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Download (1MB) Ross,T Miriam T (2010T )T DevelopingT cinematic culture: a South American case study. T PhDT T thesis. http://theses.gla.ac.uk/1669/HTU UTH Copyright and moral rights for this thesis are retained by the author A copy can be downloaded for personal non-commercial research or study, without prior permission or charge This thesis cannot be reproduced or quoted extensively from without first obtaining permission in writing from the Author The content must not be changed in any way or sold commercially in any format or medium without the formal permission of the Author When referring to this work, full bibliographic details including the author, title, awarding institution and date of the thesis must be given. Glasgow Theses Service http://theses.gla.ac.uk/ [email protected] Developing Cinematic Culture: A South American Case Study Miriam Ross (BA Hons. MLitt) Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of Theatre, Film and Television Studies Faculty of Arts September 2009 © Miriam Ross 2009 2 Abstract The thesis examines the way that different agents, organisations and institutions intervene in the cinema practice of South America. Using Argentina, Bolivia, Chile and Peru as case studies, the thesis outlines the way state and institutional organisations, commercial bodies, international interests and alternative practices have converged, even with individual discrepancies, to develop a national and regional cinematic culture at the beginning of the twenty-first century. Practices from funding and production through to distribution and exhibition are investigated in order to provide an overview of the most significant factors shaping the way cinematic culture currently operates in the region. I argue that on the one hand, state-run initiatives (heritage drives, film councils, cinematecas, anti-piracy enforcement) attempt to reterritorialize cinema practice and create a national context for films. On the other hand, commercial bodies, international organisations and alternative practices frequently complicate or deterritorialize cinematic culture. Their various actions have an effect on the types of films that are circulated and disseminated amongst publics on the continent and in the global sphere. The complex relations between these intervening interests mean that cinematic culture is determined by various conflicting ownership claims. Furthermore, the way in which which some organisations and practices gain strength over others determines the type of access that local publics have to films and that which filmmakers have to audiences. The findings in this thesis are drawn from extensive field-work in the region and are supported by theoretical frameworks and paradigms that are relevant to the study of cinematic culture. I have made use of published literature from text books, press articles, and official websites documenting various aspects of cinematic culture in South America to literature documenting a global film context that has relevance to my field of study. Participant-observation techniques and interviews with practitioners in the region have provided me with grounded, primary-research material, while trade reports citing statistical evidence such as production figures, box office data and investments in funding have strengthened my findings. 3 Table of Contents Table of Figures……………………..……………………………………………….5 Acknowledgement………………………………………………………….………...6 Author’s Declaration…………………………………………………………………7 Abbreviations…………………………………………………………………………8 Introduction…………………………………………………………………………..9 Chapter One: Research Context…………………………………………………...20 Chapter Two: Methodology and Qualitative Research…………………………..41 Chapter Three: State and Institutional Involvement……………………………..52 Section 1: Cinema Laws and Legal Intervention…………………………………….56 Section 2: Situating an Historical Continuum………………………………………..71 Section 3: Working Between the National and Regional…………………………….83 Section 4: Centre and Periphery……………………………………………………...92 Chapter Four: Commercial Industry…………………………………………….104 Section 1: Developing Circulation, Distributors and Sales Agents…………………106 Section 2: Exhibition inside the Multiplexes and the Standard Movie Theatre…….115 Section 3: Digital Screen Networks and Direct Distribution……………………….128 Section 4: DVDs and the Other Side of the Market………………………………...139 Chapter Five: International Interests……………………………………………150 Section 1.1: International Interest, Global Coproductions……………………….....153 Section 1.2: Cross-Region Cultural Exchange in Ibermedia…………………..……161 Section 1.3: Coproduction on Screen, Visible Transculturation…………………....164 Section 2: Cultural Identity as Global Heritage..................................................