The Swamp Flashcards
How have neoliberal policies affected Argentina? What did it end up looking like?
In an attempt to secure a free market, neoliberalism pushed Argentina to closer resembling fascism, economically devastating the country and disproportionately affecting its lower class population.
Argentina economics & Chile
Argentina followed Chile’s lead in political repression & “disappearing and torturing thousands of dissidents” against neoliberalism with their junta’s dictatorship rule.
What was Argentina’s economic situation in and leading to 2001?
It was in a crisis precipitated by the collapse of banks and its economy. Social revolt broke out once many Argentines had their banks completely frozen due to this crisis.
What is New Argentine Cinema (NAC) and why is The Swamp considered iconic of the new filmmaking? What is NAC’s relationship to modernity?
Argentinian film has presented a “Europeanized” view of the country; The Swamp includes more factors than just this perspective and also addresses gender and class. I was unable to find specific info on NAC in the Peluffo reading.
- The film has a very distinct climate. How would you describe it? How does the feature convey this atmosphere? Give an example.
The climate of the film can best be described as “Gritty”. It is full of grey skies, dirty pools, and rainy days—this grittiness instills me with a sense of hopelessness and boredom, and much like some of the characters in the film, I was looking forward to getting out of there.
- The Swamp has a circular narrative structure. Give an example of how the film prefigures its conclusion early on.
The African rat story told early on in the movie foreshadowed the injury/possible death of the young character that, like the African rat, had an extra tooth in the row behind his normal teeth (he also was very afraid of the story and could often be seen around dogs).
- How are class and ethnic relations depicted in the film? Identify characters and their interactions.
The caretaker of the main family in the film, Isabel, was loved by the younger members of the house (especially Momi), but hated and called derogatory terms such as savage by Mecha (the matriarch).
Mecha & Isabel
Mecha often accused Isabel of stealing and being a “party girl” for having a social life outside of the family, her racism likely stemmed from historical colonial-indigenous relations in the history of Argentina and also in being a non-indigenous woman herself.
Boys & Racism
We also see similar things in the young hunter boys and their mean interactions with other boys they call “the Indians”.
Lucrecia Martel is known for her attention to sound. Give an example of a sequence in the film in which sound plays a significant role. What kind of sound (diegetic/non-diegetic, etc.) is used and how is it used?
Martel uses diegetic sound to create certain emotions, throughout the movie we hear ambiguous gunshots that leaves us unsettled. During a factory seen we hear a screeching sound that creates tension between two parents talking about their kid’s x-ray. The mother covers her ears and expresses how she can’t stand this loud and penetrating sound, it shows her state of mind as dissociated and unable to focus.
