National Cinema is difficult to define, but can be read in may ways in a text, it can be read in the way a Film is produced, with the director, actors, producers and language all being a contributing force. However, when these things are used together all with once major national influence it becomes apparent as to what is national cinema and what is not. Using the examples of Volver, The Orphanage and Pans Labryinth this will be shown. There are many types of national cimena and they all influence each other, with Hollywood influencing and the most dominant of them all.
National Cinema is, according to many, hard to define, however it is predominately used to define the movies and cinema produced by a single country (O'Regan) & (Triana-Toribio). The most widely known and easily recognizable examples of National cinema are Hollywood and India’s Bollywood. While it can be argued that Hollywood Cinema is not directly America’s national cinema it is a major contributor to all other forms of National Cinema, with many trying to replicate it. National cinema’s by replicating the way Hollywood Cinema is created try and fight the success it has on their market, by creating a piece of Cinema in a country that replicates Hollywood it streams the revenue back into the Nation and not into the large companies that produce Hollywood films.
A Domestic based or National cinema film-maker’s career will often be hinged on the success of getting their film into a Film festival like Sundance, Cannes or the other major international Film Festivals while also gaining entry into the Film festivals based in their own nation. For instance, a New Zealand Director may try to get his movie into the New Zealand Film Festival, while also trying to get it into Cannes or Sundance. The New Zealand Movie ‘Boy’, which was written and directed by Taika Waititi, and funded by the New Zealand Film commission, had its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival and another release at the Berlin Film Festival, there were both before its eventual theatrical release in New Zealand. What this shows is that the director’s aim was not only to have the film shown on a National level, but an international level. So while it can be argued that ‘Boy’ is an example of New Zealand national cinema, it has also been aimed for international release.
To gain commercial success, and also to break the international market, film makers will often outsource some of the production and acting responsibilities to foreigners, as this often helps them crack the international market and gain overseas distribution deals, big names will often pull bigger crowds (Pavlovic, Inmaculada and Blanc) . This has happened with Spanish cinema, with movies like, The Others, and The machinist all staring big names, but remaining Spanish in origin. This idea can be translated into movies like Vantage Point and The Boy Who Stole a Million which are example’s of Films that have a Spanish setting but are a product of foreign cinema, with Vantage Point being an American production and The Boy Who Stole a Million being a British production. Having big budget movies filmed on location, is good for tourism but can also create the illusion that the film is National Cinema, when it is only a product of ‘location filming’. Over the years these movies and other co-productions have added to the outside influence on Spanish cinema (Triana-Toribio) . Hollywood and other film industries looks to film on location because it presents a more authentic feel then a sound stage or creating a set does.
Volver is a 2006 Spanish film directed by Spaniard Pedro Almodovar. It was Co-produced by Pedro’s brother Agustin and another Spanish producer Esther Garcia, who had previously funded Pedro’s films. While he was filming Volver, Pedro kept a short diary as to what the movie was about, in an attempt to explain its origin, he explains how it is about death, but not just death itself, it also is about the culture surrounding death in the area where he grew up (Almodóvar) . It also brings up the topic of Sex abuse, and how the character, Paula, finally dealt with the struggle that it caused her when the character of Paco, tried to rape her, which then resulted in his death while she is defending herself. Towards the conclusion of the film, the protaganist, Raimunda, played by Penelope Cruz, also finds out that Paula is not only her Daughter, but also sister, due to her fathers sexual abuse on her. This film deals with many issues facing families. Pedro cited his upbringing as a major influence on his ideas for this Film, with many of the Characters and plot segments based loosely on parts of his childhood surroundings. This reference to his childhood helps to create a more authentic feel to the movie, as he is drawing from experiance, but is not re-creating it.
Volver can be seen as an example of national cinema because in a few different ways. Firstly, the setting, it is set in the La Mancha region of Spain, just south of Madrid, which is also the birthplace of the Films director. Another reason is the production; the director, Pedro Almodovar, the producers, Agustin Almodovar, Esther Garcia and Toni Novella are all Spanish, The music was scored originally by Alberto Iglesias, and the editing, casting, cinematography were Spaniards. Another example is the title of the film its self, Volver, which is Spanish for ‘Return’ or ‘To come back’, is a theme in the film, the characters begin by returning to a village in memory of the mother who died in a house fire years previously. This mother then later, through a series of events, returns to reveal that she was never in fact diseased. Finally, the language, the main language of the film is Spanish. All these things are examples then when used together show that Volver is an example of Spanish National cinema and not a product of Hollywood or any other national cinema made to look Spanish.
