Don't You Forget About Me

The Debate: Ms Sidibe and Why she is a Star

Well, this one is tricky because at this point, the majority of us have all been brainwashed to believe a certain standard of appearance is required to call a woman attractive. Actresses in particular have been held up as the ultimate standards of what is beautiful for a woman according to the white supremacist ideal. In comes a young woman called Gabby Sidibe who is a runaway star mostly because she is an incredible actress and stole the show in a powerful movie we have yet to see anything the likes of since maybe, The Colour Purple.

If anything, the criticism she receives from insular individuals is as a result of our collective conscious not being used to seeing larger-sized women being held up in high esteem in the world of cinema. This is given evidence for why it is so important for our value system to change. Instead of praising actresses and actors for their good looks alone, we should be rewarding them for their dedication to the craft. Gabby is a wonderful actress. I think it takes away from her genuine talent when one imagines that Hollywood is only giving her a platform not to appear racist or prejudices. Do you think if Hollywood was so into not appearing racist, they would still continue to write so few decent roles for people who are not white? How silly that people find reason to complain about a woman of colour who is not skinny being put on a pedestal (which defines for me a subconscious racism) and at the same time, call Hollywood out for being racist and trying to avoid the guilt-trip that goes along with it by forcing matters. Again, it's a case of not realising the bigotry in one's own mind and fooling yourself into thinking that your comments are in fact, liberal.



Yes, for a very long time - the world of popular cinema has been white-male dominated. I think it is outstanding that a black homosexual man was able to make a movie so moving in its content and that this movie would, instead of becoming a flop, would generate superb box office sales, make Gabby an instant star, give Mo'nique an Oscar for crying out so damn loud and start making people realise that it is time we began to remove ourselves from the comfort zone of always wanting to see what has commonly been defined as lovely, immaculate and pure. There are "stories of the world, I wonder if y'all hear?" (Jay-Z in "As Real as it Gets") As always, people prefer the fantasy when cinema should really be the place where one can learn empathy through the identification of similarity in the lives of those one always believed to be so different - in the lives of the so-called "other".

Poverty Alleviation through Cinema

How proud I was to watch the critically-acclaimed Slumdogg Millionaire claim the Oscar for Best Picture among a myriad of other Oscars in several different categories. Even more glad to hear that the child actors in the film have had their lives completely transformed and on a different path because of this movie. As is the case in many developing countries all over the world. There exists a very small percentage of the elite class who can afford the luxury and comfort of a wealthy middle to upper-class life and right at the pit of the social pile is the majority of the population...struggling through dire circumstances of poverty. The divide between rich and poor only intensifies as time passes. India is no different of course.
If political corruption, mismanagement of government spending, megalomaniacs with dictatorial leanings ruling nations continues to bring lack of progress in the social and political frameworks of the poorest countries in the world. Then art should surely provide a means to transcend the devastation of lack. I don't want to see African-American actors flying to African and poor Asian countries to play African characters. I want to see local men and women used to characterise stories filmed by American and British productions companies. If more of Africa's resources are utilized surely changes no matter how slight can be made to the livlihoods of many. Filming itself provides a boost to a nation's GDP. It's important for filmakers to realise how much development and change can be brought about within poor nations through the movie industry which spoils millions a year. Money which only circulates within the business itself making rich men even richer. Yes, this may be another quixotic appeal from a young African but taking from the example of perhaps one of the most successful motion pictures of 2008, it is evident that the business of film can easily be assigned to take on philantrhopic quests in places of the world that need this kind of charity the most.