The first of the Paper 2 topics involves studying two of the most successful Global films ever made. Pan's Labyrinth blends magical fantasy with hard-hitting war drama, while City of God is a fast-paced gangster epic that confronts us with the poverty and danger of life in Brazilian slums. Both films are gripping, but they also deal with important issues. Despite the subtitles these films are two of the most popular in the eyes of our students.
Films: Pan's Labyrinth (del Toro, 2006) and City of God (Merelles, 2002)
Topics to revise: Core Study Areas: Film Form, Context, Meaning and Response
Above are two excellent videos that examine and explain how representation is used to communicate with the audience. Mr Gardner also looks at how you can consider context and film form when looking at representation. The second video focuses on gender stereotypes and includes reference to some theory such as Mulvey's male gaze theory. Both of these videos feature excellent analysis of the films we study.