Research Centre
Art and Design Research Centre

Date
2008

Documentary Feature Film

Chevolution is an interrogation of the impactful journey of the famous image of Che Guevara taken at a memorial service in Havana in 1960 by Alberto Korda – researching into the accounts and cultural/political/economic factors that led to this iconic image becoming ‘the Mona Lisa’ of photography’ – entering the public domain to be ‘exploited’ the world over? The film charts the strange journey of Korda's portrait of Che, from revolutionary symbol to advertising logo and an iconic but little-understood image often adopted by young people who aren't even sure who the man is. The film is recognized for offering a multi-faceted account of how the image became freed from its subject and an independent ‘free floating’ object of seemingly conflicting ideologies.

As an editor I played an instrumental role, in exploring and revealing the subject matter proposed by the Directors, Trisha Ziff and Luis Lopes. The film was constructed from a wide range of complex and seemingly contradictory material and as one of three editors, I was acknowledged for developing the initial editing strategy that could reveal the layers of storytelling necessary to the films ambitions.

Commissioned by NETFLIX & ARTE the film has been screened at numerous festivals. Tribeca Film Festival, New York (2008) Silverdocs (2008), Dubai (2008), All About Freedom, Poland 2008), Antalya International, Turkey (2008), Films From the South, Norway (2008), Kerala, India (2008), Rio De Janerio (2008), Sao Paulo International, 2008), Vladivostok International - Pacific Meridian – CIS (2008)

It was programmed at the ICA, London, (September/October 2009) and made an ICA sponsored tour of UK independent cinemas (2009) Distributed by ICA Films (2009), ICA DVD Release (2010).

Researchers involved

Steve Sprung - Course Leader, MA Film and Media Production, MA International Documentary Production

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