Viva Zapatero!

So, what is Italian journalist Sabina
Guzzanti actually doing in her documentary, which, by way of its very title
– Viva Zapatero! – proposes a toast to the Spanish prime
minister? First off, Guzzanti documents the problems she faced at Italian state
television during Berlusconi’s reign. Commissioned to write, direct and feature
in a late-night satirical television series, the show was axed immediately
after the airing of its first episode, as the result of political pressure
applied as a consequence of her lampooning the Italian premier. This decision
to pull the series was based on – as we can see from her documentary – some
very diverse arguments, namely: Guzzanti was telling untruths, Guzzanti was
being offensive; Guzzanti was mixing information and commentary…

Viva Zapatero! provides Sabina
Guzzanti’s side of the story. And as is revealed in this documentary – as well
as through the statements of all the politicians involved, together with those
of media experts, theorists and practitioners of satire - it can be deemed that
all the aforementioned arguments most certainly apply. But a most crucial fact
must also be considered; namely: that this was satire, which by its very
definition mandates ‘untruths’ – i.e. exaggeration, transposition,
caricaturing, as well as ridiculing the established order – a genre which has
been a most powerful leveller since Aristophanes. At the same time the limits
of ’good taste' are – as has been well explained by Dario Fo, a man whose very
satire earned him a Nobel Prize – certainly not determined by the satire's
victim, but only and exclusively by the audience, which can either reject the
satire as primitive or lacking bite, or support it – despite its cruelty –
because it has hit the very nail on the head.

Politicians
who attempt to ban satire on their own account are, by definition,
intrinsically weak, as English satirist Rory Bremner – a man famous for his
impersonations of politicians, including Tony Blair – reflects in the
documentary. And he is so bloody right: Berlusconi has been history for six
months, and everybody should live happily ever after. But, it’s not as simple
as that. Through an examination of her own case Guzzanti reveals a series of
mechanisms which facilitated the ascension of a new “Caesar”, instruments that had been established by the
previous centre-left government that was instantaneously transformed into an
anaemic opposition following Berlusconi's victory. And this is what is most
frightening. When explicitly asked why they passed laws that allowed Berlusconi
to control the media, a minister of the pre-Berlusconi government shrugged his
shoulders in embarrassment. It is obvious that they were speculating; and
failed. Realising that they couldn’t win the next elections, they may also have
consciously pushed the country into the arms of a lunatic who brought it to its
knees politically, economically and socially. …And this spring they were again
able to mount throne as the great saviour…?

And
last – but by no means least – how did Guzzanti’s journalist colleagues react
to Berlusconi's media censorship? Unfortunately, not that honourably. As with
the left-wing politicians they too distanced themselves, and sniped at her
perceived lack of objectivity. This is indeed a very enlightening story,
especially for a callow neighbour.
Tanja Lesničar-Pučko

Moderated by: Tanja Lesničar-Pučko 

Organisation: City of Women
In collaboration with: Kinodvor
With the support of: Istituto Italiano di Cultura