Note: The Lost Republic, Part II will be shown Thursday, July 28. The Lost Republic is a documentary of social and political life in Argentina from 1930 to 1976, a period which includes Perón's first presidency, the liberal government of Frondizi and the military governments of Onganía and Lanusse, and ends with Perón's return from exile for a second term, succeeded by his wife Isabel. It is a history told through salvaged archival footage, a past brought to life in the present, viewed and analyzed to help make sense out of complex recent events. History is of course a story that can be told in many ways-some choose to focus on great personalities, others on moments of upheaval. According to Variety, Director Miguel Pérez structures his history in terms of the conflicts between the oligarchy and the masses, perhaps not surprisingly since the period he analyzes begins and ends with military coups. Released in Argentina just before the democratic elections, The Lost Republic generated extensive debates as people eager to see their past openly analyzed flocked to theaters, and on exiting argued their version of events. The Lost Republic is a testament to the idea that to narrate a history, to make visible that which has been hidden, is a powerful act, and one crucial to a "lost republic's" attempts to find itself. Kathy Geritz