4th EDITION THEME: Do Films Lie?

"Film is 24 lies per second at the service of truth, or at the service of the attempt to find the truth."
Michael Haneke

Cinema exists within the narrative frame that the director or writer chooses. How closely that reflects reality is entirely arbitrary. Yet it is undeniable that like all art, film plays a fundamental role in shaping the way we think about politics, culture, identity, and social norms.

The exploration of truth in cinema raises complex questions about the nature of storytelling and more importantly, the ethical responsibilities of filmmakers. This raises the question of whether films should always strive to tell the truth or if there is value in creative interpretations that challenge conventional narratives. Dramatic irony, that dates back to Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex, illustrates how audiences can be privy to more information than the characters inhabiting the action, hence the emergence of a difference in perception of the narrative. This raises the question: can the distortion of truth enhance a film's emotional impact and thematic depth? For instance, films like The Matrix challenge viewers to recognize that what appears to be reality may actually be a constructed illusion, promoting questions about truth and authenticity. On the other hand, films like Triumph of the Will (1935) employ grandiose visuals and stirring speeches to create a glorified image of the Nazi regime. While it presents itself as a documentary, the film selectively edits reality to promote an ideology.

Now, documentary films and biopics of real-life historical figures are traditionally defined as non-fiction cinematic works that aim to document reality, often with the purpose of educating audiences and preserving historical records. While filmmakers have the right to artistic expression, they also bear the responsibility to represent historical events accurately, particularly in docudramas that claim to be based on true stories (Ashely Cope 2024). Documentary films as a genre occupy a unique space in the cinematic landscape, often trying to straddle the line between fact and fiction, truth and interpretation. Using the insignia of truth, implicit apparently in the very genre, the contrast between educating audiences and edifying ideas is further an area to be explored (Jill Godmilow 1997). This raises questions about the authenticity of the genre: How true should documentary films be to reality? Can distortions be justified in such a form? Documentaries can be seen as a discourse of sobriety that aims to convey real events and truths, yet they inherently involve a degree of artistic interpretation and manipulation (Bill Nichols 1997). So, what constitutes authenticity in genres such as documentary filmmaking?

As film criticism evolves, audiences are increasingly encouraged to scrutinise the underlying messages of films, regardless of their artistic deftness. The creative liberty that can be excused by invoking cinematic poetic licence is a complex issue. Filmmakers must consider whether lying or distorting reality is necessary for entertainment and escapism. Representation in cinema becomes a philosophical endeavour as filmmakers balance objective documentation with subjective interpretation, and the influence of this representation on personal and collective experiences is significant. All this ultimately leads us to seek the answer to this one question: In the face of such complexity, how do we navigate the labyrinth of truth and fiction to finally be “liberated” in our understanding of cinema?

Themes which can be explored under ‘Do Films Lie?’ include, but are not limited to:

• Authenticity in literary adaptations: Balancing fidelity and creative license
• Superhero movies as vehicles for promoting ideologies and shaping perceptions of heroism and national identity
• The hierarchical nature of the categorization of films into high and low art, the primacy accorded to abstraction, and whether these hierarchies have come into place due to their pursuit of authenticity or lack thereof
• The elevated status of Realism in film movements and the hierarchy within
• Use of generative AI in Visual Media
• Speculative genres as means for exploring political themes while expanding the boundary of imagination
• Film as a historical record: capturing the socio-cultural narrative and documenting “the truth” through cinematic expression as well as the creative licence taken in the representation/ reimagination of historical events or periods
• Portrayal of personal vs. collective experience: navigating individual narratives within shared cultural contexts in cinema
• Representation of the lives of real-life figures in bio-pics: examining authenticity, narrative choices and their influence on cultural perception
• Exploration of authenticity and truth through technical aspects of filmography

SubmissionsChalchitra Darpan

 accepts a variety of written pieces for submission, such as:
1. Essays for our ‘Features’ section, which should be between 3,000-5,000 words (including footnotes, excluding bibliography)
2. Shorter articles of approximately 1,000-3,000 words (including footnotes, excluding bibliography).
3. Book Reviews, which are essays that provide a scholarly critique of texts in the field. The text choice may range from the theoretical and the practical to the pedagogical and the historical. They are typically 1,000 words (including footnotes, excluding bibliography).
4. Interview, with no more than 10 questions.
5. Video Essays of a minimum duration of 8 minutes.

While this is largely an undergraduate journal, we do encourage some expert comments or articles from researchers working in the field.

All submissions should not be under consideration elsewhere, and should be original and previously unpublished.

Abstract Submission

Proposal abstracts should be limited to 250 words and must be accompanied by an indicative bibliography. A brief biography of the author of approx. 150 words should be provided along with the abstract. Abstracts should be sent through as Word Documents and titled “For consideration: Author First name Author Surname_Type of Submission” (e.g. For consideration: Mary Poppins_Video Essay).

Please mail your proposal to chalchitradarpan@gmail.com

Tentative schedule:

• Abstract Submission Deadline: 11:59 PM, January 15, 2025
• E-mail confirmation of selected proposals: January 17, 2025
• Draft submission deadline: February 3, 2025