2005 British Independent Film Awards. It was passed uncut (certificate 18) for DVD release in the UK by the British Board of Film Classification. It was released in the UK around the time of a visit by Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez, but did not coincide. The social narrative is highly discussed, with critics generally in agreement that social issues are made apparent but not commented on, with no "well-examined social theory". According to critic Ed Gonzalez, the film overall gives a "juvenile inspection of [the] country's moral oblivion", and shows a "pat reduction of [its] machismo". Another, Elizabeth Weitzman, offers that "the sadism is so gleefully nasty that it overshadows any rational argument", with Luke Y. Thompson adding that "the apparent thesis that poverty justifies such acts doesn't quite wash"; the New York Times reviewer opines that "the villains become more human, even sympathetic", in this film with "constant threat of violence and rape" that she does say is "difficult to endure". Peter Bradshaw for The Guardian wrote that there is "the lingering suspicion that Jakubowicz can neither be fully and sexily callous in the Tarantino style, nor sober enough to attempt a thorough critique of Venezuelan poverty". However, it still "enraged" Hugo Chávez enough to publicly threaten Jakubowicz, a filmmaker who became more prominent and celebrated in the years after this. There were several controversies, primarily when the film was not selected to represent Venezuela in the Best Foreign Language category at the Academy Awards, with 1888: El Extraordinario Viaje de Santa Isabel chosen despite being less popular and acclaimed. Also, two lawsuits were filed against the film in the Venezuelan Supreme Court; one to remove the film from circulation because it contained alleged defamation, the other to charge Jakubowicz with promoting drugs and vilifying the regime. Commenting on being threatened, with Chávez saying that he should be in prison, Jakubowicz said "even if they haven't banned the film, they're engaging in a kind of indirect censorship. How will future Venezuelan artists feel about expressing their opinions when [authorities] want to put us in jail even though we never attacked them, or even spoke ill of them at any time?" The controversies made the film more popular in the box office, becoming the second highest grossing film shown in Venezuela ever (behind Shrek 2), earning $2.5 million by November 2005. References External links Interview with Jonathan Jakubowicz about the