by Julio Lamaña
63 years after the birth of the FICC (Fédération Internationale des Ciné-Clubs), it seems opportune to pause in order to reflect on a key moment in the international film club movement. The political and social context of the recovery of freedom after a period of war instigated the resurgence of film societies all over the world. In this exceptional historic period, and with the need to not repeat anew another military conflict, sparked a cry from different spheres for the creation of international super-entities that would allow a progressive future and wellbeing for all the inhabitants of the planet. In 1945, the Charter of the United Nations was signed by 50 countries in San Francisco. In November of 1946, the First UNESCO World Conference was held in Paris to “establish intellectual and moral solidarity of mankind, and in doing so, prevent the outbreak of another world war”. Winston Churchill gave a speech in 1946 in Zurich proclaiming the need to unite the states of Europe so as to prevent new military conflicts. We must understand the origins of the FICC as being part of this historic process of creating international institutions. Cinema and the form in which it was approached by an organized public was also a way to avoid wars1.
63 years after the birth of the FICC (Fédération Internationale des Ciné-Clubs), it seems opportune to pause in order to reflect on a key moment in the international film club movement. The political and social context of the recovery of freedom after a period of war instigated the resurgence of film societies all over the world. In this exceptional historic period, and with the need to not repeat anew another military conflict, sparked a cry from different spheres for the creation of international super-entities that would allow a progressive future and wellbeing for all the inhabitants of the planet. In 1945, the Charter of the United Nations was signed by 50 countries in San Francisco. In November of 1946, the First UNESCO World Conference was held in Paris to “establish intellectual and moral solidarity of mankind, and in doing so, prevent the outbreak of another world war”. Winston Churchill gave a speech in 1946 in Zurich proclaiming the need to unite the states of Europe so as to prevent new military conflicts. We must understand the origins of the FICC as being part of this historic process of creating international institutions. Cinema and the form in which it was approached by an organized public was also a way to avoid wars1.
Emergence of the international film society after the Second World War
After the worldwide military conflict, the European and worldwide reconstruction brought with it a resurgence of activities associated with film societies. Not to forget, that preceding the initiation of the FICC, the situation in the geopolitical world was one of division into two factions. In this sense, taken from this point of view, it is interesting to appreciate the analysis that Paulo Jorge Granja makes, of the socio-political context which precedes the birth of the FICC2.
1 Point 2 of the Chart of Tabor for public rights says textually: "The right to art, to cultural enrichment, at the capacity of communication, source of every cultural and social mutation, is an inalienable right. It is the guarantee of a true understanding between villages, the only way to avoid wars.” Tabor. Czechoslovakia 18/09/1987
2 Paulo Jorge Granja. - VI ENCONTROS DE CINEMA – CINECLUBES, FESTIVAIS E OUTRAS CINEFILIAS, 3, 4 e 5 de Novembro de 2003. (Coord. Doutor António Pedro Pita, PhD Paulo Jorge Granja PhD and Paulo Cunha), in a co-organization of the Center of Interdisciplinary Studies of the 20th Century at the University of Coimbra - CEIS20, and of the Hall for Cinematographic Studies in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at the University of Coimbra
No hay comentarios:
Publicar un comentario