South American history explored

Press, 19 December 1985, Page 13

South American history explored

"Sweat of the Sun, Tears of the Moon,” an eight-part journey through the factions, history and culture of South America, begins this evening at 8.30 on One. More than two years in the making, and with an undisclosed budget, the series is one of the most ambitious

the Australian Broadcasting Corporation has produced. The presenter, a former 8.8. C. journalist, Jack Pizzey, and his crew travelled through seven countries, ex-

amining the politics, religion, past and present lifestyle of the South American people. For nine months their journey took them trekking through jungles, over moun-

tains, cities and deserts by plane, train, road and canoe. On the way they encountered many characters, including a Colombian bullfighter, a black champion boxer who represents rebellion and a Brazilian soap opera star. The team witnessed “the greatest show on earth,” the Rio carnival, explored the jungle, which has been called Eldorado and Hell, and visited Argentina to unravel the mystery of this continent. The idea for the series came from the former A.B.C. man, Alan Bateman, after he found audience research showed that there was considerable interest in

South America. “When he asked me, I jumped at it,” says Pizzey, who took a crash course in Spanish before he tackled the subject. “I’ve always wanted to do a big series and I thought South America had to be fascinating. “What got me about the subject is that here is a place that is so huge and full of life and yet so new and unfamiliar. It’s hardly been seen at all on television.” The title “Sweat of the Sun, Tears of the Moon” is an Inca phrase meaning gold and silver.