The Terror is British colonialism and cold war imperialism The Time is 1953. This documentary treats colonialism and western cold war imperialism in the context of the British army invasion of Guyana in 1953. Focusing on the economic and cultural repression of the Guyanese people, the Victor Jara Collective captures the force of the historical events that clarifies the struggles of the working and peasant class. Centering around historical references, interviews and nine Poems of Resistance by Martin Carter, the film deals critically with the total impact of the period. It reveals the complex nature of colonialist domination in daily life presenting images which examine the psychological consequences of poverty and oppression. In examining the effective use of Carter's poetry, which was banned in Guyana, Eusi Kwayana, leading member of the working people's alliance, sees the collection as a cultural product to enrich the struggle with "ideological nourishment."

Unfolding without narration, Mother Dao, the Turtlelike is a spare and elegant film constructed entirely from archival footage... Luminous nitrate images are set against a simple soundtrack of birdcalls, bells and murmuring voices, punctuated occasionally by native poems and songs. The film's careful construction reveals the face of systematic colonization and the effect of economic expansion on a culture. There are stunning moments: a child leaves off breast-feeding to drag on a cigarette; crocodiles are lassoed in a round-up; a strange white snow floats in the air as workers beat their way through enormous mountains of fluff. Much of the footage, shot by white Dutchmen and meant as propaganda for their colonial causes, now seems both comical and ominous - especially the recurring image of the white-clad colonialist intent on improving native culture and forcing industry forward. The natives' songs and poems, on the other hand, are full of regretful laments against hunger and the drive for profit. A quiet yet pointed journey through the past, Mother Dao is both an informative time capsule and a moving tribute to a lost world. (Rachel Rosen, San Francisco Film Festival)