“Rambo meets Fyre Fest” could be the pitch for this tragicomedy from filmmakers Billy Corben and Jen Gatien about American-trained mercenaries who try to overthrow the Venezuelan government.
In May 2020, a ragtag group of roughly 60 insurrectionists led by American mercenaries attempted to infiltrate Venezuela by boat to overthrow the regime of Nicolás Maduro. Dubbed Operation Gideon, it was a tragicomedy that failed. The film pitch would be “Rambo meets Fyre Fest” only that doesn’t begin to cover the multiple layers of this documentary. The narrative echoes decades of covert US interventions in Latin America, only this time fashioned in the Trump era.
The mastermind at the centre is the complex figure of Jordan Goudreau. Raised in Mississauga, Ontario, Goudreau was immersed in the mythology of war. At the age of 17, he joined the Canadian military, then switched to the US forces because he saw more opportunity for combat. He worked in special ops, receiving three Bronze Stars for bravery on repeat missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. He was medically retired for combat-related injuries. Like many vets, he struggled to adapt to civilian life, so he established Silvercorp, his own security company. His search for clients drew him into the Miami circles of Venezuelan opposition figures including the Trump-favoured politician Juan Guaidó and the influential political strategist J.J. Rendón.
Filmmakers Billy Corben and Jen Gatien do a skilful job of exploring the shadow world of deception and deniability that surrounds these figures. Gatien spent years following Goudreau after the debacle of Operation Gideon. Corben has deep experience covering Miami outlaws in films such as Cocaine Cowboys. With Men of War, Corben and Gatien raise overarching questions about what happens when governments program soldiers for violence, then set them loose.
THOM POWERS
Screenings
Scotiabank 14
Scotiabank 8
Scotiabank 9