The Long Lens
The Long Lens
Ruben Brandt: CollectorFilm, Art and Madness by Martin Attmore
The Hidden World of South Korean Cinema by Marianna Kouznetsov
Amelie to La Heine by Andrea Joyce
‘Identity’ and Celine Sciamma by Marianna Kouznetsov
REVIEWS
City of God by Dounia
Princess Mononoke by Keira Thomson
Cinema Paradiso by Nic Denny
Ran by Akira Kurosawa By Henry Lee
The Lunchbox By Sam Gamble FEATURED ARTICLES
Life at Uni Studying Film by Martin Attmore
The Life of An Independent Videographer by Amar Sraan
Latin American Cinema by Dr Sarah Barrow
EDITORIAL
Welcome to Issue 4 of The Long Lens This is an extremely special issue because it celebrates a whole year since our first ever issue of this magazine back in July 2020.
Woohoo! Happy Birthday to us!!!
We could only have imagined how many wonderful submissions we have had across the last 4 issues, from students, staff, former students, former staff and special guest writers too
What has impressed me is the quality of writing from everyone and because of that we have managed to increase our audience and audience engagement. This means people like our little magazine and actually spend time reading it which is just brilliant!
As the summer holidays are upon us - thank goodness I hear you cry! - we hope our ‘World Cinema’ issue helps transport you to the furthest corners of the globe without having to worry about green travel lists or red COVID zones.
Don’t let the unfamiliarity of the language barrier stop you from exploring different avenues of forgien films You might enjoy the sneak peek into different cultures and customs of varying lifestyles and heritages-It's educational too!
We are very pleased to have not one but two articles from former student and the founding editor of The Long Lens, Martin Attmore. He has been studying film at the University of Sussex and shares with us what he learnt during that first year As this month we have had progression week it seems only fitting that Martin shares his experience We are also thrilled to welcome a guest article from former colleague and award-winning professional videographer, Amar Sraan. Amar is sharing his experiences of working in the film industry and some of the not so glamorous realities of his career And finally we are exceptionally honoured to feature an article from Dr Sarah Barrow, Pro-Vice Chancellor of UEA, Norwich who writes about Latin American Cinema, a topic on which she has researched extensively As we start having conversations with students about next steps we are reminded what a great opportunity The Long Lens presents to our Long Road students to showcase what they can do, their writing skills, their knowledge and their passion for film
This issue introduces our amazing new editorial and design team who have got great ideas and have been an integral force behind this birthday issue including writing some fabulous articles. Well done you lot! I would also like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the hard work and commitment that Sam Gamble, our brilliant film and media technician, has put into keeping the Long Lens alive this past year. Thanks Sam!
If you like what you see here and think, hmmm I think I could write something half decent for this magazine just drop us a line at thelonglens@longroad.ac.uk and tell us what you’d like to write about
Andrea and The Long Lens Team
MEET THE TEAM
EDITOR IN CHIEF
Hello! I'm Dounia and I am the editor in chief of the long lens I edit all the submissions, alongside the deputy editor and oversee the magazine's publication I'm looking forward to developing the magazine and enticing more people to write for the Long Lens. My favourite foreign film is Parasite.
HEAD OF DESIGN
Hello, I'm Grace and I am the new Head of Design for The Long Lens. I enjoy Film and Graphic Design and I’m excited to combine the two for the coming issues of the magazine. I’m also looking forward to learning more about the world of film and the effect it has on people
DEPUTY EDITOR
Hi, I'm Marianna the new Deputy Editor! I'm looking forward to coming up with creative ideas for new themes and reading everyone ' s submissions! For a favourite World Cinema film, I do have a soft spot for Les Intouchables; I love unlikely friendships and Omar Sy is always fantastic (watch Lupin on Netflix!). There's also a pretty good Argentine remake with La Casa de Papel’s Rodrigo de la Serna
DEPUTY HEAD OF DESIGN
Hi! My name is Jaz, and I am the new Deputy Head of Design for The Long Lens. I am incredibly excited to start working for this magazine as I believe it's a fantastic opportunity for film lovers of all kinds to get together and write about what they love. I'm really looking forwards to this role, as graphic design is a passion of mine, and to be able to be a part of a team doing it is even better My favourite film from world cinema would undoubtedly go to the 1995 Japanese animation film "Ghost in the Shell" by Mamoru Oshii, a revolutionary philosophical science fiction before its time.
We hope you enjoy this 1st birthday issue of THE LONG LENS
FEATURED ARTICLES
Ruben Brandt: CollectorFilm, Art and Madness by Martin Attmore
The Hidden World of South Korean Cinema by Marianna Kouznetsov Amelie to La Heine by Andrea Joyce ‘Identity’ and Celine Sciamma by Marianna Kouznetsov
RUBEN BRANDT: COLLECTOR
FILM, ART AND MADNESS
by Martin Attmore
Ruben Brandt: Collector is an animated crime thriller, available on Netflix, about a stolen art mystery.
This film stands on three principles: story, design and intertextuality. The film is written, designed and directed by Milorad Krstic, a Hungarian painter, who blends fine art and cinema in this 2D animation.
The narrative of the film is based around characters whose psychologies drive the events Principally, the main characters are; Mimi (Gabriella Hámori), a stylish, acrobatic thief who lives for the thrill of the heist; Mike Kowalski (Csaba Márton), a slick detective working to catch Mimi and the group of art thieves; and Ruben Brandt (Iván Kamarás), an expert psychotherapist The story follows the crime thriller genre, using alignment and audience information-control to create an exciting plot and constant pursuit from detective Kowalski raises the stakes.
There are key plot twists and details applied that create tension to entice an audience on an emotional or surface level. Lots of characters intertwine plots to create a multi-strand narrative, allowing for increased expression; there is not just the race between Brandt’s attempt to recover and Kowalski trying to catch him
RUBEN BRANDT: COLLECTOR - FILM, ART AND MADNESS
but the aim for Mimi and Joe to each beat their illnesses; as well as the mafia subplot, the Soviet bar scenes and Kowalski’s father mystery. The cause and effect narrative leads the film to explore different genres and design references, as well as the primary function of entertainment. Mental illness is also a key feature that drives the narrative.
Madness plays an interesting role in the film: not only is Brandt a psychotherapist who works with severe cases of mental illness, his character also suffers from Acute Schizophrenia - this is a disease that impairs the person ’ s sense of reality, resulting in visual and auditory hallucinations The artistic movements of Surrealism and Dadaism referenced in the design style relate to mental illness because the art was meant to distort reality in a similar way to how a sufferer might perceive things.
instead of a psychological proposal; the representation of madness in this film is predominantly for narrative instead of education. The schizophrenic episodes shown in the film are made achievable through the design choices and use of animation as a medium
As an animation, this film has total control over its design choices and as a film about art, the choices play an important part in the cohesion of the film to its story This film is inseparable from the art it portrays: the film’s design is inspired by Dadaism and Surrealism - which connects to the schizophrenic hallucinations. The character design, as with many animations, is not limited to realism; the features and face-shapes link to some of Picasso’s portraits The film is designed by the writer-director Milorad Krstic, who paints in a similar style. The character designs are warped to a lesser degree than the majority of his paintings for accessibility and settings are filled with designs miniscent of art styles and existing pieces The ationship between design and reality extends beyond film, connecting the beauty of the characters to the ul world by matching their style - suggesting that,
Mental disorders are the effects of psychology on the everyday in ways that cause distress and it is clear that the nightmares triggered by the thirteen paintings affect Brandt’s reality. Presenting a character with mental illness requires tact as to not offend the group of people suffering with it by misrepresenting it (this can happen when films stigmatise or stereotype the characters/illness or by using madness as a plot device to justify evil), this film represents illness in a complex way through the character being a therapist and patient simultaneously Interestingly, this film presents non-medical therapies, art therapy in-particular, which is rare for cinema and for the world: the Global-West’s mental health attitude is to medicate through pharmaceuticals (often for capitalist profit), perhaps this film is a glimpse into a better alternative However, it is important to remember that this film is cinema
n our world of realism, the beauty of art is just a reflection of ourselves."
