CNAC will re-release the classic film “The Smoking Fish” in digital format

Published at: 25/05/2026 09:56 AM

The emblematic Venezuelan film “The Fish That Smokes” (1977), directed by Román Chalbaud, was digitally recovered as part of a plan to preserve the national film heritage promoted by the National Autonomous Center of Cinematography (CNAC) and Bolívar Films.

According to information from the Ministry for Culture, the restoration of the film marks the first result of the strategic agreement signed between the two institutions, effective until 2028, which contemplates the visual and sound recovery of 15 emblematic films of Venezuelan cinema. In addition, the process made it possible to correct the deterioration accumulated over time in both the image and the soundtrack, with the objective of adapting the work to current exhibition standards in movie theaters and digital platforms.

The initiative is part of the preservation actions carried out since 2024, after a process of reviewing and safeguarding film materials preserved by the National Cinemateca. The tasks included special conservation measures to prevent the decay of celluloid and to protect works considered fundamental to the country's audiovisual memory.

“The Fish That Smokes”, written by Román Chalbaud together with José Ignacio Cabrujas, is considered one of the most representative productions of Venezuelan and Latin American cinema of the 20th century. The work portrays, from a critical and social perspective, different dynamics of Venezuela in the late seventies.

With this restoration, the institutions involved seek to ensure that new generations can access classics of national cinema in high-quality digital formats, while strengthening the preservation of the country's cinematographic cultural heritage.

MINCULTURA/Mazo News Team