Educational Media Reviews Online

Bolivia: Violins in the Forest uncovers a unique music conservatory located in a remote village in Bolivia. The conservatory, established by Spanish Jesuits during the Colonial period, trains Guarayo youth in the Baroque style of music. In this underprivileged village one hears the classical sounds of violin—Bach, Handel, and Vivaldi—wafting through the dusty streets. The 50 minute narrated film introduces us to the charismatic leader of the music conservatory, and also presents the challenges and constraints faced by the young artists of the village. While fascinating to discover the story behind the "violins in the forest," the documentary takes a somewhat condescending tone and fails to present the subjects of the film with much human depth. One example of this is the film's troubling inability to acknowledge female members of the community (the narrator repeatedly refers to the male and female music students as "the boys"). The film ends on a high note by documenting an impressive performance by the talented youth, but neglects to provide a full picture of how the music conservatory is improving the future for the Guarayo people. Note that this documentary is one of 23 films available as part of the Latin American Studies Series, which “offers in-depth studies on the geography, history, culture and people of various Latin American countries.” Recommended with reservations for those interested in the difficult legacy of colonialism in Latin America.