…...169 Section 3: Altruistic Funds………………………………………………………….173 Section 4: Film Festivals and Validity……………………………………...………184 4 Chapter Six: Alternative Practices..................................................................…...203 Section 1: Piracy………………………………………………………………...…..205 Section 2: Alternative Spaces……………………………………………………….219 Section 3: Internet Technology……………………………………………………..233 Section 4: Different Voices…………………………………………………………241 Conclusion………………………………………………………………………….252 Appendix A: Coproductions……………………………. ……………………..…256 Appendix B: International Funding Given to Argentine, Bolivian, Chilean and Peruvian Films……………………………………………………….…………….260 Appendix C: Interview Guide…………………………………………………….262 Appendix D: Interview Consent Form……………………………………..…….265 Filmography………………………………………………………………………..266 Bibliography………………………………………………………………...……..271 5 Table of Figures Figure 1. Poster exhibition of Chilean films near the cinemateca…………………....75 Figure 2. Espacio de INCAA movie-theatre, Buenos Aires………………………….99 Figure 3. Showcase Cinemas multiplex movie-theatre in Santiago………………...119 Figure 4. Poster for High School Musical 3 at Atlas La Valle……………………...122 Figure 5. Carmen Castillo interview during Encuentro Zabaltegi………………….194 Figure 6. Workers set up the 2007 Mar del Plata festival…………………………..197 Figure 7. The market in Parque Rivadavia………………………………………….207 Figure 8. Banner on Chilean street………………………………………………….209 Figure 9. Street vendors on El Prado in La Paz……………………………………..210 Figure 10. Setting up the space for one of América Libre’s outdoor screenings…...226 Figure 11. The 2007 poster and another image criticising the original……………..247 6 Acknowledgments This thesis is indebted to the kindness of strangers. Throughout my various research trips to South America, Europe and other locations in the UK, I have been welcomed, helped and assisted in all manner of tasks by an array of academics, policy-makers, industry personnel and general well-wishers. I am incredibly grateful for the robust support that I received from Christine Geraghty as well as the useful insights from Dimitris Eleftheriotis. Special thanks have to be made to Michael McCann, David Archibald and all the other members of the Theatre, Film and Television Studies department that have aided me in my work. The Arts and Humanities Research Council generously funded the better part of my studies but I also benefited hugely from the financial support of the University of Glasgow Arts Faculty, the Society for Latin American Studies and, not least, the Theatre, Film and Television Studies department. Family members and friends have offered unwavering assistance throughout the last three years and are, I am sure, well aware that they contributed greatly to this final document. Without the help of Margaret, Andrew and Callum Ross this thesis would not have been possible. 7 Author’s Declaration This thesis represents the original work of Miriam Ross unless otherwise stated in the text. The research upon which it was based was carried out at the University of Glasgow under the supervision of Professor Christine Geraghty and Dr. Dimitris Eleftheriotis during the period September 2006 to September 2009. 8 Abbreviations CAACI (Conferencia de Autoridades Audiovisuales y Cinematográficas de Iberoamérica): Organisation for Audiovisual and Film Councils in Iberoamerica CALA (Consejo del Arte y La Industria Audiovisual): Government funded Audiovisual Film Council in Chile CNC (Centre National de la Cinématographie): Government Funded Film Council in France CORFO (Corporación de Fomento de la Producción): The Chilean Economic Development Agency FIAPF (International Federation of Film Producers Associations) IIPA (International Intellectual Property Alliance) IMCINE (Instituto Mexicano de Cinematográfica): Government Funded Film Council in Mexico IMDB (Internet Movie Data Base) INCAA (Instituto Nacional de Cine y Artes Audiovisuales): Government Funded Film Council in Argentina RECAM (Especializada de Autoridades Cinematográficas y Audiovisuales del Mercosur ): Reunion of Cinematographic and Audiovisual Authorities of Mercosur and Associated States UNESCO (United Nation’s Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) Introduction By the beginning of the twenty-first century, cheap DVDs had become ubiquitous, multiplexes had widened the scope and variety of material they were screening and film festivals were increasing their presence across the annual calendar. There had, apparently, never been a better time to engage with ‘world’ cinema. Why then, could I not encounter any South American films? A handful would appear amongst film festival catalogues or in special programs but these were few and far between. When living in South America between 2004 and 2005 I experienced the wide spectrum
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