The attendees protested against Leslie Urteaga and asked him to leave the place. The booing was accompanied by a sign about the “defense of Peruvian cinema.”
The Minister of Culture She was booed by those attending the opening of the Lima Film Festival at the Gran Teatro Nacional. Amidst boos and signs, Leslie Urteaga appeared in the auditorium and tried to give a speech while the audience shouted at her to leave. Despite this, the head of the Mincul continued with her words.
To a chorus of “Get out!”, the state official raised her voice and exclaimed: “Good evening, with all due respect I ask you to let me finish my speech.” However, the backlash against her continued until she finished her speech and came down the steps amid a wave of complaints and shouts that accused her of being a “hypocrite” and a “liar.”
The head of the Mincul mentioned a series of Peruvian films that had been produced with state funding, however, the claims against her did not cease until she left the stand.
The collective rejection is due to Leslie Urtega’s failure to defend Peruvian cinema in the face of the law promoted by Congresswoman Adriana Tudela (Avanza País), which regulates DAFO financing for Peruvian films that relate human rights violations during the era of political violence (1980 – 2000) and, in addition, limits the budget for auteur, regional and indigenous cinema.
This set of changes represents an attack on regional cinema and, consequently, on culture, diversity and freedom of expression.