Camila And Traditional Argentine Patriarchal Culture Film Studies Essay

Camila And Traditional Argentine Patriarchal Culture Film Studies Essay Camila (Bemberg, 1984) is primarily an assault on traditional Argentine patriarchal culture rather than an allegory of the military dictatorship of 1976-1983. Do you agree with this assessment of Bembergs film? In my personal opinion, the statement that Maria Luisa Bembergs 1984 film Camila is mainly an assault on traditional Argentine patriarchal culture, rather than an allegory of the states military dictatorship, is not correct. Actually, this film truly is an attack against the patriarchal family values that dominated the states society during the 19th Century but along with that, it is a reflection of the tyrannical government that ruled the land of silver from 1976 to 1983. This allegory is not easy to find and to the common viewer, this statement will look as undoubtedly true. Nevertheless, if the spectator looks at the historical factors that contributed to the films creation, as well as with the plot, i.e. how it breaks out, they will find lots of relationships between the patriarchal views of the father of the main character in the 19th century and the principles of Jorge Rafael Vidala, the person responsible for establishing military dictatorship in Argentina in 1976. Camilas fat her is a dictator at home just like Vidala, as then-president of Argentina, rules the state society with iron fists. On the other hand, Camilas rebellion against her father can easily be linked to the civil war in Argentina that started as a revolt against the authoritarian regime that ruled the state through force and fear until it was abolished. The reason why director Maria Luisa Bemberg chose to use allegory instead of direct reflection is quite conspicuous. The film was released in 1984 but it obviously took her a few years to complete and disseminate her piece of art nation- and respectfully worldwide. The authorities could have charged Bemberg for breaking the state censorship regarding media and cinema. As a result, the director and her crew could have been arrested and deported to camps or in the least severe case, they could be banned from working in the film and media industry. To begin with, as I implied in the introduction of this essay, Argentina is a country with history in which events happened in parallel in the late nineteenth century under the rule of Juan Manuel de Rosas and during the military dictatorship alike. For instance, during the authoritarian regime in the mid-1970s and the early 1980s, women were isolated from society and treated like second class citizens just like they were oppressed under the grip of the 19th Century patriarchal society. Inequality of genders and the opposition to it by certain people was one of the key traits of these two particular historical periods. Knowing that well, Maria Luisa Bemberg gains advantage of the conditions under which women lived in the 19th Century Argentina to allegorically reflect the characteristics of the authoritarian government in the late 20th Century. This is how the film Camila (1984) came to existence. In the book South American Cinema: A Critical Filmography, editor and critic, Timothy B ernard assesses Bembergs movie as possibly inspired by one of her earlier works, a motion picture called Seà ±ora de nadie (1982). The movie tells the story of a young woman who leaves her family, in order to achieve happiness, sexual and emotional alike. Because of this film, director Bemberg has had numerous disputes with the government due to the presence of the issue of homosexuality which is shown in the womans friendship with a gay man. In Camila, the protagonist Camila OGorman also seeks happiness wanting to get rid of the patriarchal oppression of her father and her fiancà ©, a wealthy man named Ignacio whom she loves not. In addition, she challenges the ideas of the 19th Century Argentine society under the iron grip of President Juan Manuel de Rosas. In my opinion, there is a great portion of truth in Bernards assessment. The woman in Seà ±ora de nadie shares many similarities with Camila OGorman. They both want the same thing. Those wishes are simply shown in diverse as pects. The wife of nobody has a friendship with a homosexual guy, something which was unacceptable in the 19th century Argentine culture and during the 1970s military dictatorship as well. In contrast, Camila falls in love and tries to escape with a priest, a deed which was then considered equally sinful from religious and from social point of view. Nevertheless, despite the many similarities between the two characters, in Camila, there is one thing that makes the protagonist different from the main personality in Seà ±ora de nadie. A clear illustration of this