The film, Mi Vida Dentro (2007) by Lucia Gaja, is a documentary detailing the imprisonment of a young Mexican woman Rosa Jimenez. Rosa is an undocumented immigrant who illegally crossed the Mexican border to Texas in order to search for a better life. In order to support herself, she took up a job as a nanny. That job ended in disaster when a young boy Rosa was taking care of, ended up dying while in her care. She was charged with his murder, even though she states that it was an accident. Rosa must now live the rest of her life behind bars, while her two children have to grow up without her. In this essay, the concepts that I will be using as analytical categories are the concepts Basic Model of cinematic analysis, the female, feminist, …show more content…
and feminine concepts, as well as the Chicana cinema goals concept. I will analyze different aspects of the film in order to see which elements were developed into the film to humanize Rosa and show her subjectivity. Additionally, I will analyze aspects of the film in order to see how the film presents being female, feminine, and a feminist and how those aspects relate to the Chicana cinema goals. Furthermore, I will discuss how I connect with Rosa and if the film is successful in humanizing her and generates empathy. To begin, the Basic Model of cinematic analysis is defined as “a model where the director, otherwise known as the sender, uses elements of the cinematic production in order to send and create a message through the film and distribute it to audiences in order to get the message across and receive either good or bad reception.” (Iglesias, CCS 400 Lecture 10 April 3rd) The model consists of numerous different elements, but I will focus on 5 specific ones that were developed into the film that was successful in humanizing Rosa. First, the editing of the film included scenes of writing that showcased Rosa’s only mean of communication with her family. For example, in one scene, words show up on the film that states “I would have like to see the ocean.” (Mi Vida Dentro) This is successful in humanizing Rosa because it shows that she has dreams and goals, just like us, just like humans. She didn’t get the chance to accomplish things and live a free life. Additionally, the writing showcases how trapped she is. Her only method of communication to the outside world is through writing letters. She has no other way to talk to her family. This shows that she is human, with loved ones just like us. She has hopes, goals, and people that she cares about. She isn’t an animal; she is a person with feelings and wants to be able to get back to her love ones, just like a human. Second, the next element and strategy that is successful at humanizing Rosa are the music. For example, in a certain scene, when there is writing on the screen, music, such as an English song about hope and sorrow, accompanies the music is intended to match up with Rosa’s situation. It creates sorrow and a sad aura of hopelessness, which details the fact that Rosa is in very vulnerable and horrible situation. This strategy is successful at humanizing Rosa because it shows that she someone who is losing hope. She isn’t just some object that has nothing to look forward to. She is living, breathing soul that is trying so hard to keep it together in order to have hope for her situation. She is scared and sad which is something that people forget when the person when the person forget when the person they are labeling as an object are feeling. Since the film presents Rosa as a subject and not as an object, Rosa’s feelings are shown, especially her vulnerable ones. It shows that she is human, and she feels the same deep feelings we feel. To continue, the next element and strategy that is successful at showing Rosa’s subjectivity and humanizing her is the title.
