Group 1 – Diversity to the Canon

Exquisite Corpse:

Created by Alice, Ella & Liam

Group One Activity on Vimeo


Diversity to the Canon Video

 


 

Alice’s Statement:

We live in a more inclusive society now, a world where it’s not all white men running everything, there is a lot more diversity seen, but as you look at the film canon, still only focus on movies made or created by white men, shouldn’t people of colour, race and also woman be allowed to have their say in what goes in the canon.

Alice’s Summary:

Wanting diversity in a film canon is very important especially in today’s generation. This video shows gender, race and sexuality being represented to show just how important these type of films are why they should be recognised more. It’s not just the films to it’s also the people that help bring these films to life. This is what diversity is and we want to show that in a strong impactful yet fun way.

Ella’s  Statement:

The canonisation of films is an outdated system, focusing on the opinions of heterosexual white males. This needs to change. More people of colour need to be represented to have their ideas heard within the film industry.

Ella’s Summary:

The film canon is not representational of the world in which we live. It represents a time where white, heterosexual men had enormous power, and unfortunately still reflects these backward ideologies. It has never been more important or relevant to improve these canonical lists, as Black Lives Matter protests continue throughout the world. The video piece produced by Alice, Liam and I conveys these systematic issues within society, and that these minority groups must have their voices acknowledged in the ‘Greatest of all Time’ lists. All minority groups are a part of the world we inhabit, and must have their stories told and voices heard. 

Liam’s Statement:

To assert through the canonisation of films that the majority of the most influential, important and impactful films to ever be made are the works of heterosexual white men is an insult to great art curated by people of colour, members of the L.G.B.T.Q.I.A.+ community and those who society has continued to marginalize. If you’re attempting to form a canonisation of some form, you need to open up the conversation in order for more diverse voices to be heard!

Liam’s Summary:

We as group decided to adopt a visual method of storytelling as to tell our manifesto and in turn address the problems of diversity within the film canon, as well as the changes we wished to see made in the future. Once we had decided on utilizing footage from a multitude of different mediums, we looked towards Guy Maddin’s ‘The Green Fog’ as an inspiration of how to explore a narrative through the use of footage from other sources. Importantly to all of us, is the nature of our video, as we hoped to make our video as educational as it is engaging and entertaining. From looking over and judging (specifically) the ‘Sight and Sound Greatest Films of all Time’ list from 2012, it’s apparent almost immediately the lack of representation within the list, furthering the view that stories and films told by and for people that, throughout history, have continually had their voices silenced is still as prevalent today as it has ever been.

 

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