The Orphanage (2007) is the debut film of Spanish film maker Jaun Antionio Bayona, and was written eleven years previously by Sergio Sanchez. It is a Spanish/Mexican co-production but it has a primary Spanish influence, with its Director, writer, actors and language being Spanish. The Orphanage once again deals with death as a revoling theme, the dissaperance and eventual death of the character Simon, the search by and eventual death of Laura, as well as dealing with the deaths of Thomas and the other orphans. Another theme is also childhood, with the movie revolving around a game created by Simon and the ghost, or memory, or Thomas. These two main themes eventually mix, with the Game leading to the discovery of the deseased orphans in the furnace.
We can read The Orphanage as an example of spanish national cinema because of the heavy Spanish influence. The three main actors in the film are Spanish, giving the film a feel and look of a Spanish production, the effect of doing this familiarizes the viewer with the nation, it clearly identifies the protagonist’s as Spanish as they look more natural and the accents are natural. Also the setting of this movie was set in the Asturias region of Spain, as Bayona felt that this gave the best representation of his vision of Spain and how well it would work for the film (New Line Cinema) . However, there were certain restrictions to this area, aspects of filming that Bayona wanted to achieve could not be achieved in the house its self so filming of these took place in sound stages in Barcelona. Jaun Antionio took inspiration from other Spanish films La residencia and The Innocents and showed both to the Director of Photography, as he wanted to re-create or imitate the scope lensing used in these films (New Line Cinema) . However, the producers behind it, including Guillermo Del Toro, are a mix of Spaniards and Mexican’s, which can lead to questions about the films nationality, however, the primary reason for turning to the Mexican producers was to double the budget and the filming duration, as to create the movie how the directer wanted.
El laberinto del fauno (2006), the Spanish title of the Mexican/Spanish co-production ‘Pans Labyrinth’ is an example at how a film can be a co-production with a setting in a country different to that of it’s production unit. Written, directed and produced by Mexican, Guillermo del Toro, Pans Labyrinth is set 5 years after the Spanish civil war (1944) and follows one girl, Ofelia’s, travels into a mystical world with the aid of a Faun, who helps her challenge her identity as human and get released into the mystical world as Princess Moanna. This film can be read as a product of Spanish national cinema because of its setting, 1940’s war torn Spain, its language, Spanish, and its primary actors, with the exception of one, being of Spanish origin. However, its producers range from Spanish and Mexican origin, leading to question as to what National cinema this film represents. The Music production was also created and Scored by Javier Navarrete, who originates from the Spanish region of Teruel. However the Cinematography and editing was done by Mexicans. This Once again calls into question the nationality of the film.
In both The Orphanage and Pans Labyrinth there is continued used of blue, the use of this, at times, highlights the sadness of the characters. All three movies highly feature Children, and also death as themes. While these things are not unique to Spanish cinema, with film makers from all over the world using them, they are useful in these films to help portray the message of the film across to the viewer.By seeing this color it helps veiwers to come to terms with what they are seeing on the screen, as they are seeing a familiar color in a time of emotion. When mixed with other cinematography techniques and the films score it can create a representation to the viewer of their own country (Insdorf) . As in Volver, the soundtrack for the Orphanage was composed and scored by a Spanish man, Fernando Velazquez. This is another way we can read this text as a product of Spanish national cinema. Having a person of Spanish origin score the movie allowed for a more personalized background for the movie, in doing this the composer can use unique sounds that would be relevant for Spanish viewers in turn representing their own country back to them. Part of how we can view a film as national cinema is the way it is created for example, the production unit behind it.