statement is the scene where during a family meal, Camila openly criticizes de Rosas ways of governing a state, something which is unacceptable in her fathers eyes due to the inequality of men and women in favor of the strong gender. His reaction is obvious rage engendered by the fact that his daughter who, he thinks, is meant to be obedient to his will, dares talking about politics. Through his prism, such behaviour is not considered for someone who is thought of by society as a second class citizen. During the 20th Century military junta from 1976 to 1983, anyone, especially a woman, who is open-minded enough to castigate the regime, will be viewed as a criminal, an enemy of the state and certainly jailed or possibly executed. This is also another parallel between events in the history of Argentina which proves that Camila is not an assault on traditional culture rather than allegory of the 1976-1983 authoritarian government. It is an equal portion of both an attack on patriarchal and military oppression, respectively during the 19th and 20th Centuries. Furthermore, the fact that the film was released in 1984, less than a year after the fall of the authoritarian regime, says a lot about its hidden characteristics. In the above mentioned critical essay regarding Bembergs work, the author Timothy Bernard annotates Camila OGormans desire and endeavor to gain identity and break the chains of the patriarchal traditions under which she was brought up. In the context of the film which is based on a real historical event, this assessment is true. Correspondingly, from 1976 to 1983, many Argentineans were also struggling to get rid of the grip of the authorities, be it by escaping the country or by secretly and illegally forming groups that were plotting to remove the ruling regimentation from power. Another famous film critic also talks about historical parallelism with reference to the context of Bembergs motion picture and a hundred and fifty years later. This is what David William Foster says in his book Contemporary Argentine Cinema, Ch apter 1, entitled Camila: Beauty and Bestiality: A film like Maria Luisa Bembergs Camila (1984) is an interesting example of sustained narrative overdeterminations and at the same time, it introduces significant punctuative ruptures for the purpose of encouraging a revised reading of the evoked historical text. In this quote, I assume that the key words are revised reading. What does Foster mean by saying revised reading though? In the presence of historical equivalence, the response will come out quickly. To do a revised reading means not just to literally interpret Camila and its 19th Century background. Paying attention to the actual world circumstances is a must for us as film analysts, if we are to fortify our understanding of what Bemberg really wants to tell the spectator. To supplement, David Fosters elucidations also focus on that if a texts meaning can be deciphered too easily, the text receives a manipulative complexion and forces the understanding in the mind of the view er that this text can only be close read or expounded in one single way. As an illustration serves the statement that the film Camila is rather an assault on Argentine patriarchal values rather than allegoric reflection of the oppressive government that ruled the country in the late 20th Century. In my opinion, this definition of the movie sort of forcefully attempts to coerce the film examiner to interpret it only as a challenger of events that occurred hundred and fifty years ago. In modern film criticism and in film criticism as a form of proofreading, there is no place for one-sidedness. If Bemberg had wanted only to remind the viewer of a juncture that came into being a whole century and a half ago, she would have probably started making the movie some couple of years after the end of the military tyranny. Provided the films shooting began during the last years of the authoritarian militaristic regime, one could assume that the famous film director wanted to achieve something m ore than just a recreation of a past occurrence. As David Foster clarifies, Rosas rule is based on violence, terror and abyss of human rights, specifically violence against women. In parallel, a century and a half later, Jorge Vidala and his successor were brutally dealing with any political opponents, real or imaginary alike. The Dirty War from the 1970s and the early 1980s, as Foster states are happenings that, in spite of having emerged in different periods, can be given identical attributes such as bloody oppression, tortures, executions etc. This annotation of the renowned film critic can as well serve as a justification of the statement that it is not correct to interpret Camila only as an attack on the patriarchal family doctrine typical