Cinema is one of the most important art forms in the world. The idea of ​​using films to call attention to important social and political conversations is a common theme across all fields and cultures of cinema. In Portuguese cinema, notably through the films “Saint George” and “A Thousand and One Nights”, we dive into the heart of one of the most important events in recent Portuguese history. The financial crisis from 2011 to 2015 was a large part of the plot of these two films. Each film tells the story of people who struggled through this financial crisis and subtly highlights areas of government that need improvement. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”? Get an original essay Have these films made a difference in the Portuguese political community? One of the first of its kind, the film "Arabian Nights" is part of a trilogy mixing fiction and non-fiction. The film is dark and depressing and truly shows the effects of a financial crisis. The subtitle of this film, "The Restless One", is a parallel to the turbulent emotions and seemingly hopeless events and situations that occur throughout the story. Specifically, the film emphasizes the ideals behind the storytelling. In a way, it was a call to the public and the government to listen to their people and the stories they had to share. The Arabian Nights was full of stories of people who experienced horrible times. The end of the film is filled with “testimonies” from several people. The story of the first man was similar to what is happening in the world today. He worked for a company for 14 years and helped bring in a large amount of money for that company. When they laid him off due to financial depression, he understood and felt helpless. He didn't feel the need to blame the company, but he didn't know what to do. He ended his story by questioning who he really was and why we had to fit into an employer box while looking for a new job. You can tell he's tired and exhausted from this thought. This scene is cinematically well done. The camera angle during this scene is filmed in a single frame and slowly closes in on the man recounting his testimony. This style of camera is used in documentaries and intense films to slowly show passion and distress on a person's face. As I learn more about this film, I believe the purpose of these testimonials is to share a real life and put a real face to these original "fictional" stories. The entire film up to this point seemed fictional, but these testimonies are what ties the film together. “Arabian Nights” is also an old story of genies and wishes. It has always been said that a genie grants three wishes. The many stories of real people resemble these three “wishes.” These people were vulnerable and sharing their lives in the hope that it would have an impact on their community and the government. The Arabian Nights used a wide variety of filming techniques and analogies throughout their fictional stories. Although they may have been difficult for some viewers to understand, the film caught the public's attention with its strangeness. This is exactly what the director intended and knew he was doing throughout the film. The use of narration is a common theme in many films around the world. In fact, it has become an essential skill in the industry. During the lastdecade, cinema and the media have become the main route to information and knowledge. Newspapers and books are not as common as they used to be. As a result, film and media creators have a much more important role in their communities and in the world. In a news article written by film student Timothy Wijaya, he explains that the film industry has focused more on special effects than the content itself. However, in the movie “Arabian Nights”, one can see the raw storytelling ability used. The director pushed the limits of creativity. This is a direct reflection of using fiction to explain and validate a non-fiction storyline. The film “Saint George” also takes place during the years of financial crisis in Portugal. A family is caught in poverty and real-life tragedies. The father was a boxer who decided to become a debt collector to support his family. Debt collectors are not very popular people and, in times of economic crisis, they are, quite frankly, feared by the public. In fact, Jorge, the father, struggles with the morality of his job. Over time, he loses sight of who he is as a man and what he truly values. He understands what it's like to have no money and find yourself in difficult situations. Simply put, he was experiencing this feeling of loss of identity and confusion. This theme is common in any financial crisis or depression that may occur in the world. There is a specific scene in this film in which Jorge and his family sit around the table and discuss their financial burdens. This is a direct correlation to the conversations the Portuguese want the government to hear. What better way to evoke a political conversation than to show the struggles of a family in a fictional but real setting? Saint George shows the caring culture of the Portuguese people even in difficult circumstances. The movie was easy to understand and had lots of little details that made the movie feel like a true story. The director knew that by placing the main character in a place of discomfort, it would show the true struggle of the debt collectors and hopefully the audience would see what they were doing to the communities around them. As a reminder, there were more than 1.8 million families and businesses in debt in 2011 in Portugal. More than 60 debt collection agencies participated in “immoral” activities to intimidate people enough into paying their debt when they had virtually nothing left. Therefore, the life that Jorge led was a real reality for many Portuguese families. The director of this film knew that the impact it would have would help a community of people feel important and heard. Since the financial crisis, Portugal is now in a "prosperous" economic state, reflecting the many realities the film confronts. The director made this film not only to inform, but also to remind. In an interview, Marco Martins said: "What often happens, especially in the media, is that when we talk about the crisis we resort to statistics, we stop talking about people." When tragedy strikes, we should not focus on the goals of “corporate” and “economic” leaders, but rather on our compassion and loneliness for our people. The political impact that these two films were able to create in the Portuguese community is weak. but powerful. Not only did people pay attention to the goals of these films, but they also started a difficult conversation. For many of those who havelived a life similar to that seen in the films, a sense of empowerment was felt. After the release of Arabian Nights, a New York Times review was written about the film. They said: "According to British academic Marina Warner, who wrote about the 'Arabian Nights' in her book 'Stranger Magic,' 'the stories do not obey internal rules regarding character, motive, plausibility or plot structure; they do not fit easily into existing theories of fiction, history, or psychology. The same could be said of those in Mr. Gomes’ film “A Thousand and One Nights.” The way director Gomes told his story used a very different plot structure and let the viewers use their imagination and their own minds. The complexity of this form of narration is that it may not connect with every viewer and limit the possible capacity for understanding and could also cause errors of interpretation. As for the film “Saint George”, it uses emotion and satire to connect with the viewer. In this way, the director used pity to draw attention to his film and to the reality of many situations. This may have brought attention to his film, but it also brought him unprecedented fame. At the Portuguese Cinema Academy Awards in 2018, “Saint George” won more than twenty awards. This shows the effect the film had on its viewers and the popularity it gained through it. Storytelling is a theme throughout Portuguese culture and it is used intelligently in both of these films. There was a scene in the Arabian Nights where an older man said, “Telling stories is how we connect the past with the future.” These two filmmakers used storytelling to shine a light on important issues and share the story with the children and families of the future. Thinking about these films and the financial crisis that hit Portugal, I can't help but compare the current situation in the United States and around the world. A disease has destroyed virtually all jobs and unemployment rates are horribly high. People are losing their jobs every day and there is no stable economy to fall back on. The theme and consistency of kindness and understanding in Portuguese culture is a theme we need to embrace in the United States during all of this. Life is unexpected and will always test you. The most important thing is how we treat others during this difficult time. The stories will continue for many generations to come, what do we want to tell our future world? What do we mean about difficult times? How did we react? We cannot go back to the past to change what happened; However, we can always look to the future with a new mindset and reflect on the lessons we have learned. As the director of “Arabian Nights” said, “There is reality, and then there is dealing with reality.” Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Notably, I can't say that these two films changed the lives of millions and solved problems within the government system, because that seems impossible. However, the attention these films have given to the issues at hand is the most important and positive outcome of these films and their effect on the Portuguese community. The use of narration, unique film production and the relationship with real life were all aspects that both directors focused on. These films present a form of 2016,_132975.