When Propaganda Becomes History, Who Owns the Truth?

Read Time:4 Minute, 55 Second

MOVIE REVIEW
Under the Flags, the Sun
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Genre: Documentary
Year Released: 2025
Runtime: 1h 30m
Director(s): Juanjo Pereira
Where To Watch: shown at the 2025 Berlin International Film Festival

RAVING REVIEW: The victors often write history, but sometimes, it’s preserved by the tools used to manipulate the public. UNDER THE FLAGS, THE SUN uncovers a long-forgotten collection of state-controlled media, offering a raw, unfiltered look at how an authoritarian regime shaped perception, controlled narratives, and left a lasting imprint on a nation’s identity. This isn’t a traditional documentary with talking heads and modern analysis—it’s an excavation of propaganda, allowing the past to tell its own story through the very footage that once kept a dictatorship in power. While the film is not directly related to what is currently happening in the United States, I can’t help but see the parallels as a citizen. These horrors are repeating themselves while so many celebrate.

The film’s commitment to archival authenticity is striking. Whether a state-sanctioned broadcast or a long-buried government record, every piece of footage builds an unsettling portrait of how media was wielded as both a weapon and a security blanket. While some documentaries use historical footage as supplementary material, this makes it the foundation, immersing viewers in the same visual landscape that once defined reality for an entire country. The approach is bold, removing the buffer of contemporary explanation and trusting the audience to interpret the footage for themselves.

The sheer contrast between propaganda and international coverage is one of the film’s most effective storytelling tools. Inside Paraguay, the government projected an image of strength, unity, and stability, reinforcing that its leader was the sole architect of national prosperity. But outside the country, the optics were different—reports exposed political maneuvering, Cold War alliances, and a regime propped up by global interests. These perspectives create a fascinating dynamic, emphasizing how easily history can be manipulated depending on who controls the narrative.

Juanjo Pereira’s direction ensures that each clip serves a purpose. Rather than overwhelming the audience with endless footage, the film carefully constructs a timeline, showing how media control evolved alongside the dictatorship. Some clips feel eerily staged, and their messaging is so deliberate that it’s impossible to ignore the manufactured intent. Others are more subtle, the kind of everyday newsreels and cultural broadcasts that seem innocuous until viewed through the lens of historical revisionism. This calculated balance keeps the film from becoming repetitive, ensuring that each moment builds upon the last.

Beyond its historical excavation, the film raises larger questions about the long-term consequences of controlled media. Decades after the regime collapsed, traces of its messaging remain woven into the fabric of Paraguayan society. The film doesn’t just expose a dictatorship’s past—it forces viewers to consider how propaganda lingers, informs collective memory, and how its effects can stretch far beyond the years of direct control. In a time when misinformation and media influence remain global concerns, this aspect makes the documentary feel all too relevant.

The film benefits from meticulous restoration visually. Decades-old footage can often feel degraded or detached from the present, but the images' clarity enhances their impact. The editing choices maintain a steady rhythm, allowing each clip to resonate. The decision to let the original audio stand on its own rather than layering in modern narration or musical cues strengthens the film’s immersive quality. It’s an unembellished experience that challenges the audience to engage with history as it was originally presented rather than being guided by contemporary interpretation.

The film accomplishes its primary goal with precision. It dissects the mechanics of propaganda, revealing how carefully controlled messaging can rewrite history in real-time. Even after the dictatorship’s fall, its curated version of the past remained embedded in the nation’s consciousness, influencing those who weren’t even alive during its reign. The film acts as both an exposé and a warning, illustrating how authoritarian narratives don’t always die with the regimes that created them.

UNDER THE FLAGS, THE SUN is a rare documentary, leaving the audience to piece together the truth. It’s a striking reminder of how powerful media can be, both as an instrument of control and a means of resistance. At its core, the film isn’t just about a single dictatorship—it’s about the ongoing struggle for truth in an era where narratives continue to be shaped by those who hold the loudest microphone.

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[photo courtesy of CINE MÍO, BIRD STREET PRODUCTIONS, LARDUX FILMS, MARAVILLACINE, SABATE FILMS, WELT FILM]

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