The spectatorial viewing of these humanoid, sometimes disturbing, characters leads the audience to think about the human face and body The human race has little variation - particularly in comparison to Krstic’s world. No matter your belief in Creation or Evolution, this film is a case of art disrupting the understanding and hegemonical perceptions of normality and beauty The film-world is Earth and natural yet the characters are dramatically stylised; this is to create the realism that creates the extensive comparison-point to Brandt’s madness
"Surrealism requires reality in order to present the unusuality; it is the lack of logic that creates the intrigue and nonsense. "
RUBEN BRANDT: COLLECTOR - FILM, ART AND MADNESS
The richness of this film as a text extends to its references. Clearly, the film refers to the thirteen paintings that are collected, but the design style is modelled on existing art and there are hundreds of references to specific pieces, including one of Krstic’s own. Connections are also made to cinema, through the use of genre, aesthetics and history.
"Principally, the scenes of Kowalski following the Collector’s trail become increasingly Noir; the Venetian blinds, chiaroscuro and sinister plot are generic references."
There are more detailed intertextual details such as Kowalski’s Hitchcock-shaped ice cubes and film memorabilia The Godfather by Francis Ford Coppola is portrayed on the screen of a bystander during a car chase, with the horse-head scene and a shooting scene; Mafia films are further emulated by the Mafia character Vincenzo who seeks revenge on Mimi.
too expensive to shoot in live action then use CGI. The medium is mainly 2D, digital animation, but there are often shots that use 3D animation, which once again is blended well
Overall, Ruben Brandt: Collector combines disciplines of art, art history, cinema, animation and psychology to construct a heist thriller with depths in storytelling, design and intertextuality The film perpetuates some appreciation for classical art through its modernisation in cinema, made possible by animation. Spectatorial questions are resurrected from past artistic eras of s now and what humans are now; the richness m ’ s construction leads to new interpretations nses.
The subplot of ‘Psychotechnics’ is an exploration of the connection between art and psychology; this is a deep topic, but it becomes the backstory for Brandt’s disease Animation makes all of these references more achievable, and the artistic design style adds a layer of abstraction that makes our brain work to understand more of them; there is a slight pleasure to recognising a painting, intertextuality or detail in a text Most obviously, the use of animation makes the blending of action, art, madness and detailing achievable and controllable. Animation is chiefly used because the director is an artist; the stylisation of his art would be...
By Martin Attmore
THE HIDDEN WORLD OF South Korean Cinema
by Marianna Kouznetsov
“Once you overcome the one-inch-tall barrier of subtitles, you will be introduced to so many more amazing films;”
is the famous quote attributed to Bong Joon-ho in his acceptance speech for Best Director at the 2020 Oscars, and a good reminder never to trust American remakes Why should these films be remade, only so that we can enjoy ‘revamped’ Hollywood stories that lose their original flavour? But with the frankly unprecedented success of Bong’s Parasite, and winning the Academy Award for Best Picture in 2020’s Oscars, the spotlight seems to have fallen once again on South Korea’s phenomenal and criminally underrated film industry. With a notoriously volatile political landscape and rapidly changing social values, South Korea’s cinema world experienced a “New Wave” in the 80s and 90s, with many fresh faces at the helm of a new style –invigorating social commentary fused with startlingly dark comedy. The style has morphed and evolved since then, inspiring many contemporary South Korean directors such as Bong Joon-ho, Park Chan-wook and Lee Chang-dong
A modern masterpiece, Parasite has possibly set the standard of Best Picture for at least the next ten years. The Kims, a poor family, work as pizza-box folders and live in squalor in a small basement-apartment One by one, however, and using fake references created by one another, they manage to find work at the house of the rich and oblivious Parks, replacing their former servants and essentially infiltrating the house. Thus, the Kims become ‘parasites,’ but as Bong puts it, the Kims are also parasitic: “they're also parasites in terms of labour. They can't even wash dishes, they can't drive themselves, so they leech off the poor family's labour. So, both are parasites." The insidious intertwining of the two families make commentary on social class and is denoted through a recurring stairway motif that visualises the differences...
PARASITE (2019, dir. Bong Joon-ho)
Film in image: The Haindmaiden
THE HIDDEN WORLD OF SOUTH KOREAN CINEMA
between the Kims and the Parks, while also providing just enough black comedy to make you both chuckle and mournfully reconsider internationalist late-stage capitalism as a debilitating and destructive system at precisely the same time Chef’s kiss
Content Warnings: blood, violence
THE HOST (2006, dir. Bong Joon-ho)
Another Bong classic, The Host tells the story of the Parks, who lose the only child in their family, Hyun-seo, to an attack from a mutated river monster. While the rest of the country panics over the attack and the appearance of a deadly new virus, the Parks do everything in their power to retrieve Hyun-seo, who is in fact alive and trapped in a sewer. Starring Parasite’s Song Kang-ho and Sense8’s Bae Doona, the film thankfully doesn’t take itself too seriously (I mean, who can, with a CGI’d fish monster straight from 2006?) and is a strangely bittersweet monster-virus-horror-actionthriller comedy with a couple of Molotov cocktails thrown in for good measure.
Content Warnings: blood, gore, violence
TRAIN TO BUSAN (2016, dir. Yeon Sang-ho)
While dreading the US remake of this cult classic, it’s worth mentioning the Korean original, possibly the best zombie film ever made. The horror itself comes from its claustrophobic element as our protagonists face their undead enemies in unpleasantly close quarters, with a good-sized portion of gut-spattering gore to complete it, of course. But the film is also surprisingly moving. While most other zombie movies only go surface deep in
their portrayal of the protagonists, Train to Busan tenderly builds the relationship between the main character and his daughter so that we genuinely do root for them as they race against time, very literally, to defeat the zombies and save their fellow passengers, also with carefully constructed backstories, before they reach their destination The train itself as a setting becomes essential to the passengers ’ survival, and they use everything in their power: electric doors, handrails and a (conveniently placed) baseball team with the only (conveniently placed) weapons to their advantage It’s an impressive story, paired with a brilliantly original concept, hard to do with so many zombie films simply being ripped off from one another.
