to get him out of uniform,

and compose

an elegant, very Chilean anthem,

for the people to sing

with pride, to the general in a suit.

That spells trouble.

How about in black tie?

I prefer him in a suit.

I think we should take advantage

of his blue eyes, his smile.

We'd need to test it, Minister,

to be sure.

I'd make him wear a pearl.

It's very elegant.

I'll have to talk to him.

Pinochet out of uniform

is a government without soldiers,

in other words, progress.

This country's progress

has been stunning.

It's not like Latin America.

You don't realize the...

your influence in the world.

But these "gauchos" keep protesting.

The country is full of ingrates.

They forgot everything.

So scare them.

Excuse me?

You've lost me.

Shouldn't we show

a nicer face?

If you want to scare people,

scare them with their past.

Their past of poverty,

endless queues for bread.

The opposition

misses socialism,

but the only thing people care about

is handouts.

They know

socialism makes them unhappy.

Here, you have a system

in which anyone can get rich.

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