for the 1800s Argentina. As a result, the analogue between the background of Camila and the situation in the land of silver in the 1970s and the early 1980s is well visible. Taking advantage of this parallelism, Maria Luisa Bemberg uses one p ast event to reflect another and meanwhile, she manages to avoid arrest, jail, beating or possibly even a death penalty. Finally, my assumption that Camila (Bemberg, 1984) is equally a rejection of the Argentine patriarchal society and an allegory of the military dictatorship from 1976 to 1983 cannot be fully argumented without a comparison between Maria Luisa Bembergs film and another motion picture that is directly reflecting the hard life of prisoners during Vidalas junta. One such film is Israel Adrian Caetanos 2006 historical drama called Cronica de una fuga (Chronicle of an Escape). It is about four men who are fortunate enough to escape a prison camp after being tortured for some definite period of time. When looking at Caetanos film and Bembergs masterpiece, one can see lots of similarities between the main characters of both films. To illustrate, both Camila OGorman and the four men want freedom, even though this freedom desire is shown in different aspects. Camila wants to escape her pro-Rosas fathers clutches and seek her happiness the way she wants. She finds herself in love with a Catholic priest with whom she tries to flee and live a happy love life. In Cronica de una fuga, our heroes, Claudio, Guillermo, Vasco and Gallego want to get rid of the constraints that life in military jail has put them through. As a result, one can infer that the motif of escaping is present in both these jewels of Argentine cinema. Specifically about Chronicle of an Escape, director Caetano annotates in an interview for Netscape Cinematical at the Movies at the Toronto Film Festival, that the traces of a dictatorship that ended almost thirty years ago are still visible today. Obviously, Caetano wants to remind the viewers of a historical period that cannot be forgotten easily. He adds that some people see violence, torture, political oppression, fear of force as the only way to build a just society which conspicuously is not true through his prism. It is therefore evident for us as common film critics to conclude that through Cronica de una fuga, Caetano aims to also show his point of vi ew that violence and oppression only make things worse in a certain society instead of improving its condition. Analogically, in Maria Luisa Bembergs film Camila, her father firmly believes in the preservation of the 19th Century patriarchal order. He shares the same point of view as Dictator Juan Manuel de Rosas. From the final scene of Camila and Ladislaos execution, his vision becomes clear. For him, there is nothing more important than keeping his aristocratic and male-controlled family order and this should be achieved by all means, even if his own child is to be shot. Moreover, Camila is pregnant at the time of her death. According to Rosas constitution, it is against the law to kill a pregnant woman, even if she is a political opponent or has committed a very heavy crime. Consequently, in Camila OGormans case, her pro-Rosas father is even ready to break the law only because his sort of holy mission is to preserve the aristocratic honor of his family. In correlation, during Vi dalas rule in 1976 until its overthrow, nothing was more essential than the preservation of the order which he established. This means the regime was supposed to survive at all cost, be it through deportations of political opponents, or with the means of torture, imprisonment and even capital punishment. Along with that, the book Magical Reels by John King supplements my understanding of both the incorrect interpretation of Bembergs photoplay primarily as rejection of traditional family praxis. Apparently, John King also sees this film as a fifty-fifty. He looks at it as a film in which the spectator can perceive the contrast between the traditional patriarchal and the utopic family. In other words, this is a clash between old and new, conservativism and progressivism. Camila OGorman and her lover, Ladislao belong to a new world, new way of thinking that has broken the chains of old-fashioned conservative conventions of the 19th Century Argentine society. In equivalence, people who were victims of Vidalas authoritarianism, along with those who were lucky enough to get away from its grasp, view militaristic monocracy as immature form of governing a country with ruptured economy and values. For instance, as it is in Chronicle of an Escape, knowing that they alone are not strong enough to end the reigning tyranny, the four prisoners come up with the idea of undertaking another risky move escaping the jail and leave Argentina as soon as