Global Political Film

Catalog description

Political films are a powerful form of political communication. This power derives from the ability of the filmmaker to control the characters, plot, dialogue, setting, and other aspects of the context in which the political message is delivered. It is difficult to conceive of any other form of political communication in which the individual or individuals presenting the message have so much control. Even the most programmed of political events or “photo opportunities” provide instances where outside factors or events may intervene. Further, audiences who watch a film are willing to suspend disbelief for the period of viewing; as such, the filmmaker has a willing participant in the narrative he or she develops. Since political communication is the primary means by which political reality is constructed, and since films provide a very persuasive visual and auditory means of creative narratives, they are important subjects for study and analysis. Nearly all scholars recognize the importance of film as a means of affecting, and reflecting, the political climate of a society, especially during specific historical eras. President Woodrow Wilson, upon first seeing Birth of a Nation, said it was like “watching history written in lightning”; by contrast, James Baldwin referred to the film as “an elaborate justification for mass murder.” Both recognized the persuasive powers of film and its potential propaganda value.