Content Warnings: blood, gore, violence
thE HANDMAIDEN (2016, dir. Park Chan-wook)
Lesbian. Gothic. Thriller. Romance. Need I say more? Based on Sarah Waters’ novel Fingersmith, this 2-anda-half-hour epic tells the story of the pickpocket Sookhee, hired by a conman looking to seduce and swindle the Lady Hideko, a Japanese heiress, out of her inheritance. The two women form a closely intimate relationship as the brilliant Sook-hee, taking on the role of handmaiden, develops an intense fondness for the vulnerable Lady Hideko as the plan starts to go awry in more ways than one. Full of stunning cinematography, Park delivers his masterpiece with a distinct auteur aesthetic and thrilling drama that will genuinely leave you breathless
Content Warnings: explicit sexual content, violence
THE HIDDEN WORLD OF SOUTH KOREAN CINEMA
THE KING AND THE CLOWN (2005, dir. Lee Joon-ik)
after the headstrong Jangsaeng grows sick of their manager ’ s practice of prostituting the beautiful Gonggil (played by the gorgeously androgynous Lee Joon-gi) to rich customers. They run away to Seoul, where they join three other performers in a new act that heavily satirises the King and his concubine After being arrested for treason, they manage to win over the unstable King in an attempt to make him laugh and thereby forgive them of their mockery. But joining the court has its own consequences, and the relationships between the two performers, the King and the rest of his court grow to a Shakespearean magnitude of intrigue. And if, like me, you prefer your films with just the right combinations of tenderness, tragedy and homoeroticism, The King and the Clown is definitely for you
Content Warnings: blood, suicide
OLDBOY (2003, dir. Park Chan-wook)
Based on the Japanese manga, Oldboy chronicles the thrilling escape of a man kidnapped and imprisoned for 15 years in a small room as he searches for the answers and attempts to hunt down his unknown captors. With ingenious use of split-screen and an epic single-shot corridor fight sequence that took seventeen days to perfect, this revenge neo-noir is morbidly intriguing and contains some sickeningly dark plot-twists that leave you grappling with the film’s morality.
Content Warnings: suicide, violence, sexual content
by Marianna Kouznetsov
something upbeat and uplifting. I think there is often the tendency to think of World Cinema as ‘hard work’ but I have vivid memories of watching Amelie for the first time and feeling it was a film full of joy and warmth. Amelie was released in 2001, this was the year I took my first proper trip to Paris to visit friends from university who were living there. Before I arrived in Paris I watched Amelie at the Arts Picturehouse in Cambridge.
The Paris of the film Amelie is whimsical, innocent, saturated with warm tones of gold, red and green. It is full of quirky characters whose lives Amelie goes out of her way to make that little bit better Amelie is a film about the big impact you can have on people via small acts of kindness, or indeed mischief in the case of Amelie’s approach to the grocer. But its overarching themes are of love and acceptance The film embodies the fantasy of going to Paris, meeting lots of quirky characters, having an adventure and eventually falling in love.
Amelie to La Heine: The
multi-faceted representations
of Paris
by Andrea Joyce
AMELIE TO LA HEINE: THE MULTI-FACETED REPRESENTATIONS OF PARIS
I remember walking through the streets of Montmatre with my friends, eating crepes and walking in the moonlight up the steps to the Sacre Couer and seeing the twinkling skyline of Paris laid out in front of us. I had fallen completely in love with the place.
One of the most talked about scenes in the film is when Amelie sees a blind man in the street who she takes by the arm and as she guides him safely to the other side of the street she whispers in his ear all the glorious details of life as it is playing out in the street before them She plays on his other senses, his hearing, sense of smell to point out the laughter of the florist who has crinkly eyes, the smell of melon slices being given out, and the unseen detail of the baby outside the butchers who is watching a dog who is looking at the chickens roasting in the window A glorious montage of the everyday As a huge fan of people-watching this scene always stuck in my mind because of its attention to detail and the way in which it helped the man to imagine in his mind's eye what his own retinas could never process … the wonder of everyday life in all its eccentricities
Amelie has been described by critics as a sugar coated representation of Paris, sanitised, overtly idyllic to the point of fantasy. I would totally agree that,
" as a film watching experience it is somewhat akin to sticking your entire face in a tarte tatin with double cream and eating it in one sitting."
But as a person with a very sweet tooth that has never bothered me
One fascinating fact I discovered when researching the film Amelie is that the actor who plays Nino, themale love interest, is one Mathieu Kassovitz. The same Mathieu Kassovitz who wrote and directed La Heine Released in 1995, six years before Amelie, La Heine couldn’t be more different as a film, nor could its representation of Paris differ more starkly from that of Amelie La Heine has been described by critics as the French ‘Do The Right Thing’, as a searing representation of the inequality in French society. La Haine is set over a 19 hour period in the lives of three young men living in the French projects. It captures the urban realism of its setting through heavily contrasted black-and-white cinematography, it follows Vinz, Hubert and Said as they try to survive and support their families amid mounting racial and social tension from the police. Having studied Spike Lee’s Do The Right Thing extensively I can see the comparisons, the themes of...
AMELIE TO LA HEINE: THE MULTI-FACETED REPRESENTATIONS OF PARIS
police brutality, racism within the community, inequality of opportunity, the culture of hip hop and its influence in modern day Paris, the impact of immigration. But one of the biggest comparisons has to be the gritty realism of what life is really like for a cross section of society in a place that has a pervasive representation as the city of love
"The Paris we see in La Heine is one full of hostility, trouble and inequality."
A stand out scene that is a masterclass in making your viewer feel uncomfortable takes place two thirds of the way into the film when Hubert and Said are detained by police officers and taken in for ‘questioning’ No clear reason is given to them for being detained and they are handled roughly whilst being bundled into the car, but the real brutality comes at the police station. Two officers systematically physically and verbally abuse the pair whilst another, seemingly rookie cop, looks on The two men talk about their ‘techniques’ as method and that it is just a matter of staying in control as they put both men in a headlock. The scene goes from a long over the shoulder shot showing the two police officers explaining their method to the rookie, to a more close up shot of Hubert and Said as we see their agony and distress The shot, reverse shot between the rookie's reactions and the eye contact he makes with the two victims of total police brutality make for chilling viewing. There’s an ambiguity to their glances which open the scene up to spectators making their own assumptions about whether or not the rookie feels any sympathy towards the two or not.
The idea that this is the same Paris where Amelie and Nino, played by Kassovitz, were depicted whimsically cycling around in the warm glow of Paris in the Spring seems impossible The commercial
success of Amelie versus the critical acclaim of La Heine demonstrates another impossibility, the gaping chasm between the reality of the lived experience of a place and the safe fantasy of that place that we all long to believe is true
by Andrea Joyce
"Fresh, exciting and yet still completely underrated."
Pushed to international acclaim following the success of her 2019 release ‘Portrait of a Lady on Fire,’ the French filmmaker Celine Sciamma already has several successes under her belt Often sensitive and always poignant, her filmography primarily deals with the theme of fluidity of sexuality and gender, particularly among young AFAB (assigned female at birth) people, and has said that she has always wanted to explore the restrictions of film’s heavily male gaze, and instead elevate the “possibilities of a female gaze ”
She directed her first film ‘Pauline’ as part of a government anti-homophobia campaign, and considers her first three screen films, ‘Tomboy,’ ‘Water Lilies’ and ‘Girlhood’ to be part of an ‘accidental trilogy ’ They all investigate the complications of identity while growing up: Laure/Mikael struggle with their identity in 2011’s ‘Tomboy,’ passing themselves off happily as male in order to be accepted by the neighbourhood boys, while questioning if the acceptance of their male presentation truly satisfies them, or if they really are just a tomboy. Three girls battle with friendship and attraction in ‘Water Lilies’, while Marieme goes through the motions of adolescence over several years in
identity: CELINESCIAMMA
by Marianna Kouznetsov
‘Girlhood.’ The development is cleverly visualised, as she goes from an awkwardly conspicuous, downcast and insecure teenager to a straight-standing and confident young adult through mise-en-scene and subtle changes in hair and makeup (Also featuring a brilliant dance sequence with the full 3 minutes of Rihanna’s ‘Diamonds’).