possible. They are fully aware of the fact that on their way to searching freedom, they could be shot or possibly caught and jailed under even more severe conditions but at the same time, they cognize that this is their only chance to run away from hell. It is now or never. And as the spectators know, the captives goal of escaping gets accomplished in the end and they go respectively to Spain, France, Italy and other parts of the free world. In the same way, in Camila, Ladislao and his lover realize that only if they run away, can they achieve the romantic happiness they both have been longing for, since they fell in love. And if this jewel of Argentine film industry had been made and respectively released, a decade after the dictatorships end, I assume, it would possibly have been not about the Camila OGorman, who opposed her fathers conservative concepts of a womans role in the family. Instead, M. L. Bemberg would have possibly been more direct in her view and would make her female character a fighter for womens right of being noticed with good by society in circumstances of a tyrannical misogynist government that obliged women to cover their hair and treated them as second class citizens. All this explains exactly why it is not correct to look at Maria Luisa Bembergs film Camila with the above mentioned one-sidedness as follows from the title. To summarize, with her motion picture, Bemberg not only shows her feminist point of view by rejecting the 19th Century culture of her native land. Through her protagonist, Camila OGorman, who is based on a real 1800s personality with the same name, the renowned film director metaphorically reflects and opposes the harsh reality and the difficult life during maybe the hardest and bloodiest period in the history of Argentina. This was a period of political repression, executions, prosecutions and even a civil war that fortunately ended with the overthrow of Jorge Vidalas regime. Nevertheless, during its reign, over thirty thousand people disappeared. Disappear can mean anything either fortunate enough to escape, or murdered, or put in a top secret state jail, etc. Correlatively, in Camila, the oppressed victim of patriarchal order attempts to escape but is executed. Therefore Argentina during the 1800s was a state of oppression and tyranny as well. This parallelism ultimately disprove s the false statement that Bembergs work is predominantly challenging the 19th Century Argentine society. WORDS: 3000 (Without footnotes, bibliography/filmography and title) Bibliography Bernard, Timothy, South American Cinema: A Critical Filmography (1996, University of Texas Press, Austin, TX, USA) Caetano, Israel Adrian, Interview about Chronicle of an Escape, Host: James Rocchi, video by Alexia Prichard Netscape and Cinematical at the Movies, 2006, Toronto Film Festival, online at: http://blog.moviefone.com/2006/09/11/tiff-video-interview-chronicle-of-an-escape-director-israel-adr/ in Moviefone.com, created and owned by AOL Inc.  © (2011) Foster, David William, Contemporary Argentine Cinema (1992, Columbia: University of Missouri Press, Missouri, USA) King, John, Magical Reels, (1990, Verso, London/New York, UK/USA)

Iraq War and Osama bin Laden Essay

The United States of America has failed in its endeavors with Iraq. Looking at the current situation in Iraq, there were so little, or no improvement at all ever since America waged a war on â€Å"terrorism,† pointing the finger to Iraq. When it was planned to train Iraqi soldiers so that they could â€Å"defend† themselves, leaving them to the hard work in their own backyard, one thing has been overlooked. Training a small population of Iraqi’s to defend or fight for their welfare is not the solution, hence it could further lead to something worse. It is only adding fuel to the fire, igniting the civil war Iraq is experiencing in its backyard (Bereuter, 2004). It will only increase the horrifying truth of the Iraq war, and its negative effects on the humans – death, starvation, poverty, and hatred of its own countrymen. It also has its toll on economy, pestering both Americans and Iraqis. There are various variables to consider when you talk about this war. These are the dependent and independent variables. The first variable that is a proof of the war’s failure was the increasing death toll. It is a rather dependent variable on the war because it is directly affected by the war itself. The military death toll have greatly increased, wasting the precious lives of the soldiers willing to do any of the President’s bidding. Non-Iraqi workers and contractors death toll has also doubled, bringing fear in the hearts of those who wish to work in there. The insurgencies and Iraqi resistance has then risen in a great number of times since the war has started. Death is the