Culture, Not Cocaine

Being from Florida, we didn't know much about hockey before we saw The Mighty Ducks; apparently it's not part of the Canadian Creation myth involving the half-goat Puck. Cinema always had that power to educate and change perspectives. However, purging notorious drug lord Pablo Escobar from Colombia's image is a daunting task, even at 24 frames per second. Pablo Is Gone, a documentary directed by FIU student and Colombian native Paolo Pérez, aims to do just that by highlighting the country's current cultural state of affairs, almost 15 years after the kingpin’s death.

“[Colombia] took it upon herself to change the image. She hears from different people what their interpretation of her culture is, and she really wants to change the perception,” says Steven Ramirez, an assistant on the film. The documentary premieres at 8 tonight at the Wolfsonian University Center on the FIU North Campus, 3000 NE 151st St., North Miami. Admission is seven dollars for the general public, free for FIU students. Lean more at www.pabloisgone.com.
Fri., March 21, 2008