Her piece de resistance is undoubtedly ‘Portrait of a Lady on Fire;’ her most successful, yet also her most philosophical. It may be yet another sad lesbian period drama, but it’s also French, which I’m sure definitely counts for something Yet again, Sciamma presents the theme of female intimacy with fine-tuned sensitivity and explores the deadly desire of simply looking The relationship between Marianne, an artist, and the noblewoman she is commissioned to paint, Heloise, is so vividly intriguing because the relationship between artist and muse becomes so blurred Subject and object intertwine, entangle and reverse. Who is doing the looking? Who is being looked at? Sciamma dutifully untangles Sartre’s theory of ‘the gaze ’ as a conscious, oppressive being as the love story between the two women is shown largely through long, wistful exchanges of eye contact. After all, what could be sweeter than memory? In a conversation with Heloise discussing the tragic Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, Marianne states simply of Orpheus; “he doesn’t make the lover’s choice, but the poet’s choice ”
Beyond being refreshingly European, Sciammas work does have its political undertones. She herself was a founder of the French women ’ s activist group ‘5050 by 2020,’ which advocated for gender parity in the film industry by 2020, and was one of the women who walked out alongside ‘Portrait’ star Adele Haenel at the 45th Cesar Awards after convicted rapist Roman...
Polanski was announced as Best Director. In an interview, Sciamma stated that “I really wanted to talk about how a fight can be a struggle Violence can be political for women It can be empowering and shouldn’t be looked at as hysterical, but can speak about activism.” So true! Violence against women is so often a tool for male character development in most
male-directed films See quite literally any action/revenge movie for an example But Sciamma’s work isn’t feminist as a response to this;
"it’s
refreshingly feminist in its own right, and simply basks in the joys of divine femininity and the beautiful."
by Marianna Kouznetsov
REVIEWS
City of God by Dounia
Abdessaid
Princess Mononoke by Keira Thomson
Cinema Paradiso by Nic Denny
Ran by Akira Kurosawa by Henry Lee
The Lunchbox by Sam Gamble
"City of God tells the story of two kids' paths diverging as one struggles to become a photographer and the other a kingpin in the slums of Rio."
Fernando Meirelles’ film City of God (2002) is based on the Brazilian novel of the same name by Paulo Lins (1996) City of God (Cidade de Deus) is the name of the favela where Lins grew up, and the novel is based on a true story taken from interviews and research conducted by Lins in the favela over a period of 8 years regarding the state of drug trafficking and gang warfare The film has attracted much critical acclaim due to its confrontation of the issues within the favela as well as the gritty authenticity with which it was shot and unabashed depiction of violence within the favela One of the key features the film received recognition for was the narrative realism The actors are amateurs recruited from the favelas, and the central character Rocket (Alexandre Rodrigues) is from the Cidade de Deus favela itself, which added a very real and personal perspective to the character The film was shot inside a real favela rather than a film set, taking the viewer directly into the urban space of favela inhabitants which I thought really helped you to understand just how dangerous these kids experienced life The cinematography transports the audience into a genuine Brazilian slum in which they get to peek into the life of a child as well as navigate their way...
through the trials and tribulations of growing up and surviving in the cut throat environment where one choice could change the trajectory of your life.
by Dounia
The film’s opening and closing sequence include a 360 degree rotational shot of Rocket in the centre of a face off between the gangsters and the police, unsure of where to turn
This is symbolic of the story of the film in that his life can take one of either direction. The narrative is then broken down into a series of vignettes which tell the story of the favela and the central characters, and ultimately which path Rocket decides to take We are aligned with Rocket from the start of the film to the very end as he grows on us and we see him as a good guy.
This film was imperative in raising awareness of both the existence of as well as the issues within the favelas in Rio de Janeiro, and was one of the first cultural representations to emerge from Brazil to show the darker side of the city and an alternate reality to what is commonly perceived about Rio; that is, postcard images of beaches, sunsets and samba. Via this cultural vehicle it was possible for outsiders to see and experience a slice of life in the favelas without glamorising its poverty and violence I've always found South America extremely interesting, partially the...
country of Brazil so to have watched a film set in a place of interest I admittedly enjoyed it. The subtitles were not an issue. Bong Joon Ho, the director of Parasite, accepted his foreign film award, saying: “Once you overcome the 1-inch-tall barrier of subtitles, you will be introduced to so many more amazing films,” which is why I highly encourage people to venture out and be more eclectic - City of God is up there with one of my favourite foreign films: it has the combinations of being complex, funny and gritty whilst also maintaining a sense of realism.
There are several key themes which display the reality of life for favela inhabitants Alongside the theme of choice, the film raises the questions of what options children who grow up in this environment have for survival. I was empathetic during the film as I understood that either choice isn't going to be easy as the risks are costly-
"Do they follow the life of crime they were born into or do they attempt to get out?"
by Dounia Abdessaid
by Keira Thomson
Usually, when you mention a Studio Ghibli film, people’s first thoughts are of the family-orientated heartfelt films such as My Neighbour Totoro and Spirited Away (probably the studios most popular) Princess Mononoke was released in 1997 and directed by Hayao Miyazaki
"There’s no doubt that Princess Mononoke is one of Miyazaki’s darker movies."
I know personally that when I first saw this film as a child I was not expecting there to be so many severed heads and limbs. Despite this, the film manages to hold the same magic and beauty that the studio is renowned for, making it a perfect example of world cinema
The film is set in 14th century Japan at the dawn of the Iron Age when the previously experienced harmony between mankind and nature is beginning to crumble. The film begins with a riveting opening scene where a young prince named Ashitaka is cursed by a demon whilst trying to protect his village This leads him to be banished from his home and forced to head West in an attempt to find a deer-like god named the Great Forest Spirit who he believes will be able to cure him of the curse that is slowly corrupting him The plot of the film centers around two sides: nature and humans On the side of the humans, we meet Lady Eboshi who runs Irontown, a town that creates weapons and iron on the backs of slaves and lepers Lady Eboshi herself is
obsessed with killing the very spirit of the forest that Ashitaka is trying to find, hoping to win the growing conflict between the humans and the forest gods that started after Irontown was built through the destruction
of a forest. On the side of nature we have a human girl named San who is also the Princess Mononoke: raised by the wolf god Moro and protector of the ancient gods and spirits
From Lady Eboshi’s introduction you immediately expect her to be a typical industrialist villain yet Miyazaki chooses not to go down this route, stating in an interview “The concept of portraying evil and then destroying it, I think is rotten This idea that whenever something evil happens someone particular can be blamed for it in life and politics is hopeless.”
