Pablo Larrain is at the forefront of a growing wave of thrilling Chilean directors. His latest film, No, wowed festivalgoers at Cannes, Toronto, and New York and establishes him as a true force in international cinema.

No attests that the arc of the universe can bend toward justice. The multitalented Gael García Bernal portrays René Saavedra, a brilliant young ad man who, against all odds, engineers a successful 1988 voter campaign to oust brutal Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet. His song-and-dance, feel-good strategy causes rancor among the activists who have spent years building a more serious grassroots movement focused on the government’s infamous human rights abuses.

A tense, blow-by-blow examination of office politics, political alignments, and interpersonal drama, No flawlessly interweaves fact and fiction, in part through Larrain’s brilliant choice to shoot in 1980s-era videotape, which allows him to interweave historical source material and newly shot footage. He manages to surmount video’s ugly reputation to create a gorgeously directed drama with the ring of historical truth that will leave you feeling inspired about the promise of cinema and the resilience of the human spirit. - C. M.