Third Cinema

Question 1

What is the Overview?

Answer 1

Fierce antagonism from government that intended to repress artistic freedom
A number of them are forced to work underground, guerrilla style
Reject completely escaped and plot oriented movies in Hollywood and artistic personal movies that’s popular in Europe
Strong political thrust: socialism, Marxism and fierce nationalism
Address urgent social reality: poverty, ignorance, injustice
Strongly identified with the oppressed mass

Question 2

What are the General Characteristics?

Answer 2

The use of art as the tool for social change
The assumption that imperialism exploits the peasants and proletariat to further the interest of the ruling class
The belief that all art is at least implicitly ideological either affirming or challenging the status-quo
Demystification of power, demonstrating how power is wielded and who it benefits
Tent to identify with the oppressed group in their country: the outcasts, women and racial minorities
The belief that environment largely determines human behavior
A rejection of religion and supernaturals and in favor of the strict scientific materialism
The belief in the equal worth of human being

Question 3

Explain what “Third Cinema” means

Answer 3

Manifesto “Toward a Third Cinema”, Fernando Solanas and Octavio Getino:
First cinema: Hollywood production model that promote bourgeois values to passive audience through escapist spectaculars and individual characters
Second cinema: European art films that reject Hollywood conventions but center on the individual expression of the auteur filmmakers
Third cinema: reject the view of cinema as a vehicle for personal expression, seeing the director as a part of a collective. It appeals to the mass by presenting the truth and inspire revolutionary actions. Avoid traditional exhibitions. Films should be screened clandestinely to avoid censorship and commercial network and ask the viewers to take the risks to see them

Question 4

Who is Hector Babenco?

Answer 4

Born in Argentina, lived and worked in Brazil
17 years old: worked as an extra in Italian production
1966-1969: extra in another Italian productions
1969: worked in series of jobs
1975: first feature film: “King of the Night”
1977: second feature “Passenger of Agony”, box office success
1980: “Pixote”, international recognition
1983: worked in Hollywood

Question 5

What are examples of Instructive Dramas in Third Cinema?

Answer 5

Lucia (1968) Humberto Solas, Cuba
Vidas secas (1963) Nelson Santos, Brazil
How Tasty Was My Little Frenchman (1972) Nelson Santos, Brazil

Question 6

What are examples of Documentaries in Third Cinema?

Answer 6

The Hour of the Furnaces (1968) Fernando Solanas and Octavio Getino, Argentina
The Battle of Chile (1973-79) Patricio Guzman, Chile

Question 7

Exammples of Gutierrez Alea and Sembene’s film

Answer 7

Memories of Underdevelopment (1968, Tomas Gutierrez Alea) Cuba
Xala (1974) Ousmane Sembene