Question

Please watch the films 'Half of a Yellow Sun' (Biyi Bandele) and 'The Battle of Algiers' (Gillo Pontecorvo) - the first is streamed on Amazon prime, and the second is free on Youtube -, and answer the following question:

how do Biyi Bandele Thomas and Gillo Pontecorvo redeem cinema from its technological, historic and theoretical violence. Write a 200-word essay and post.

Can someone help me write a brief paragraph? I'm not really sure what the question is even asking. Thanks!

Answer 1

In "Half of a Yellow Sun" Biyi Bandele takes war as theme. But the effect of war is presented with simple storyline. There are not many characters and all the characters are common people. The movie is a low budget movie with the presentation of simple life. The interactions in the characters bear representative symbols. They use many methophorical ways to make the audience understand their message. The common issues in our daily routine life are highlighted in the movie. The movie is important from political and social perspectives. Besides, it includes racism, economy, gender discrimination, female empowerment, marriage, education etc. Naturally such common themes are the integral part of our life and these themes have expressed in a common ways.

In the movie "The Battle of Algiers" the Gillo also takes war as the main theme. But the result of the war in the life of the ordinary people has been highlighted here. The ugliest face of war is presented vividly in the movie. The movie is documentary type and it is black and white. The emphasis is given on the reality of the life. The emotional level of the people have been depicted in the movie and therefore the attention of the audience is concentrated to the interaction of the characters and there is no need of the use of any technical grandeur.