Mi Vida Dentro, or my life inside, “not only refers to her life in prison,”(Iglesias, CCS 400, Lecture 10 April 3)but also the actual inside or Rosa, such as her soul and mind. For example, throughout the film, we do see what is happening inside the prison, but we also see how Rosa reacts to it and what she is feeling inside. One such scene is when she misses her kids, and how she hopes to see them again. (Mi Vida Dentro)his strategy and element make the audience connect with Rosa straight from the beginning. They understand that the title isn't just referring to the prison, but also to her personally. It creates a connection when people can see what she is feeling and how that affects her life. The title isn't just a random title; it is a title with meaning and is used for a specific purpose, which is to showcase Rosa's heart, mind, and soul and this strategy makes the audience connect and feel the pain Rosa is feeling. Furthermore, the next element of the Basic Model of Cinematic Analysis and strategy that is successful at showing Rosa's subjectivity and humanizing her is the ending. In the ending, it, unfortunately, states that "Rosa received 95 years in prison, and that the next time her case can be revisited is 2035." (Mi Vida Dentro) Additionally, the ending focuses on close-ups of her family members. This strategy is done in order to show the audience that she is never going to see her family again and that her family must now build a life and move on without her. She received 95 years in prison, which means that she is spending the rest of her life in prison. By adding close ups of her family right after this is stated, it creates a sense of sorrow and shock. It is successful in humanizing Rosa because it shows that she will never see her family again. Additionally, even though she is labeled a criminal, showing her shows that her
kids will have to grow up without a mother. Her mother just lost her daughter. It’s a sad situation and it shows that Rosa had loved ones and that her loved ones are now one family member short. She will never be there for her kid's milestones and never will see them succeed. This shows that she isn't some cold-blooded criminal that is an animal that doesn’t care. It shows that she cares and that she now will have to leave her family forever. To continue, the last element and strategy that is successful at showing Rosa's subjectivity and humanizing her are the camera work. For example, throughout the film, the camera work consists of many close ups. One such instance is when Rosa is talking to the interviewer about how the guards in the prison don't seem to like Mexicans.(mi Vida Dentro) When she is stating this, the camera focuses on her face. This is a successful strategy because it forces the audience to make a connection with her and to see that she is a human. Whenever someone tries to connect with someone, they usually look into their eyes and stare at their face. Using close-ups forces the audience to look at her face and look into her eyes. They have nowhere else to look, so they are forced to see her and see that she isn't this monster that the jury is trying to make her out to be. She is a person with feelings and just wants to live a good life. She came here to look for better opportunities and now she must stay behind bars for the rest of her life. It's not an easy situation, and by forcing the audience to look at her, it is extremely hard for them to brush it off when they see the pain in her eyes. This is an excellent strategy that gains sympathy from the audience. They are forced to see her vulnerability, and in turn, it makes them feel sad for her. This strategy was proven to be successful since it is stated that "a defense fund of $50,000 was raised for Rosa Jimenez." (Iglesias, CCS 400 Lecture 10 April 3rd) To continue, the film presents both a feminine and feminist perspective. The feminine perspective is defined as " gender/social construction. Attributes, value and meaning linked to biological facts (Example: the use, value (adjectives) and meaning of the body.)" (Iglesias, CCS 400 Lecture 10 April 3rd) The feminist perspective is defined as "a political/ideological identity that questions the role of sexism and patriarchal structures in our societies." (Iglesias, CCS 400 Lecture 10 April 3rd)These perspectives are shown in the film throughout Rosa's trail. For example, it was stated that Rosa was working as a nanny, which is associated with being feminine. Additionally, Rosa was questioned many times and asked if she "got angry at the child, and to silence him, she stuffed his mouth with paper." (Mi Vida Dentro) This is showing another feminine quality since women are said to be "weak" and have anger and attitude issue. However, this is challenged when people who testified for Rosa, such as her family members, state that Rosa "never got angry and that she was always calm." (Mi Vida Dentro) This connects to the Chicana goals of cinema because one of the goals of Chicana cinema is to "change women's representation in a film in order to change their reality as oppressed people." (Iglesias, CCS 400 Lecture 10 April 3rd) This is one way that it is changing. In society, a feminine quality associated with women is that women have tempers and get mad easily, especially when dealing with kids. The officer questioning uses that to try to show that she is a typical woman who can't control her temper. However, the film presents her as a calm, caring mother who is deeply saddened that a child has passed away. For example, in one scene Rosa even states "I'm very sad that this happened. I never wanted him to die." (Iglesias, CCS 400 Lecture 10 April 3rd) The film is challenging the way people view feminine qualities. The film wants feminine qualities to seen as being calm, strong, and caring, not angry. Additionally, the feminist perspective comes in when a female Mexican attorney and caseworker is shown. She is shown to have extensive knowledge of laws and court information, such as when she was stating that "it's really difficult to place children with family back home in Mexico." (Mi Vida Dentro) Again, this is connected to Chicana cinema goals by changing women's representation as well as "empower Chicana women in order to promote equity," (Iglesias, CCS 400 Lecture 10 April 3rd) which is another goal of Chicana Cinema. Even though the film shows a Mexican woman being thrown in prison, showing the Mexican case worker gives hope and empowers Chicana women to go out there and become something. If this woman can, then you can as well. Do not let anything stop you, and challenge sexism. Lastly, in my opinion, I believe that the audience reactions that the narrative strategies generate are a reaction of anger, sorrow, and sympathy. For example, when the film was shown to audiences, it was stated that ” gained attention and generated activism that resulted in a new trial." (Iglesias, CCS 400 Lecture 10 April 3rd) This shows that people were outraged and that the film was successful in generating empathy as well as humanizing Rosa. If people didn't see her as a human or have sadness, they never would have raised funds for her. People saw her as a human and even innocent. They wanted her to receive a new trial in order to seek justice. I personally connected with Rosa. I felt her pain and I felt that she was innocent, even though we aren't sure if she is or isn't. I know the feeling of being trapped with no chance of freedom. I have never been to prison, but I have been trapped and it isn't the greatest feeling in the world. Additionally, I can put myself in her shoes. I can feel her pain that she is feeling and her hopelessness. I can feel it because of the way the film is presented. It presents Rosa as a teenager who wanted to escape the poverty, so she came to the land of opportunity to be able to find success. I can relate to that because that is the reason I am in college. I want to escape the poverty of my home as well and be able to find success.
