DOCUMENTARY
Gustavo Cisneros: Tireless traces his life, from his childhood in Caracas to his global success, through conversations with him and with those who knew him closely. Concept and advisory by Carlos Oteyza, directed by Andrés Crema, and executive produced by Sophie Oteyza and Verónica Cañas Azuaje.
BIOGRAPHY
Bold. Tireless. Privileged. Workaholic. Enigmatic. Pioneer. Venezuelan. Gustavo Cisneros can be characterized in various ways. Many agree in pointing out his visionary gifts, undoubtedly responsible for making him one of the great Latino businessmen of the 20th century. Partners, executives, friends and even enemies recognize his inexhaustible drive to work and persuade.
TESTIMONIALS
Alfonso Álvarez Gallardo
Announcer and Host
María Ignacia Arcaya
Senior VP of Social Impact, Cisneros
Steven Bandel
Former Executive Director, Cisneros Organization
Guillermo Barnetche
Chief of Gustavo Cisneros' Office
Marcelino Bisbal
Doctor of Social Sciences
Nelson Bocaranda Sardi
Journalist
Lisseth Boon
Investigative Journalist
Adriana Cisneros
CEO, Cisneros. Daughter of Gustavo Cisneros
Miguel Ángel Cortés
Secretary of State for Culture of Spain (1996-2000)
Maite Delgado
Television Host
Katherine Durán
Education Manager, Tropicalia Foundation
Miguel Dvorak
COO, Cisneros
Felipe González Márquez
Prime Minister of the Government of Spain (1982-1996)
Javier González
Sports Historian
Boris Izaguirre
Writer and Television Host
Jay Levenson
Director of the International Program at MoMA (NYC)
Sary Levy-Carciente
Doctor in Development Studies
Adriana López
Audiovisual Journalist
Raúl Lotito
Journalist. Director of Producto magazine
Fernando Martínez Mottola
President of CANTV (1989-1992)
Mari Montes
Sports Journalist
William Neuman
Director for the Andean Region, New York Times (2012-2016)
Gabriel Pérez-Barreiro
Director and Chief Curator, CPPC (2008-2018)
Patricia Phelps de Cisneros
Philanthropist. Wife of Gustavo Cisneros
José Antonio Ríos
Former Director of Operations, Cisneros Organization
Juan Carlos Zapata
Writer and Journalista
"Gustavo always had a connection with Spain. He had cultural relationships, even museum relationships that he still maintains, and he entered into the bidding to acquire Galerías Preciados. I want to share this because nobody still believes it today."
Felipe González
Prime Minister of the Government of Spain (1982-1996)
"Gustavo and Patty are the power couple..."
Boris Izaguirre
Writer and TV Host
"Before privatization, there was an atmosphere that assumed CANTV would be given away at a meager price and that the process had a clear recipient, which was Gustavo Cisneros. The media pressure was tremendous all the time."
Fernando Martínez Mottola
President of CANTV (1989-1992)
"The acquisition of Leones de Caracas marked a before and after in the history of professional baseball in Venezuela. There was profitability, it was a modest business, but with Cisneros' arrival, baseball stepped up its game. It was going to transform into a company, into a very important industry due to its marketing."
Javier González
Sports Historian
"The most extraordinary achievement of the Collection was focusing on a particular and not-so-well-known aspect of Latin American art, geometric abstraction, to collect and exhibit Latin American modern art.
Jay Levenson
Director of International Program at MoMA (NYC)
"Those who think that the rich are lazy never met Gustavo Cisneros."
José Antonio Ríos
Former Director of Operations, Cisneros Organization
"Gustavo Cisneros could rub shoulders with the big sharks. One day he would appear in Spain buying a major company, the next day he would be in the United States buying another, and he would be in Latin America buying another."
Juan Carlos Zapata
Writer and Journalist
"There were many references to when Mr. Cisneros was at Venevisión. They would say, 'He can't stand anything out of place and can't tolerate disorder.'"
Maite Delgado
TV Host
"Gustavo Cisneros, as a successful entrepreneur in the television world, has acquired great power. And if he denies it, I believe he is not exactly telling us the whole truth."
Marcelino Bisbal
Doctor in Social Sciences
"At Venevision, they received him well because they knew he was the heir apparent. He had to roll up his sleeves. And he did."
Nelson Boccaranda Sardi
Journalist
"His father used to say: 'Give me the people, and I'll make the business.' And I think Gustavo has a gift. He quickly understands from each person whether they are the right fit for a team or a specific job. He has that gift."
Miguel Dvorak
Director of Operations, Cisneros
""(...) Unlike all the other family businesses I know in Latin America, my dad made the decision to make this transition while he was young, in great shape, full of energy, and in very good health, and that allowed us to proactively organize ourselves for there to be a successful transition."
Adriana Cisneros
CEO, Cisneros
"We made the decision not to establish a museum in Caracas because it seemed to us that having a worldwide lending policy was much more effective than assuming that all those people would come to Venezuela to see our art, and it has turned out that way."
Patricia Phelps de Cisneros
Philanthropist. Gustavo Cisneros’ wife
"Gustavo was always concerned about how to transition the group. He was always looking for the best model for transferring and ensuring the group's success."
