Chomsky & Mujica is a long term documentary project that brings together Noam Chomsky and José “Pepe” Mujica to reflect on the need for a radical change of global direction. The film grew out of an intimate weekend of conversations in Montevideo and has since evolved into a wider project that includes books, talks and ongoing work for younger generations.
A documentary on the need for a radical change of global direction
Many people feel that the world is spinning faster and that it is hard to understand what is happening. In moments like these it is precious to listen to voices that have spent a lifetime thinking critically about power, democracy and the future of our species. Noam Chomsky and Pepe Mujica are two of those rare voices.
The Mexican filmmaker Saúl Alvídrez decided to invite them to spend a weekend together and to record their conversations. The result is the Chomsky & Mujica documentary, an intimate meeting in which they speak freely about love, life, freedom, ecological collapse, inequality and the main challenges of the 21st century.
Why Chomsky and Mujica
Noam Chomsky is often described as one of the most important living intellectuals. He transformed the field of linguistics when he was still very young and later became a central figure in cognitive science, philosophy and political criticism. Over many decades he has written dozens of books and analysed how media, corporations and states shape our lives.
José “Pepe” Mujica is known as the former guerrilla fighter who became president of Uruguay. He spent almost fifteen years in prison during the dictatorship, many of them in isolation. After being released he returned to politics and finally served as president, becoming famous for his modest lifestyle and his idea that politics should serve ordinary people and the planet.
A weekend in Montevideo
The meeting between the two took place in Montevideo, Uruguay. Chomsky and Mujica, together with their partners Valeria and Lucía, shared food and long conversations while the cameras followed them. Despite their age, the film is directed above all to younger generations. The filmmakers describe it as “a beautiful and urgent message to humanity” that explores love, freedom, power and responsibility in a time of multiple crises.
The project reminds us that millennials and centennials have inherited climate breakdown, economic and political instability and a fragile democracy. The Chomsky & Mujica documentary asks how a radical global change can still be possible and what values we need to rebuild our societies.
About the director
On the Kickstarter page, director Saúl Alvídrez presents himself as a 31-year-old Mexican activist and former law and economics student at Tecnológico de Monterrey. He was one of the founders of the student movement #YoSoy132. After facing persecution and media attacks, he left Mexico and spent several years in South America, travelling with his dog Zeus through Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Uruguay and Ecuador.
During those years he studied the work and lives of Chomsky and Mujica and slowly discovered his own mission: to amplify public conversation about global problems. He has worked on this documentary for years, across several countries, hundreds of emails and many hours of filming and editing. Chomsky & Mujica is his first feature documentary and the heart of a larger project that now includes books, public events and educational materials.
Find out more about the documentary
Visit the Chomsky & Mujica documentary page on Kickstarter