Braudy, Leo and Marshall Cohen, eds. Film Theory and Criticism: Introductory Readings, Fifth Edition. New York: Oxford UP, 1999.
In unique ways for each girl, “home is a prison” and the only way they escape it is through Esperanza (Kalay 123). Esperanza is a symbol of hope as her name foretells. From the beginning Esperanza attracts the girls of the neighborhood to her side. One of the older Latina girls in Esperanza’s life is Alicia. Being a young lady of about 18, Alicia, takes her mother’s place as the one who cooks and cleans. She works hard from sun up to sun down then goes to the university. Alicia symbolized all the young women who worked hard enough in life to one day escape from the poor streets of Chicago. But like many Latina females, Alicia had a difficult life with her father, who abused her as Cisneros suggests. Alicia could escape the poverty but in the end she was just another woman in a male dominant world and nothing more. Not many girls were like Alicia; Sally, for example, was the
From there on she continues to talk about her adolescence where she quickly learned about the threat of physical abuse and molestation towards young girls. She did not continue with school pat the age of 9 and in her small job of working in the local market she was confronted with true and absolute poverty on a daily basis. She got pregnant at age 15. At 16 she had her first fist fight with her abusive physically brother. And at 17 met the father of her other future children. While with this man, Rafael Canales, she learned first hand the hardships of poor domestic life. She also learned to assert herself even towards her own husband.
Camila and Ladisalo fall in love with the film. following their troubles. Following the events that happen with Camila. and Ladisalo, the director, shows how restrictive and devout followers of Rosas. were of the resentment against him.
El Recado es un cuento de la esperanza y amor. La protagonista viene a visita Martin, pero el no esta en su casa. Entonces ella esperas en peldano, y esperanza que el aparece pronto. Esperanza es una palabra muy importante en el cuento. La palabra es usado directamente tres veces en la obra 26, 31, y 39. Tambien en el principio de el cuento todo es de un afecto sensual. Mientras ella esta en el peldano vea el jardin de Martin. Da caracteristicas humanos (personificacion) a los flores en el jardin ( 6-7), estos caracteristicas como honesto y graves probablamente tambien de su amante. Luego ella hace una comparacion directa entre el y el jardin “Todo el jardin es solido, es como tu, tiene una reciedumbre que inspira confianza.” Este oracion no solamente tiene un simil, pero tambien ayuda en mostrando la comparacion a un mujer de un hombre. El hombre es personificado con palabras de fuerza, mientras todo el cuento muestra una mujer debil.
Initially relieved that she and her husband are alone, Rodriguez’s mother is quickly disappointed, as her husband has left her for another woman. Later in a photograph, Rodriguez sees her mother with a coffee-dark V in the collar area of her neck, proof of hard labor during the Cuban Revolution. Above her head in the photo lies a painting of a saint with no head. After sending her children away in hopes of giving them a better life, Rodriguez’s mother is left working in the hot and sunny cane fields, which marks her with a coffee-colored tan. Rodriguez reveals her family’s Catholic religion through the painting of the saint, but without a head, the painting reveals her mother’s loss in faith due to the its failure to address her and other suffering laborers. With a loss of her faith, husband, and children, Rodriguez’s mother is left with one last person: her mother. However, while Rodriguez looks at the photograph, her
Gender roles play a huge part in Mi Vida Loca. Growing up, the kids had nowhere else to turn, but to each other. This is a factor in deciding the roles that they will become. As dropouts of high school, they have to survive on the street. For the boys, that means becoming “tough” to gain respect and leadership from other boys. For the girls, it meant finding someone to provide for them.
