Copa America 2015

Copa America 2015 is set to be one of the most promising football tournaments in history because for the first time neither Brazil or Argentina are playing the most exciting football in South America. Instead, the hosts Chile and Colombia are the nations playing a high tempo pulsating brand of football. The excellence of their game makes it hard to believe that neither Chile and Colombia could beat a very average Brazilian side in the 2014 World Cup. However, Copa America 2015 should offer both nations a chance at redemption. Although, it shouldn’t be forgotten that in Copa America 2011, all the top 4 seeded teams, Brazil, Argentina, Chile and Colombia, got knocked out in the quarter-finals to Paraguay, Uruguay, Venezuela and Peru respectively. Such results only highlight that the gap between all 10 South American nations has been reduced over the last two decades. The defending champions Uruguay will once again be looked to play the role of villains although FIFA have ensured they won’t pose much threat as Luis Suárez is still banned. Mexico are again invited and will do their best to give the South Americas a tough test while Jamaica make their Copa America debut.

As per tradition, there will be Copa America 2015 Film and Book spotlight to go along with the soccer tournament. There will be 1 film and 1 book selected from 11 of the nations while the hosts Chile will have 3 films and 2 books selected. The reason Chile gets more representation is to ensure the hosts are given a better look. In the past, there were no underlying threads connecting the different selections but this time around, the decision was made to go with a distinct political tone. This ensures Copa America 2015 will be the darkest and most radical soccer film/book spotlight in the almost decade long duration of these soccer tournaments.

Chile (host nation)

Film #1: The Battle of Chile, parts 1-3 (1975-79, Patricio Guzmán)
Film #2: The Dance of Reality (2013, Alejandro Jodorowsky)
Film #3: To Kill a Man (2014, Alejandro Fernández Almendras)

Book #1: 2666 by Roberto Bolaño
Book #2: My Tender Matador by Pedro Lemebel

Argentina

Film: The Hour of the Furnaces (1968, Octavio Getino/Fernando E. Solanas)
Book: Confessions of an Argentine Dirty Warrior by Horacio Verbitsky

Bolivia

Film: Who Killed the White Llama? (2007, Rodrigo Bellott)
Book: The Fat Man from La Paz, fiction collection edited by Rosario Santos

Brazil

Film: Noite Vazia (1964, Walter Hugo Khouri)
Book: Blues for a Lost Childhood by Antônio Torres

Colombia

Film: Greetings to the Devil (2011, Juan Felipe Orozco)
Book: Liveforever by Andrés Caicedo

Ecuador

Film: The Death of Jaime Roldos (2013, Lisandra I. Rivera/Manolo Sarmiento)
Book: Wolves' Dream by Abdon Ubidia

Jamaica

Film: The Harder They Come (1972, Perry Henzell)
Book: John Crow's Devil by Marlon James

Mexico

Film: El Alcalde (The Mayor) (2013, Emiliano Altuna)
Book: The Uncomfortable Dead by Subcomandante Marcos and Paco Ignacio Taibo II

Paraguay

Film: 7 Boxes (2012, Juan Carlos Maneglia/Tana Schembori)
Book: I, the Supreme by Augusto Roa Bastos. Repeat selection from Copa America 2011

Peru

Film: La Boca del lobo (In the Mouth of the Wolf) (1988, Francisco J. Lombardi)
Book: The War of the End of the World by Mario Vargas Llosa

Uruguay

Film: Tanta Agua (2013, Ana Guevara/Leticia Jorge)
Book: El Infierno by Carlos Martinez Moreno

Venezuela

Film: God's Slave (2013, Joel Novoa)
Book: Doña Barbara by Rómulo Gallegos