Updated: The acclaim continues to come in for Granito. More quotes added below.
Tonight, Granito: How to Nail a Dictator airs on POV. The film, directed by Pamela Yates, goes behind the scenes of Yates’ 1983 documentary When the Mountains Tremble, showing how the documentary became a powerful piece of evidence that aided human rights activists in bringing the perpetrators of the Guatemalan genocide to justice.
Read what the critics have to say about this gripping film:
“Granito… doesn’t simply relate history; it is also part of history.”
— Stephen Holden, The New York Times
“Extraordinary… a documentary that proves without doubt that documentary films can influence current events and politics.”
— Jennifer Merin, About.com
“Both a humanitarian legal thriller and a quest to find justice through cinema… It’s heartwarming to see Mountains subject and Nobel Peace Prize recipient Rigoberta Menchú still fighting the good fight.”
— Aaron Hillis, The Village Voice
“Much of it plays like a good thriller.”
— Stephen Farber, The Hollywood Reporter
“A heartening testament to the notion that, if people will it, monsters can ultimately be vanquished.”
— Dan Persons, Huffington Post
“Granito demonstrates the power of documentary films as agents of change.”
— Shelley Gabert, Documentary Magazine
“Granito is a journey of brutality, impunity and hope.”
— Anna-Claire Bevan, Revue: Guatemala’s English-language Magazine
“An epic tale of justice… this film has served its purpose — nailing a dictator — and will live on to educate about the abuses of power.””
— Geneva Anderson, ART hound
“Proof that documentaries can change things comes tonight on POV.”
— Roger Catlin Online
“A riveting, haunting tale of genocide and justice that spans four decades, two films and in many ways, Yates’s own career.”
— Basil Tsiokos, What (Not) to Doc
“A shining example of small actions that truly matter on a global scale.”
— David Crumm, ReadTheSpirit.com
Tune in to PBS tonight to watch Granito (check your local listings), or stream it online starting Friday, June 29, 2012, in both English and Spanish.
Then visit us on Twitter @povdocs, Facebook, or our Granito companion site to tell us what you think!
Granito: How to Nail a Dictator airs tonight at 10 PM on PBS stations. Keep up with all of this season’s films at http://pbs.org/pov, on Twitter @povdocs or on Facebook.
