Postcolonial Theory PDF

Postcolonial Theory What Is Postcolonial Theory? Begins outside the scope of film study Concerned with the political, aesthetic, economic, historical, and social impact of European colonial rule around the world Makes a fundamental claim: that the world we inhabit is impossible to...

Postcolonial Theory What Is Postcolonial Theory? Begins outside the scope of film study Concerned with the political, aesthetic, economic, historical, and social impact of European colonial rule around the world Makes a fundamental claim: that the world we inhabit is impossible to understand except in relationship to the history of colonial rule Colonialism Defined - the policy or practice of acquiring full or partial political control over another country, occupying it with settlers, and exploiting it economically. Practiced from 1500s through 20th century by: Portugal Spain France Britain (England) among other European countries Europeans colonized areas of the world already inhabited by indigenous people First Americans Movement of people into North and South America began thousands of years before Europeans crossed the Atlantic Ocean. Colonized Areas From approximately 1500 on, North and South America colonized by various European countries. In Central and South America, very classist system. Affluent European transplants Indigenous people – lower socioeconomic status  At the end of World War II (1945), 1/3 of the world still Independent versus classified as dependent countries Even in countries which were no longer dependent, as in Dependent Central and South America, classist structure remained. Countries Revolutionary Spirit Idea – that capitalism exploits people in colonized and formerly colonized countries Revolutionary leaders arose in Central and South America Examples – Che Guevara, Fidel Castro Decolonization After World War II, European countries generally lacked the wealth and political support necessary to suppress faraway revolts. Britain left: India – 1947 Egypt – 1956 Africa - 1950s and 60s France left: North Africa – early 1960s Neocolonialism Although many countries no longer colonized / dependent, still dependent economically Neocolonialism - the control of less- developed countries by developed countries through indirect means, typically via capitalism Example – Algeria controlled by France until 1962 Still heavily dependent on France for imports  Argentina – Background Solanas and Getino Reading Early 1900s - 1943 Cities initially industrial centers Large working-class population 1929 – Great Depression 1930 – 1943 – political corruption, monetary mismanagement 1946 - 1955 1946 - Juan Perón elected President Enacted socialist policies to help working class 1955 – coup backed by middle class 1955 – 1960s 1955 – new government restricted state intervention Workers’ living condition worsened In Greater Buenos Aires, proportion of squatters grew to 11.24% by 1970 Fernando Solanas and Octavio Getino Late 1960s, filmmakers and activists outside of the industrialized West began calling for a counter-cinema that specifically addressed the history and effects of colonialism. Solanas and Getino - Argentine filmmakers Part of a leftist underground collective calling themselves “Grupo Cine Liberacion” Collaborated on the 4-hour film on Latin American politics and revolutionary violence, La hora de los hornos (Hour of the Furnaces, 1968) Theirs and other films made possible by inexpensive 16mm film => film by the people for the people.  Solanas and Getino published a manifesto supporting this counter-cinema “Towards a Third Cinema: Notes and Experiences for the Development of a Cinema of Liberation in the Third World” (1969) Rejection of capitalism and bourgeois, materialist society Identified three types of cinema: First Cinema – Hollywood productions, other commercial/capitalist film industries Second Cinema – art films, elitist, ex. French New Wave Third Cinema – cinema of the people  Characteristics of Third Cinema Content: Documentary as preferred genre, “deepens the truth” Emphasizes social injustice – poverty, neocolonial oppression Promotes revolution against social injustice Production: Low-budget, 16mm film Often covert filming and processing Distribution: Decentralized distribution, often underground because of content Examples – apartments & houses (Argentina), universities & cultural centers (Chile) Reactions In Argentina, film suppression law (1958-76) established to: suppress dissent protect moral values Screening raids Films such as La hora de los hornos illegal to watch Killer of Sheep (1977) American film, directed by Charles Burnett Somewhat akin to Third Cinema in its emphasis on social inequality and injustice Added to the Library of Congress’ National Film Registry for being culturally, historically or aesthetically significant Black Girl (1966) Example of postcolonial cinema Director – Ousmane Sembène, Senegalese film director, producer, writer A young Senegalese woman becomes a maid for a French couple but is constantly mistreated and made aware of her race. 1960 – Senegal in West Africa gained independence from France