TOWARDS A CARIBBEAN CINEMA - CAN THERE BE OR IS THERE A CARIBBEAN CINEMA?

TOWARDS A CARIBBEAN CINEMA – CAN THERE BE OR IS THERE A CARIBBEAN CINEMA? A thesis presented to the faculty of the College of Fine Arts of Ohio University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Arts Desiree Sampson August 2004 This thesis entitled TOWARDS A CARIBBEAN CINEMA – CAN THERE BE OR IS THERE A CARIBBEAN CINEMA? BY DESIREE SAMPSON has been approved for the School of Film and the College of Fine Arts Ruth Bradley Associate Professor of Film Studies Raymond Tymas-Jones Dean, College of Fine Arts SAMPSON, DESIREE. M.A. August 2004. Film Studies Towards a Caribbean Cinema - Can there be or is there a Caribbean cinema? (89pp.) Director of Thesis: Ruth Bradley By first discussing the past and present state of “Caribbean” filmmaking, the paper will draw on various theories including those of national cinema, cultural identity and representation, to make the case for Caribbean cinema as a cinema of its own. The paper will discuss this emerging cinema in terms of development of Caribbean styles and aesthetics, and the role of adaptation of West Indian literary classics and documentary filmmaking in establishing such a cinema. Some of the main scholars and writers whose work will be referenced include Stuart Hall’s writings on cultural identity in the black diasporas; Mybe Cham’s work on Caribbean and African cinema, Benjamin Anderson’s theory of nations as imagined communities; the Cinema Novo and Cuban film movements; and interviews with Caribbean filmmakers at the 2nd Annual Festival of African and Caribbean Film. Approved: Ruth Bradley Associate Professor of Film Studies 4 Table of Contents Introduction...............................................5 A History of Cinema Culture................................9 An Overview of Caribbean Cinema throughout the years......14 Why should there be Caribbean cinema?.....................22 What is/should be Caribbean Cinema?.......................32 Interview with Mbye Cham..................................44 Cinema Novo & Cuban Cinema as Models for Caribbean Cinema....................................................52 Interview with Antiguan filmmakers Howard & Mitzi Allen...61 In Closing................................................79 Bibliography..............................................84 Appendix A: Report on the 2nd Festival of African and Caribbean Films held in Barbados in October 2003..........87 5 Introduction Arguably, cinema can serve as a captivating journey into the past, a glimpse into the history of a culture, country or group of people. Moreover, as a technological art capable of capturing present moments in time and “representing” those moments for all to see, cinema is part of our present and made up of the culture it represents. Cinema not only reflects the culture it comes out of but also has the power to affect that culture. Thus, cinema functions as a mirror to a culture and that culture in turn can mirror what is seen in films. It is therefore all the more important that the portrayal of a particular culture (or group of people) in cinema express the true sensibilities of that culture. According to writer Dudley Andrew, cinema is a “good index of culture” because it “visibly partakes of the stuff of cultural life” (Andrew, 2). Films present situations and solutions, which can be seen as social solutions for issues facing the cultural life that it represents. The question then is should one culture sit by and allow another to shape its social life through the pervasiveness of one dominant cinema (and by extension one dominant culture)? Among the issues discussed at the Transafrica forum 2001 in Washington was the status of Caribbean cinema. It was noted that while films and videos of African cinema have ... - tailieumienphi.vn