Dir. Luis Armando Roche
1977 | 94 mins | Venezuela
Spanish with English subtitles
Juliet Berto, Domingo Del Castillo, Freddy Galavís, Asdrúbal Meléndez, Alvaro Roche

After being a peddler, street photographer, radio announcer, policeman, and mechanic, Jacinto (Asdrúbal Melendez) decides to become a film projectionist. He aspires to bring cinema experiences to the people of Venezuela.

To get away from the big city, this Jack of all trades decides to transform a truck into a travelling cinema shaped like a whale. Manuel (Alvaro Roche), a brave eleven-year-old orphan offers his help and becomes part of Jacinto’s trip. Juliet (Juliet Berto), a mysterious French woman also looking for adventure, joins them in this cinematic journey to the end of the world…

El Cine Soy Yo, also known also as The Moving Picture Man is a Venezuelan/French film released in 1977, directed by the prolific film director and writer Luis Armando Roche (1938 – 2021) with Juliet Berto, Asdrúbal Meléndez and Alvaro Roche. It is one of the most representative films of Venezuelan cinema and a celebration of the power of cinema in the most unimaginable circumstances.

The new 4K restoration was undertaken from the negative in 35mm by Bolivar Films in Caracas, the same laboratory which carried out the original development of the prints during the post-production in the 70s. With thanks to Bolivar Films and Marie-Françoise Barré de Roche.

Wish you were here! – Talking about holidays

Sat 14 Sep | 3pm – 5pm | Free

Join Dr Paul Cleave from the University of Exeter for this workshop exploring the world of travel and holidays through the souvenirs, mementoes, and the details we keep.

This workshop is being run as part of the Phoenix Archive Project. The Phoenix Archive is a newly restored archive of 16mm film footage dating from the 1930s to the 1950s, tracking one family’s travels and activities through this turbulent period. From daily life and family outings to major historical events and world travel, the archive represents an exciting historical record.

Tickets for El Cine Soy Yo are £5 for participants of this workshop.

Book here