biggest price that both sides will pay in this Iraqi war. Roughly a lot of Iraqis have died defending their country – or fleeing it. U. S. -trained Iraqi police and National Guards were unable to protect the people, to provide safety for everyone, as it was promised by the United States government. On the other hand, not only were the United States losing the war in Iraq, they are also losing precious lives of the soldiers fighting for a lost cause. More than a thousand American soldiers and their families have suffered the consequences of the Iraq war. If death wasn’t enough, it also caused a tragic change in the economy of both countries. Both countries have increasing number of bodies being piled on the ground. Another dependent variable is insurgency. It is a consequence of the United States’ campaign on Iraq. Many people decided to take arms and fight US instead of helping peace to prosper. Insurgency has grown stronger than ever, as it can be seen on the number of deaths and losses from both ends. As the U. S. continues to stay in the Iraqi backyard, the more these Iraqi insurgents would mass up and attack people, the more the problem will continue for Iraq and the US, just like an incurable headache. The Pentagon points out that in November 2003, there were only about 5,000 Iraqi insurgents. But as of September 2004, the number of these people have blown out 400% – 20,000. And considering that the number of dead Iraqi resistance fighters were around 24,000, the grim fact is that it is even larger in reality (Lieberman, 2005). An independent variable of the United States war against Iraq was the impact on economy. It is a rather independent factor that you consider because it is not connected to the so called â€Å"campaign against terror. † But whether people like it or not, war has affected the economic situation of the country and the whole world. Not only was this war wasting precious lives, it is also wasting hard-earned money. About 151 billion U. S. dollars went down the drain as the cost of this war continually increases. The money which came from America’s taxpayer’s pockets are surprisingly being wasted on bullets, guns and ammunitions, vehicles, and more, considering that these things are being wasted, and have no real benefit as of late. Ending the war: the price for Osama’s head The United States, along with the United Nations and the European Union have resorted to a lot of efforts in order to solve this problem. This includes empowering a few chosen Iraqis to defend themselves and be able to start a new government. This effort has been considered futile since Iraq as a country is being plagued with internal conflicts – civil wars between various ethnic groups. So if you empower any of these groups, there is a tendency that they would just go against each other, so instead of solving the problem, you are giving them another blow in the head. Another effort which they had resorted to was hunting down the famous terrorist leader, Osama bin Laden (Kirkpatrick, 2004). As the Al Qaeda’s leader, he is considered to be one of the most influential heads of the Iraqi resistance. They think that killing him would mean victory in the Iraq war. They see that his presence – his very existence, is considered to be an encouragement for the Iraqi people to take arms and fight the â€Å"invaders† in their lands. Using the terrorist attacks in the country as an example of what this man can do, the United States government has waged an all out operative to search for bin Laden. The army literally bombarded the possible hiding places for Osama bin Laden, but still returning empty handed. Rumors about his death came out, but the lack of evidence has left the people doubting. What the United States overlooked was not Osama bin Laden is not the problem, so putting him out of the scene was definitely not the solution. Osama bin Laden was only a part, just a fraction of what the US government is up against with. He may be an influential leader, but still, there are other factors that they have to consider if they really want to end this war against Iraq. Iraq is in the middle of a very turbulent civil war; different groups in the country are fighting among themselves for survival, since each of them claims that they can’t live with any of the other groups. It is a communal war, wherein they are slugging it out with other groups; Sunnis fighting against Shiites, Kurds against Sunnis, and Shiites against Kurds (Diamond, 2006). In these groups there are other minorities fighting on multiple front, thus making the war complex. Osama bin Laden as a terrorist icon doesn’t necessarily prove much of an importance, since between these Iraqi’s lies greater conflicts. These conflicts could lead to mass slaughter, thus creating chaos in the global level.

