Passport: Third Cinema

Soon after releasing the radical documentary The Hour of the Furnaces in 1968, Argentinian filmmakers Fernando Solanas and Octavio Getino wrote the manifesto, “Towards a Third Cinema,” to argue for the necessity of an alternative approach to cinema in the age of neo-colonialism. Third Cinema, a cinema of liberation, evades the capitalist trappings of First Cinema (American Hollywood Films) and the centralization of the director as “author” of the film in Second Cinema. Third Cinema uses film as a revolutionary tool to inspire everyday people to recognize the oppressive structures in their life and actively engage in changing this both on and off screens. Sparking rapid changes in Latin American cinema, the theory of Third Cinema led to the emergence of new national cinemas.

This series presents four works of Third Cinema to reflect upon the legacy of revolutionary internationalist cinema. In the spirit of Third Cinema’s commitment to education and political consciousness, attendees of this series will receive a reading/viewing list and have the opportunity to participate in a discussion group about the legacy of Third Cinema. 

Financial assistance for this Program has been provided by the City of Columbia, Office of Cultural Affairs.