This is shown in the film as Lady Eboshi is loved by the people of the town as she offers a sanctuary for marginalised groups such as prostitutes and lepers Unlike other towns that Ashitaka visits in the film, the people who live here are happy Therefore, despite the acknowledgment that two opposite forces are fighting for power, Miyazaki makes sure to create a layered world that blurs the lines between right and wrong as the audience understands that Lady Eboshi is only damaging the safe place for the spirits so she can create a safe place for humans. This allows us to align ourselves with Ashitaka as he is also someone who can sympathise with both sides: claiming he wants to ‘ see with eyes unclouded by hate’ Ashitaka is clearly angered by Lady Eboshi creating weapons to attack the forest yet when San enters Irontown in an attempt to kill Eboshi, Ashitaka stands between the two and shows the townsfolk the curse he is carrying, stating that hate only leads to destruction This impactful scene also allows the audience to feel extreme sympathy for Ashitaka as we see a character so full of empathy and love yet we know that he is slowly being killed by the hate that is growing inside him that he cannot control
Sadly, nowadays we are all aware of the damage we ’ re doing to our environment , yet for the 1990s you could say that Miyazaki’s message was ahead of its time He once stated, “I look forward to when developers go Japan grows poor and wild grasses take over ” This quote perfectly summarises his view on nature and Japan's constant growth and development. Animation is also used to communicate Miyazaki's social commentary For example, the forest in which much of the film is set is both extremely beautiful yet also dark The animators made sure to film the forest with dark shadows and have hardly any natural light. Instead, the most light we see in the forest is the breathtakingly beautiful heavenly glow that emits of the forest spirit as Ashitaka first sees it in the clearing of the forest
conveys that they have no need for the outside world and helps to emphasise the idea that the humans who enter it are unwanted intruders The animation in this film is so complex and detailed that you have to watch it a few times to be able to fully appreciate the vast amount of detail put into it Hayao Miyazaki is known for the ‘immersive realism’ of his films, even though Princess
Mononoke is a fantasy film, the way that animation is used to create world-building makes it feel believable I noticed when watching the film that this can be done through the smallest of details such as the animation of wind rippling through grass or Ashitaka’s loyal red elk ‘Yakul’, who’s fur bristles when he’s scared.
Princess Mononoke, accompanied by Joe Hishaishi’s stunning soundtrack, is one of Studio Ghibli’s most unique and impactful films It’s refreshing to see a film by the studio which is not overly simple and childish in plot; Miyazaki manages to incorporate his philosophy of life without it being ‘preachy.’
"It is instead deeply moving and fastpaced with every scene being an animated masterpiece that fills you with enjoyment."
With Hollywood churning out more remakes and films with no real depth, we must appreciate the masterpieces from other countries that some people refuse to watch just because of subtitles!
by Keira Thomson
CINEMA PARADISO: THE FOREIGN MIGHT OF MOVING
By Nic Denny
"When I started watching Cinema Paradiso, I was unaware of just how much it would shake me emotionally, and just how much it would remind me of my own fears of loss and change."
This is no review, I don’t have the interest in unpicking this particular film by each choice in cinematography and each design choice and each editing choice, although I will admit that was my original intention I was planning on taking certain scenes and exploring the technical aspects which made this film so inspiring. And whilst I watched it, I made many mental notes on the first few scene ’ s framing and editing, however, those notes were lost after I realised I was far more interested in dissecting the themes of the film That which I had probably wanted to do all along, yet I felt somehow trapped into making a structured essay which efficiently critiqued and praised the film for it’s interesting and dynamic range of visual techniques
CINEMA PARADISO: THE FOREIGN MIGHT OF MOVING ON
Cinema Paradiso follows the memories of Salvatore (Toto), a sicilian film maker who is informed by his girlfriend that a man named Alfredo has passed away. The film then proceeds to show us his life as a young boy from the post-war torn Sicilian town, Giancaldo He found himself infatuated with films from a young age after he visited the only place in his small town where entertainment, and most importantly escape from the troubles of life could be found: The Cinema Paradiso. Toto befriended Alfredo, the projectionist at Cinema Paradiso But as he grew older, Alfredo pushed for Toto to leave the town and pursue his dreams of film making. Once the film cuts back to the present however, Toto has already returned for his beloved friend’s funeral.
When I wrote before that this film had emotionally shaken me, I don’t use that term lightly. When I read Amazon Prime video’s tags, it said ‘tearjerker’ to which I casually looked over. However, I was honestly moved to tears by the end of the film as I had lived out my own fears and anxieties throughout the last few minutes of the film. The culprit of these emotions were Toto and Alfredo’s relationship.
What I noticed very early on in my viewing was what Alfredo’s character represented; Loneliness He is never shown to have friends, family or even a pet His only friend was Toto On the other hand, Toto was also lonely, however not in the same way as he was shown to have friends and family. Instead I think his loneliness resided in slight ostracization from his family as (at least early on in the film) his mother disliked his affection for him Part of this is shown when she blames him for his film lighting on fire. Alfredo and Toto came together as a result of their shared passion for film, however the emotions that binded them and made me care about them were grounded in one of the film’s key themes: Change in the pursuit of happiness Or in other words, moving on.
Once Alfredo loses his sight in the fire at Cinema Paradiso, he becomes much more verbal about Toto following his dreams Perhaps it originates from a post war attitude that many creatives felt after being repressed for so long, however the change in tone and the change in Alfredo’s demeanor tell me it’s more individual to him relates to his lack of self worth
Personally, I couldn’t imagine losing a close family member or a friend. It’s something that will eventually happen and that lurking of death will eventually catch up to all of us, however, I feel as though I can understand or at least sympathise via Toto’s mourning of Alfredo As I said in the beginning I lost interest in the technical aspect of the film once I became invested in their relationship. For me though, the final 15 minutes sealed it. After hearing about Alfredo since Toto left, I began to wonder if he was ever actually happy, but once Toto’s mother began to speak before the funeral I realised that Alfredo’s happiness was indeed dependant on Toto’s success, however it was not in a sense of owing or of him living through Toto, but instead it was a sense of pride and of genuine happiness that he could help someone else become happy
CINEMA PARADISO: THE FOREIGN MIGHT OF MOVING ON
During the final scene of the film, Toto plays the film that Alfredo had left for him, and what was left for him was every scene that was cut from the films at Cinema Paradiso when Alfredo and Toto first met Every kissing scene and every remotely sexual scene. At first glance it seems purely sentimental and leaves the film off to a nice end. But, from a thematic standpoint it represents everything that Alfredo felt for the son he never had, love via a sentimental gift that shows their long and unbreaking bond, even in death.
Because of this overarching, concrete theme of moving on,
"Cinema Paradiso is able to create a convincing identity in its core two leads which allows for truly inspiring character writing that challenges the limits of emotional depth."
The film feeds itself deeply into it’s parallels between Toto and Alfredo and is never afraid to use it’s political timing as a vehicle to drive it’s heavier and more subtle story beats in support of it’s two lead’s story which creates impeccable pacing, never leaving me bored or waiting for the next scene. To say Cinema Paradiso is a good film would be correct But it certainly wouldn’t give it enough credit When I say it is a foreign might of moving on I mean it in the powerful way it uses culture and (as previously said) political timing to carry itself with charm and nuance as well as making good use of technical elements and impeccably framed shots in order to capture the exact essence the film effortlessly reaches for
By Nic Denny
RAN
Akira Kurosawa’s Ran (1985) is an adaptation of Shakespeare’s King Lear set in Sengoku Period Japan It follows Great Lord Ichimonji as he abdicates from power, handing over the control of his lands to his eldest son It is not the first of Shakespeare’s plays that Kurosawa adapted, following Throne of Blood (1957) and The Bad Sleep Well (1960), adaptations of Macbeth and Hamlet respectively However, Ran stands apart from Kurosawa’s other Shakespearian efforts The scene that best summarizes the tragedy and themes of Ran is during the central siege sequence where Lord Hidetora Ichimonji emerges at the top of the steps of the fortress to face off against the attacking forces, drawing his katana only for it to break apart after he swings it He runs back inside and later is seen desperately searching for a sword to use to commit seppuku (ritual suicide) in a last-ditch effort to die with honour He is denied these easy honorable deaths, and is forced to slowly lose his mind as he is confronted with the sins of his past
"This perfectly shows how Shakespeare’s story meshes with Kurosawa’s fascination with mortality and his Japanese storytelling sensibilities."
