Red carpet: Hugo Chavez at Venice film festival

Published: Tue, 08 Sep 2009 12:30:00

Hugo Chavez took to the red carpet at the Venice film festival last night as Oliver Stone's film about that Venezuelan president received its premiere. Supporters chanted "president, president" in Spanish as Mr Chavez spoke to photographers, at one point borrowing a camera, and threw flowers into the crowd. No stranger to controversy, Stone's latest film about President Chavez's 11 years in power has provoked anger in the US.

South of the Border seeks to explore the Venezuelan president's portrayal in the right-wing media stateside, where he is referred to as a dictator. Socialist leader Mr Chavez has been an outspoken critic of the US since coming to power in 1998. Speaking to journalists last night he dubbed Stone, who interviewed seven other South American heads of state for his movie, a "genius of cinema".

I think he could smell the air of change in South America," President Chavez said. Stone's next project is no less controversial - he hopes to make a film based on interviews with Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

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