Borderline Personality Disorder Essay - 1470 Words

Literature Review Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) can be described in simple terms as a condition in which sufferers experience long periods of emotional instability and troubled feelings about themselves and other people. These troubled feelings allow individuals to take impulsive measures and have trouble in their relationships (Bouchard, Sabourin, Lussier Villeneuve, 2009). BPD basically comprises of unusual intensities of instability in mood and irrational thinking also referred to as splitting. Splitting in BPD involves a switch between negative perception of others and idealization (Sperry, 2003). This usually occurs along with irregular mood swings and can negatively impact on the existing relationships such as family,†¦show more content†¦The use of the term borderline has however, resulted in a heated controversy between the health care fraternity and patients. Patients argue that this term appears to be somehow discriminatory and that it should be removed and the disorder ren amed. Patients point out that an alternative name, such as emotionally unstable personality disorder, should be adopted instead of borderline personality disorder. Clinicians, on the other hand, argue that there is nothing wrong with the use of the term borderline. Opponents of this term argue that the terms used to describe persons suffering from this disorder, such as demanding, treatment resistant, and difficult among others, are discriminatory. These terms may create a negative feeling of health professionals towards patients, an aspect that may lead to adoption of negative responses that may trigger self-destructive behavior (Giesen-Bloo et al, 2006). The fact however, is that the term borderline has been misunderstood and misused so much that any attempt to redefine it is pointless leaving scrapping the term as the only option. 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Nelson Mandela Prisoner to Freedom Essay - 552 Words

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At the time South Africa was ruled by white minority, Mandela helped to unite South Africa as it dismantled apartheid, the cruel system of white minorityRead MoreThe Apartheid Of South Africa1750 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"Mandela did not merely oppose white domination; he opposed domination by any racial group, including Africans. By standing firm in his principles and enduring extraordinary sacrifices that robbed him of most of his adult life, he helped force change, while proving beyond any doubt that he was a leader who could be trusted to keep his word† (Kent). Nelson Mandela (1918-2013) was a human rights activist as well as the first black President of South Africa. Referred to as the living embodiment ofRead MoreLong Walk And Freedom By Robert Nelson Mandela1110 Words   |  5 Pages Long Walk to Freedom, released in 1995, is a biographical story about the revolutionary and former South African President Nelson Mandela. The book narrates how Mandela becomes a remarkable leader in the construction of a democratic South Africa. It chronicles his early life, growing up, education and his 27 years in prison before becoming President and working to rebuild the country s segregated society. Mandela begins his book with a description of his ancestry and later goes on to talk aboutRead MoreNelson Mandelas Way to Freedom1188 Words   |  5 PagesNelson Mandela life was dedicated to the struggle to set his people free. Nelson Mandela was threatened with death and put in jail but when he came out he embraced grace and forgiveness. In the fight against the partied was in South Africa Mandela felt violence was justified, he was arrested on a charged with treason and sentenced to life in jail, for twenty seven years he was cut off from the world. In nineteen ninety he was set free, forgiving he appeasers Mandela led a new South Africa who wasRead MoreThe Legacy Of Nelson Mandela1350 Words   |  6 Pagescast off one s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others† (Nelson Mandela. History). Nelson Mandela, a anti-apartheid activist, became one of the world’s most significant freedom fighter. His numerous acts and protests flooded South Africa with immense pride and peace and therefore grew South Africa into a thriving, substantial economy with minimal racial boundaries. Nelson Mandela was a prominent political leader who brought a dynamic end to the apartheidRead MoreNelson Mandela was the Man Who Changed South Africa Essay814 Words   |  4 Pagesdecades and being a minority race? His name was Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela. He is a true inspiration to those who hear his story. Starting out as nothing more than a black man and ending as a person whose name is heard and recognized all over the world is somethin g that just briefly explains Nelson Mandela’s life. As a true anti-apartheid Nelson Mandela did wonders for equality with much power even when imprisoned for nearly three decades. Nelson Mandela was a man admired by the world for his perseveranceRead MoreLauren Creque. Mrs. Lucius. English 10 Honors. 24 April1473 Words   |  6 PagesLauren Creque Mrs. Lucius English 10 Honors 24 April 2017 Civil disobedience: Nelson Mandela There are a lot of people in this world that have made change. One of those people is Nelson Mandela. Nelson Mandela created change in this world through civil disobedience by bringing South Africa out of apartheid. Nelson Mandela (His birth name is Rolihlahla) on July 18, 1918 in a South African village called Mvezo. He went to a local missionary school where it is not rare for teachers to give