In 1988, the film Mujeres al Borde de un Ataque de Nervios by Pedro Almodóvar was released into the theaters. The film shed a new light on feminism and postmodernism throughout the film by the different kind of love life shown through the two main characters Pepa and Ivan (Farrán, 2010). Instead of this film being another romantic love story with ending in the main couple being in love there were a few plot twists throughout the film. The movie centers around one main character named Pepa. Pepa was impacted throughout the story by the other main characters, her environment around her and the core issues throughout the story.
Gender and the portrayal of gender roles in a film is an intriguing topic. It is interesting to uncover the way women have been idealized in our films, which mirrors the sentiments of the society of that period in time. Consequently, the thesis of this essay is a feminist approach that seeks to compare and contrast the gender roles of two films. The selected films are A few Good Men and Some Like it Hot.
La Movida Madrileña, meaning “The Action of Madrid”, was an unplanned countercultural movement from 1977 to 1985 in Spain. It began when Dictator Francisco Franco died and Spain erupted with pent-up energy. It was a movement that valued style over substance. The cultural revolution was evident in the music, subculture, fashion, alcohol, drugs, and sexual experimentation. La Movida took place primarily in Madrid, although some other cities such as Barcelona and Vigo had their own Movidas. Popular nightlife slang of the time reflected the spirit of the movement: “¿Dónde está la movida?”— “Where’s the action?”
The aesthetic approach, also known as the masterpiece approach, involves solely looking at movies as a whole. This approach coincides the movie to its own director. For example, the Auteur theory explains how the director is also the author of the film. Film as a social history approach includes issues such as, gender, racial, political, and environmental. For example, the feminist film theory conveys a negative approach toward women. As shown in movies, women are considered eye-candy, sexual, dumb, and have no authority. Laura Mulvey even coined the term that women are the “male gaze” of cinema. In result, the Bechdel Test was created; if a movie did not have at least two major female characters that interacted besides talking about men,
Williams, Linda. "Film Bodies: Genre, Gender and Excess." Braudy and Cohen (1991 / 2004): 727-41. Print.
...cting the key points that were discussed were if the director shows technical competence and interior meaning and if the director’s point of view was evident. For Impact we have went over if the film made you feel like you were escaping your own life, as well as were there any scene’s that were censored. In genre we went over which category of genre or sub-genre the film fits closest in and why. While analyzing this film we discussed what approaches to analysis seems the most appropriate to use.” (Formalist, contextualist, structuralist, auteurist, realist, generic).” (Goodykoontz, & Jacobs, 2011 Ch. 10). I hope that if you have seen this film that you also felt all of the different emotions that this film is capable of provoking. If not one can only hope that when you do walk away from this film you will stop to think and realize that maybe your life isn’t that bad.
Also, the film revealed women empowerment and how superior they can be compared to men. While demonstrating sexual objectification, empowerment, there was also sexual exploitation of the women, shown through the film. Throughout this essay, gender based issues that were associated with the film character will be demonstrated while connecting to the real world and popular culture.
The story begins with a prison guard arriving at Mrs Spencer’s door to give Paula the unfortunate news that her husband, Charlo has died. Then Paula explains the marital status between her and her husband, which is that they are separated. She talks of their wedding, their children and then she moves on to talk of the savage attacks Charlo gave her. She tells of times when she was raped, battered and even more brutal, nearly killed. She told the doctors that she fell down the stairs or ‘walked into doors’ to justify her broken bones and bruises, because if she told them the truth, Charlo would hurt her, yet again. After seventeen years of too much pain and torture she received from him, she gives him a taste of his own medicine and throws him out of the house for good. Paula’s family has barely enough money to manage throughout the week but they struggle and live in a state of poverty. Paula’s marriage with Charlo goes from love to loveless and she becomes trapped within herself and she can’t do anythin...