The differences in nationality of the production unit involved in creating a film doesn’t nessacarialy show that the film is a product of that national cinema. As the term national cinema is hard to define, it is open to interpretation. Movies like Pans Labyrinth which is a co-production between two nations, but is so heavily set in and features one particular nation, can be perceived as national cinema. Movies like Volver, which is not a co-production can be percived to be Spanish national cinema because of the heavy involvement of Spain, in setting, directing, casting, acting and language. Movies that clearly are not Spanish national cinema but still have a spanish influence in some respect, for example Vantage Point and The Boy Who Stole a Million, are examples of big budget corporations taking advantage of the pituresque Spanish area.
All three of these movies first premiered at Film festivals, Pans Labyrinth at the 2006 Cannes film festival Volver also premiered at this festival, and won two awards, One for best screenplay, and the other for best actress. The Orphanage opened a year later at Cannes in 2007, where it received a 10 minute standing ovation (thinkSPAIN) . However, their Spanish Debut’s came later, with Pan’s Labyrinth being released in October of 2006, Volver’s premier being in March 2006 in Puertollano, where it was filmed. The Orphanage opened the Sitges Film Festival, and had its Spanish release in October of 2007. Together the box office receipts from these movies total $245,155,439 (USD) (Box office Mojo) , with $57,037,080 (USD) being domestic. What this shows is that through these movies Spanish cinema is starting to crack the international market, while there is still the art house productions for the Spanish audiences, more and more productions are being created with the international viewership in mind.
With these major influences from outside markets and the Spanish influence on outside markets, some actors, actresses, directors and other players in Spanish cinema have gained international recognition. Such actors being Antonio Banderas, who had previously worked on a number of Spanish productions, including many with Pedro Almodovar, before gaining international success in American blockbusters. Penelope Cruz is another example, having worked on numerous Spanish productions before international Success. Directors have become international stars thanks to their work on Spanish cinema, Pedro Almodovar has gained worldwide recognition for his Film making, as well as many of the pioneers of Spanish cinema, Segundo de Chomon and Luis Bunuel are other examples. This international success has also highlighted Spain as an attractive destination for American blockbusters and in part tourism, much like Lord of the Rings did for New Zealand. With many Big budget American movies being shot in Spain since the late 1960’s. Jaun Antonio Bayona’s movie, The Orphanage, which is currently undergoing a rewrite for an American remake, has stated that while a remake of his movie is an honour, Americans have money to produce and make anything they want, but, as with his own movie, they choose to mostly re-create successful movies (Sitges Film Festival) .
Although the first Spanish films are argued, it is believed that they were released in 1897, two years after the first Spanish film exhibition, the early term for film festival, these movies were among the first of motion picture, but were still silent. Over the years Spain has created many great silent films, which reached international success. However, the Civil war in 1936 caused a divide in the way people viewed and thought about Spanish cinema, it began to contain heavy Political messages, either for or against Francisco Franco. However, by the 1950’s the emergence of neo-realism and co-productions with France and Italy revitalized the Spanish national cinema, and moved it away from the heavily political fuelled industry it had been since the outbreak of Civil war (Hopewell) . However, it can be in turn argued that today’s National cinema in Spain isn’t solely of Spanish influence, the artistic outlook of the French and Italian cinema’s during the times of Co-production lead to many directors starting to use more artistic elements of cinematography. Also around this time, the emergence of big American financed productions in Spain began to arrive, leading to yet more influence on the Spanish cinema. However, with these productions came work, giving the local cinema industry workers to practice their skills and become better allowed them to then transfer their skills back to the national cinema.
National cinema can be shown in a text by the way it is presented and produced, if the production unit, acting base, music, language and setting are all of one nation it is much easier to determine what is national cinema, the example given, Volver, is evidence of this. This is also true for when there is a mixed base for the production unit but still hase a primary influence with all other aspects of the film, as in the example The Orphanage. It becomes more difficult to determine what is national cinema when the production unit is od a different nationiaity than that of the actors, setting, language and music as in Pans Labryinth. While the definition of national cinema is still difficult to define, the way it is shown in a text is much easier, which also makes spotting imitations, and location filming as not national cinema. The exapmle given, Spanish national cinema, as well as all other major national cinemas, is influenced by others, no one nation can simple say that their cinema is unique.
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