The Thematic Relationship of Film and Society

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October 12, 2020
Week Six – Reflection Paper
The thematic relationship between films and society is perhaps one of the most exciting topics to study. By looking at how a film was produced in terms of its plot and cinematic techniques, a viewer could think about the very societal backdrop against which the film was made. In this article, I would like to study the relationship between Meirelles' film entitled the City of God and the Brazilian society's societal context back in the days. Specifically, the analysis would focus on how the film's plot and cinematics align with the message that the director is trying to portray and Oricchio's idea of the sertao. All in all, I believe that what made the film emotionally appealing is its focus on the social plight of the Brazilians as portrayed in the sertao.
Cidade de Deus
The City of God revolves around the story of a favela called the City of God. Despite its name, the film would show the city's development from a simple settlement that houses a community in Brazil towards an urban jungle that houses all sorts of gangs and crimes. The movie's main protagonist is a man named Buscape (aka Rocket) who had the dream of becoming a photographer but is caught in the waves of criminality in society. Accordingly, the whole movie would revolve around gangs' idea and how lives and relationships are destroyed due to drugs, power, and violence, among others. Nevertheless, the film would end with Buscape leaving the place and pursuing his dream of being a journalist and a writer.
The Sertao
As stated earlier, one of the reasons for the film's emotional appeal is represented by the idea of the sertao. According to Oricchio, the sertao is ...