Exam Question
Foreign Film

Q.
To what extent can the films you have studied for this topic be accused of reinforcing rather than challenging stereotypes?
CCCEO
rust and bone- men- reinforcing, big strong family provider fights sex primal
women- weak dependent, damsel in distress  sex symbol
disability- challenges- sex power love
COG- poverty stereotype- lil ze- gangsta, violent, black, greedy
Rocket- subverts- black, poor , not aggresive, honest
La Haine- Hubert- reinforcing hubert, poverty, black sells weed,

The films I have studied for this topic have challenged stereotypes as well as reinforced them. Filmmakers use stereotypes to create a concrete character or setting for which the audience can easily interpret and undertsand . But other filmmakers try to subvert stereotypes to create unique narratives and unusual character which both drive the film in a unconventional way.

An unconventional stereotype can be viewed in the social realism ,Rust and Bone directed by Jacques Audiard released in 2012, The Film follows to characters Alain and Stephanie. Alain is fighting poverty to feed his young son and Stephanie is fighting an injury with stained by an accident at her job in sea world where she consequently loses her legs. By Stephanie loosing her legs she challenges the stereotype of disability. Stephanie more than anything misses her ability to dance and be sexually desired. There is a scene where Alian takes Stephanie to a club. She is seen ,through a close up shot on her face, looking upon the other people dancing in sadness. There are numerous shots of the short skirts and dresses which people are wearing. She doesn't just miss dancing she misses the sexuality of dancing. Sexuality is an aspect which is very uncommon to disability thus for them to be mixed together is challenging the stereotype of disability to far extent.

However for the film City of God, directed by Fernando Mierelles in 2003, the stereotype of poverty is reinforced.  The film follows a young boy, called Rocket, and his journey through the fevellas of the city of god. On his journey a gangsta, named Lil Ze is met, and it is thanks to him why Rocket's journey becomes so successful. The character of Lil Ze is a violent, greedy, black gangsta who wants to dominate and take control of the fevella. Such as Lil Ze is seen tormenting little kids into shooting there friends foot. When the little kid can't do Lil Ze tells him to do he pushes him to the side and shoots the young boy on the floor. This is reinforcing the stereotype of the lower class to be violent criminals. Additionally it does not help the stereotype of black males being seen as a crazed criminal. In my opinion this reinforces the negative stereotype of the lower class and reinforces the negative stereotype of black males to a very far extent even being arguably the paradigm stereotype for lower class.

In conclusion The films I have studied have each challenged yet also reinforced stereotypes. City of God reinforces the negative lower class stereotype to an extreme extent But Rust and Bone challenges the stereotype of disability with it being mixed strongly with sexuality.