“The Art of Political Murder” – Well crafted [MOVIE REVIEW] SHARE Protestors march against the assassination of Bishop Gerardi. Photo courtesy of HBO “The Art of Political Murder,” directed by Paul Taylor, based on Francisco Goldman’s book of the same name, is filmmaking in its highest form. This documentary will leave you breathless from the breadth and depth of its storytelling. It is not an exaggeration to say that it is life-changing, revealing unheard of cruelty as well as unbelievable bravery. Guatemala endured a civil war from 1960 until 1996 led by its right wing military dictatorship against various leftist rebel groups supported by Mayan and Ladino peasants. Most of the military aggression was centered on the indigenous people and over 200,000 were killed or “disappeared.” Worth noting, although not mentioned in the film, the fervent anti-communism of the military government was supported financially by the United States throughout the war. It was a U.S. backed coup in 1954 that overthrew the democratically elected government, installing the first of an endless string of military dictators. One of the root causes of the civil war, the inequitable distribution of land, was a direct result of the land grab by the United Fruit Company, the American company that brought you Chiquita bananas.