It is truly an epic, with a running time of just over two and a half hours and an incredible scope and sense of grand scale What makes Ran, and Kurosawa’s other Shakespeare films so unique is that rather than using a Japanese setting to tell a Shakespeare story, Kurosawa uses a Shakespeare plot to tell a story about Japan. The story of King Lear translates incredibly well to a feudal Japanese setting.
by Henry Lee
Kurosawa makes great efforts during the opening of the film to show a society rigidly structured around honour and tradition. To reflect the overwhelming patriarchal society of Sengoku Period Japan, Kurosawa swaps King Lear’s daughters to three sons Despite the seemingly
lessened female presence in the story as a result of this, a majority of the male characters in the film are presented as incompetent, greedy, easily influenced, cowardly, weak willed and bound by bureaucracy and tradition, whilst women are presented as smarter and more sympathetic. The androgynous male character of Kyomi, the court fool (incidentally the only holdover from Shakespeare’s’ original text It is truly an epic, with a running time of just over two and a half hours and an incredible scope and sense of grand scale
What makes Ran, and Kurosawa’s other Shakespeare films so unique is that rather than using a Japanese setting to tell a Shakespeare story, Kurosawa uses a Shakespeare plot to tell a story about Japan The story of King Lear translates incredibly well to a feudal Japanese setting. Kurosawa makes great efforts during the opening of the film to show a society rigidly structured around honour and tradition To reflect the overwhelming patriarchal society of Sengoku Period Japan, Kurosawa swaps King Lear’s daughters to three sons. Despite the seemingly lessened female presence in the story as a result of this, a majority of the male characters in the film are presented as incompetent,
greedy, easily influenced, cowardly, weak willed and bound by bureaucracy and tradition, whilst women are presented as smarter and more sympathetic. The androgynous male character of Kyomi, the court fool (incidentally the only holdover from Shakespeare’s’ original text not adapted to fit the sengoku era setting, since there was no historically accurate analog for the fool to be adapted to), played by Japanese performer Pita, is repeatedly shown to be the most insightful and honest character in the film, stripped of all his masculine traits.
Despite only being Kurosawa’s second film in full colour, it is one of the most visually stunning films of its era Kurosawa’s use of colour and his calculated, precise framing of shots with a deep depth of field make for a film that is visually engaging from beginning to end. From the shockingly bright red blood to the rich, vibrant green grass of the Japanese countryside to the black volcanic gravel that acts as the backdrop to the film's main action set piece, Kurosawa paints a rich and varied visual style. The use of colour is maybe best demonstrated in how primary colours, red, yellow and blue, are used to represent Ichimonji’s sons
In addition to acting as a clear and easy to remember indicator for the audience as to which army and which castles belong to which characters, the visuals created by hundreds of extras bearing red, yellow and blue banners in action sequences are absolutely stunning Perhaps the most famous shot in the film comes during the pivotal castle siege scene, in which a dazed and bewildered Ichimonji emerges from the burning castle perfectly in the center of the frame, with the lower third of the frame taken up by soldiers flying a red banner on one side and yellow on the other. The composition of...
this shot is absolutely masterful, perfectly demonstrating the skill of Kurosawa and DP Asakazu Nakai, Kurosawa’s longtime collaborator.
"At points, especially during battle sequences, shots look as if they have been taken directly from classical Japanese paintings and artwork,"
similarly to how Stanley Kubrick’s Barry Lyndon drew inspiration from classical paintings in its shot composition. All of this comes together to make the world presented in Ran feel vivid, real and immersive.
One of Kurosawa’s trademarks across his entire career is his obsession with motion in his shots His movies are filled with long panning tracking shots which lend his work a great visual energy. One of the best examples is in his film Sanjuro from 1962, where a dramatic tilt down follows a camellia flower as it falls from a tree into a river below This same style is reflected at the end of Ran, where a character unsheathes his sword, quickly swings it out to kill a character sitting in front of him. Kurosawa tilts the camera up in sync with the slash of the sword as bright red blood is sprayed on the wall behind the characters This subtle yet noticeable camera move ingeniously elevates the visual flair and energy of this moment, making it one of the most visually memorable of the entire film, not to mention another genius use of bright colour There is rarely a still moment in a Kurosawa film His repeated motif of dramatic weather throughout his career means that even if a shot features characters sitting still and motionless, they’re surrounded by pouring rain, snow or grass blowing in the wind
would still be perfectly clear just from the way the camera moves and the facial expressions and movements of the actors. Unfortunately, Kurosawa’s 16 film collaboration with Mifune ended with 1965’s Redbeard after the two men had a much publicised falling out. However, Mifune’s legacy can still very much be felt in Ran. The deterioration of Lord Hidetora is shown visually, through the change in the way actor Tatsuya Nakadai carries himself from the start to the end of the film
This physical decay is very reminiscent of Kurosawa’s 1948 film Drunken Angel, in which Toshiro Mifune plays a Yakuza criminal suffering from tuberculosis who slowly succumbs to his illness over the course of the film Tatsuya Nakadai, who played Hidetora in Ran acted alongside Mifune in films such as Yojimbo and Sanjuro, and does run the risk of living in Mifune’s shadow, becoming Kurosawa’s go-to leading man after his relationship with Mifune broke down However, Nakadai’s performance in Ran cements him as an incredible actor in his own right, his turn as the slowly weakening and dying Hidetora showcasing his
incredible control of his gait, movements, vocal delivery, even the way he is able to change the intensity of his gaze as the character becomes weaker.
Ran is a movie about the importance of a strong moral code. Kurosawa paints a varied cast of morally corrupt characters and laments their actions, warning the audience that if they are unable to find a moral purpose, be it through Buddha or something else, they are doomed to make the world a worse place Kurosawa was 75 when he made Ran and it is well documented how he was heavily depressed during its production, losing his wife at one point during filming His dark mental state is echoed in the film It is a tragedy at its heart, and features a persistent tone of hopelessness at points as Hidetora slowly deteriorates before the eyes of the fool Kyomi and the audience, at the same time forced to confront the horrific actions of his past, all of this punctuated with alarming violence at points Nevertheless, the film is still meticulously crafted, showing Kurosawa’s masterful control of the camera and some of the most poetic writing of his career. Kyomi says it best-
“In a mad world, only the mad are sane ” .
by Henry Lee
‘The Lunchbox’ was released in 2013 with a quiet storm surrounding it. Breaking the mould of Hollywood blockbuster, whilst it didn’t break any records, it garnered a huge amount of critical acclaim, and encouraged people who wouldn’t usually consider a film such as this to go out and give it a go.
