Jonathan Ali chats with Puerto Rican director Ramon Rivera Morett about his film
In 1948, Luis Munoz Marin became Puerto Rico’s first democratically elected governor, 50 years after the island was colonized by the United States. The Community Education Department (Divedco) was established as part of his popular Democratic reform program. In its activities, Divedco produced a series of short films aimed at improving the lives of people, primarily in poor rural communities. This is a film that was created in collaboration with people themselves.
Combining social intent with cinematic artistry, Divedco’s documentaries and fictional films, which immersed the spirit of collective effort, explored subjects such as illiteracy, women’s rights, and civic responsibility. They were internationally acclaimed at film festivals in the 1950s and 1960s, and became difficult to access for decades afterwards.
Everything seemed possible – a new, mostly archived documentary that coincides with the restoration of several films – explores what a utopian moment is in Puerto Rican history. That director, Ramon Rivera Morett, spoke Jonathan Ali.
Movies in the Community Education department are personal to you. Your great fugitive Gabriel was one of the filmmakers. When was your first notice of these films?
I first heard about my grandmother’s movies since I was a child. She told me about her brother Gabriel’s work, and the values she saw in the film and the stories they told. The film was known in Puerto Rico, but was intended primarily for rural communities and was not easily accessible outside the circuit. I had no chance to watch films until I was a film student in Paris.
The film was made in Puerto Rico in a specific context of postwar modernization
The economic changes from agriculture to industrial in the 1950s and 1960s promoted the rapid modernization of Puerto Rico, promoting urban migration and mass immigration to the United States. Like other parts of the world, this modernization process has created new problems and has largely failed. The architect, Luis Muñoz Marin, became a person of polarization. He was welcomed as a Savior by some, and was accused of traitors by others for opposing, especially independent movements.
in Everything seemed possibleI wanted to explore this complicated historical period, but with its utopian vision, portrayal of the landscape and rhythm of rural life, and the spirit of people, the Diffdco film wanted to provide a powerful entry point. Growing up in a small town, I had witnessed the tail edges of the world that these films portrayed.
You should note that the films in the category were not merely propaganda for the Munoz Marin administration.
It is impressive that Munoz Marin, who enacted a gag law that opposed the government illegally, still granted freedom for diving artists to oppose it. Sometimes these artists openly challenged his administration. Only one film is known to have been censored.
Divedco was the creator of Muñoz Marín. At his youth, he was a socialist and advocate for independence. Perhaps those beliefs remained in some way, and the program helped us to introduce them.
What was the impact of the film when it was made?
Their biggest impact was in rural communities. In my conversations with the organizers who encouraged the screening and discussion, [they] It highlighted the social functioning of community-raising films to trigger communities, improve infrastructure, create literacy programs, and address democratic ideals. They also said they felt that key members of the community were seeing their lives depicted on screen.
In the film’s conclusion, you quote the author who describes the project of Puerto Rico Munoz Marin as “a half-built house.” Can the recovery of Divedco movies have a role to play in rethinking the lost future?
and Everything seemed possible And the repair of the divedco movie, I want to inspire both reflection and conversation about the film. A generation of Puerto Ricans who changed countries by building infrastructure and educational institutions in a short period of time. The project ultimately failed, and for decades at that time, the agency built at the time has been demolished or dysfunctional.
However, there is much to learn from imagining and building the future from this period. A strong spirit of solidarity remains in the country. The embrace of the Divedco film community and its utopian spirit can remain a source of inspiration.
Everything seemed possible (2025)
Ramon Rivera Morette
US•105 min