Telling the tale of two people conversing over notes passed through an intricate, real-life ‘Lunchbox’ system that runs in Mumbai, the film deals with an understated romance, repressed emotions, and a sombre tone that never lets up
To some, this could come off as monotonous or boring, and whilst the film doesn’t go out of it’s way to give you high stakes to force intrigue, it relies solely on it’s characters to keep you interested, and their blossoming relationship told through a series of notes that then expand into letters
Why I think this film broke through to a slightly more mainstream audience is centred in this exploration of theme and character. Sajaan (played by Irrfan Khan who you may recognise from films such as ‘Life of Pi’ or ‘The Amazing Spider-Man’) is an incredibly repressed character. He doesn’t share his life with anyone, and though he seems content with his existence, it’s clear that he yearns for something more. We learn that the food he was receiving before Ila came into his life was the same cauliflower dish everyday. Food was sustenance for him.
THE LUNCHBOX
by Sam Gamble
Whilst Sajaan's repression is, to an extent, self-inflicted, Ila’s repression comes very much from an external source. A marriage that is devoid of any romance or...
or excitement, the couple just simply exist together. The husband goes to work, comes back, and is highly likely to be called away again. Ila does her chores, cooks her husband's lunch, takes their daughter to school Rinse and repeat
These two characters live a cycle over and over again, and for the pair of them, this cycle certainly seems inevitable. I will stake a claim that everyone has felt they have been stuck in a loop at least once in their life, and at times it can seem inescapable But, through the power of epistolary human connection, we see that these cycles can be broken.
The two central characters are complimented with two light comic relief players in the form of Saajan’s colleague Aslam who is being trained to take over his position upon his retirement, and Ila’s Auntie who lives in the apartment above her, and the two only converse through shouted words of advice across multiple floors
Auntie’s abrupt and direct approach to her challenges, and Aslam’s cloying eagerness stand in direct contrast to our core characters, yet they become an integral part of their lives, adding credence to the idea of opposites attracting
"In short, despite the language barrier (even though there is a fair amount of spoken English), everyone has been in one of these characters' shoes at some point."
Whether in a relationship you know is not working, missing a loved one, or just dying for some of human connection in whatever form it takes, The Lunchbox encapsulates the human condition in such a melancholic and sombre way, that even after the credits roll you want to know what happens to these two.
We’re all hoping for that one moment, especially in these times when distance is such a factor, to connect with one another again The Lunchbox proves that it’s possible, and it may lead to something you didn’t expect at all.
by Sam Gamble
YOUR FUTURE
Life at Uni Studying Film by Martin Attmore
A Day in the Life of a Professional Videographer by Amar Sraan
Latin American Cinema by Dr Sarah Barrow
LIFE AT UNI STUDYING FILM
by Martin Attmore, Former Student
Filmmaking Degr
Sussex by Martin A
This year has been a t education for most of college and missed out o at uni, but this is not a piece, I will talk about ho learned from it
If you don’t know, uni c through assessed module three semesters each yea Modules have different seminars, practicals a depending on your course taking is a blend of bot reflected in my assessme submit 4 essay portfolio have a mid-term asses product, group present modules in total The loc these more difficult than and working in groups In is enough variety to ke helping you build your general and specific skills
Living on campus has been a mixed experience this year I was on campus for only the first seven weeks, but some people stayed throughout most of the year Being on campus was another opportunity where students simply have to “make the most of it” In-person events and teaching were absolutely minimal and houses were
for fairer treatment The tuition fee of £9,250 is not reflective of the standard of education most uni students have received this year, nor any other year for that matter. I would advise you if you are going to uni to look to rent strike or organise one to rightfully ask for fairer treatment from management
LIFE AT UNI STUDYING FILM
Societies are an important part of uni social life, particularly this year; online events have been one of the only ways to meet new people. The easiest way to find out what societies they have at your uni will normally be at a Freshers’ Fayre (which will hopefully be in person this year). Events are one of the best ways to make the most of your uni degree because participation and fun can regularly be the opposite of how uni work feels, so don’t underestimate the benefits If you don’t know what societies to join, the events at the start of the year will have other people trying it out too, so
"don’t be afraid to take risks."
We don’t yet know what uni might be like this September, but let me offer some advice: be ready to try your best at your course and everything outside of it. I was quite worried about keeping myself alive, cooking and cleaning etc, but once I learned how to shop properly and got into a routine, it was less worrying You will all be individuals and different, nervous about different aspects of uni, but honestly;
“improvise, adapt, overcome ” is basically how you have to face it - uni life isn’t the actual wilderness"
but if there’s something at uni you haven’t prepared for, for many it is a case of make it up as you go along (I probably shouldn’t be encouraging that, but not giving up is the only way you’ll get the degree you are there for)
For those of you who haven’t picked your uni or don’t know where you are going after Long: think about what you want to do, where you’d like to do it, and who you want to be after it That is pretty much the point of uni, a stepping stone, so was (or is) Long Road A lot of people will tell you similar advice about uni (I probably have too) and your classmates will often be feeling the same emotions as you. Try to pick a place where you can be you and, importantly, where you can let others be others That’s the general limit of advice I can (or should) give, so good luck and enjoy it - and pray it isn’t all online.
Modules for Filmmaking Degree at University of Sussex
Autumn Term:
Analysing Film (Core) - basically A-level content, leading to essays on The Heat (still cannot believe they made us study this) and Carol
Screenwriting (Core) - writing a script
Audiovisual Practices (Option) - learning how to use video AND audio to a higher standard, I had a few inperson sessions for this
Spring Term:
Global Cinema (Core) - International film studies, much more advanced theories such as transnationality, regional cinema, movements of cinema and distribution
Screen Drama (Core) - producing a film based on an allotted title, prop and location
Working with Film (Option) - similar to Analysing Film, focusing more on authorship and genre (Westerns)
Mental Health and Madness (Elective)Psychology/Sociology module discussing lots of aspects of the mental health system and madness in society, leading to an essay portfolio (the last essay I handed in this academic year)
The following link is to one of the film’s that Martin produced during his first year for the module ‘Screen Drama (Core)’ in the Spring term: 'Vanish' short film - YouTube
by Martin Attmore, Former Student
THE LIFE OF AN INDEPENDENT VIDEOGRAPHER
Thinking back to my earliest memories as a young child in the 1980’s, my dad would occasionally hire a small camcorder on special occasions to capture some family memories around the house That was most likely how my intrigue for filmmaking first started
Several years later I was the ‘media-geek’ at school As a 16 year old, my Geography teacher asked me if I would film his small wedding There was £50 in it for me if I did a decent job and of course I jumped at the chance
"I still remember the extreme pressure and panic of the big day. Tripods were falling over, batteries were dying and I was knackered from standing up all day!"
lot of what I learned on those courses isn’t particularly applied today and much of what I do now is selftaught. But it gave me an appreciation of the craft, the dedication and the thought-processes applied to create what I do today
Outside of getting my education, it was a collection of smaller experiences which helped mould a lot of the skill-sets I needed - not just as a video creator, but a business owner.
I got paid (possibly out of sympathy) but the next day I vowed to never shoot a wedding again Nope not for y
Doing a daily 6am newspaper delivery job before school as 14 year old for £15 a week taught me that the early bird catches the worm (and sleep is priceless) Selling double glazing in a call-centre and working in the likes of Harrods & Harvey Nichols in fancy Knightsbridge taught me the value of providing excellent customer service. Before starting my company, I worked as a Media Technician at Long Road Sixth Form Collegemultitasking and troubleshooting for a whole media department, which even led to a very short stint as an A-Level Media teacher. I made some poor decisions as well Fresh out of university, one of my good course friends told me about a job as a runner on a lowbudget British film, but it was unpaid and I didn’t fancy making coffee for people. I laughed it off, declined and never got asked again. My friend went on to have a very successful career directing several British films with theatre releases and now works with WWE studios in the United States
by Amar Sraan - Creative Director, Make It Reel
THE LIFE OF AN INDEPENDENT VIDEOGRAPHER
I’m a firm believer that every experience, good or bad, is an opportunity to learn and I’m grateful for having a wide range of them. These skills that were acquired over time helped me develop the know-how in attracting customers to my business I often follow the breadcrumbs back to my earliest jobs. They were often small, cheap or even unpaid. But the domino effect of new business that came from these jobs is still evident in some of the bigger contracts we have today Now I’m extremely fortunate to provide videography at many beautiful weddings in the UK & abroad with hundreds of guests.
We also work widely in the corporate sector, such as with the NHS, numerous educational establishments like the Oxford University Press and Premier League football clubs Equally, we enjoy working with small businesses and brands in conveying their messages through video production. It’s the variety of productions we work on which I really love about my job. Every day truly is different to the last We could be working with a local ballet school one day and then on a live studio production the next Work has led us as far as Sweden, Dubai, Bombay, Italy & Cyprus. It looks and sounds very rock’n’roll’ but that’s not always the reality of it. One of our contracts with the local council meant I had to film in a waste recycling centre That particular job didn’t make it on my instagram for obvious reasons However it’s amazing getting to meet so many people, see so many different places and I wouldn’t change it for the world It’s hard work and for many months of the year we do work seven days a week, but the rewards are endless
For any young person looking to go into the world of video production, I’d say this;
"Learn your craft, put in the hours, be proactive, don’t turn your nose up at a cheap job, draw on your other experiences and prove the doubters wrong. "
And stock up on Red Bull. It’ll all be worth it.
by Amar Sraan - Creative Director, Make
Latin American cinema of the twenty-first century
Latin American cinema refers collectively to the film output and film industries of a diverse region, spanning such countries as Brazil (Portuguese-speaking), Peru, Argentina, Colombia, Chile, Mexico and Cuba (all Spanish-speaking), unified by ongoing struggles for social justice and liberation that are often articulated in the films produced in each nation for over one hundred twenty-five years. As elsewhere in the world, Latin American society enjoyed the pioneering film-makers of the silent era who projected their films in cafes and village halls; then ushered in the sound era with local vernacular music, storytelling and melodrama. By the 1960s, a distinctly oppositional cinema became synonymous with the film practices and products of Latin America, one that was highly politicised and revolutionary in its intentions. From the 1970s onwards, struggles for the democratization across the region coincided with cinema becoming more entwined with state objectives to frame new national identities, with funding schemes established to promote the development of national cinema. As these schemes dried up or became increasingly precarious, filmmakers of Latin America have – since the start of the twentyfirst century sought to draw on a wider range of international co-production initiatives and found new funding, distribution and audiences for their work. Indeed, for the last twenty years, an increasingly significant number of Latin American films have enjoyed an unprecedented level of critical and commercial
by Dr
success on the global film market, and thanks to all sorts of new digital platforms, the opportunities to enjoy and study the cinema of this region are ever greater.
of the films that drew worldwide attention to Latin America was Amores Perros (2000) which offers a discomforting portrayal of social inequality, urban violence and the fragility of the human condition. The debut feature film of Mexican director Alejandro González Iñárritu opens with a frantic car chase and brutal crash that connects three narratives about contemporary Mexican society
"The tripartite structure highlights the intricacies of everyday life with a focus on pain, love and redemption."
It is also about the uneven development and overcrowded landscape of Mexico City, with depictions of the convergence of extreme wealth and poverty that
One
Sarah Barrow, University of East Anglia
Latin American cinema of the twenty-first century
epitomized a country which until a few weeks after the film’s international release had been languishing under the lengthy rule of the Institutional Revolutionary Party. The film adopts dog fighting as a metaphor for human violence, fractured relationships and broken communication with each of the three sections of the narrative revolving around the connection or disconnections between the various dogs and their owners Although dogs are associated in many parts of the world with the qualities of loyalty and devotion, Iñárritu weaves in stories of infidelity, deceit, and the savage nature of contemporary urban life.
"These dogs mirror to a large extent the psyche of the central protagonists and their fates within the film,"
with stories about the impossibility of communication across class, race, generation and gender boundaries within this specific Mexican urban context. The director’s artful blend of experimental techniques (use of multiple film-stocks, disjointed narrative, extreme close-ups) with more commercial elements (rapid editing style, contemporary soundtrack, themes of sex and violence) highlights the complexities, contradictions and disconnections of contemporary life in Mexico City
period in the life of Fausta (Magaly Solier), a young woman whose family has moved from the mountainous Andean region to Manchay, one of the shanty towns on the outskirts of Lima, the capital city of Peru Fausta grieves for the loss of her mother, Perpetua (Bárbara Lazón), who dies in the story’s opening sequences. However, Fausta is already grief-stricken before this loss, her emotions paralysed and her interest in life diminished as a result of being born during the turmoil which saw internal armed conflict between the Peruvian military and the terrorist group Shining Path.
The Milk of Sorrow is set in and around specific locales of Lima, navigating spaces that, like Amores Perros, draw attention to the convergences of poverty and privilege, and emphasising the effects of landscape and physical environment on their characters. The release of Llosa’s film provoked controversy and exposed tensions between the different parts of Peruvian society and culture It reminded its viewers of the tensions and terror that resulted from two decades of political conflict in Peru, and points to the difficulties of communication across boundaries of race, class, gender and generation Although its international acclaim was a source of considerable national pride as a sign of a more mature film industry, for some viewers, the film’s focus on issues of migration and racial difference was unsettling in its apparent perpetuation of old stereotypes of underdevelopment Nevertheless, it served to place a spotlight on the possibility for creating high-quality, sophisticated cinematic storytelling in Latin America.
The two chosen films exemplify many from the region that were made in the first two decades of the twentyfirst century. This was a time when the effects of new
Another film from the region that drew attention for its high quality as well as its content was Peruvian Claudia Llosa’s second feature, The Milk of Sorrow (2009), which won the prestigious Golden Bear award at Berlin Film Festival in 2009. The narrative tracks a significant
Latin American cinema of the twenty-first century
cinema legislation at national level, along with multinational funding initiatives from public and private sources began to bear fruit in terms of supporting the production of a diverse range of films that succeeded in connecting scenes of locally specific issues with global audiences. Historical and political events along with images of everyday life across Latin America have been brought to the screen in many different ways and across every single genre Comedy, horror, road movies all fare well and topics embrace much more than the stereotypical images from Latin America of drugs and violence.
Further Reading
Barrow, S and Vich, C (2020) (eds) Peruvian Cinema of the Twenty-First Century: Dynamic and Unstable Grounds. London and New York: Palgrave
King, J (2000) Magical Reels: A History of Cinema in Latin America London: Verso
Schroeder Rodríguez, P. (2016). Latin American Cinema: A Comparative History. Oakland: University of California Press
Shaw, D (2007) (ed ) Contemporary Latin American Cinema: Breaking into the Global Market. Washington: Rowman & Littlefield
Shaw, D (2015) The Three Amigos: The Transnational Filmmaking of Guillermo del Toro, Alejandro González Iñárritu, and Alfonso Cuarón. Manchester: Manchester University Press
Tierney, D (2018) New Transnationalisms in Contemporary Latin American Cinemas. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press
by Dr Sarah Barrow, University of East Anglia
