Essay/Term paper: Camila

Essay, term paper, research paper:  Culture

Camila


Camila is an Argentinean film set in the mid 19th century, during the Rosas
regime. The film focuses on the lives of a young girl, Camila, and her Jesuit
priest Ladislao Gutierrez. Camila and Ladisalo fall in love and the film
follows their troubles. Through following the events that happen with Camila
and Ladisalo, the director shows how restrictive and devout followers of Rosas
were and of the resentment against him.

The unjust ways of the Rosas regime were illustrated passively. Instead
of having Rosas a central character issuing orders to be carried out, Rosas was
instead placed in the background of the film. You would see Rosas through the
actions of the church, military, and of the common people. His picture adorned
the towns, everyone was to wear a red ribbon symbolizing their loyalty to Rosas.
His supporters spoke of him proudly while those against him had to hide in
silence. To illustrate the inherent problems of the Rosas era, the director
chose to show the injustices through the ordeals of Camila and Ladislao.

First of all, in everyday life, Rosas demanded public showings of
loyalty. Every citizen had to wear a bright red ribbon symbolizing their faith
in their leader. Slaves, commoners, and even priests had to wear this ribbon.
Through the execution of the bookseller, the tyranny of the Rosas regime is
clear. He will tolerate to questions to his authority or allow anyone with a
dissenting opinion to speak without fear of retribution. At the end of the film
when the two young lovers are captured, Rosas rears his head again. Wishing to
set an example to inspire terror into the masses, he doesn't hold Camilas
execution even with the knowledge that she is pregnant. To further illustrate
this point, the film makes it appear that Rosas is operating directly in
contrast with the blessings of god.

While never specific in historical events, overall the films third
person look into the regime of Rosas does provide interesting historical insight
about life in mid 19th century Argentina. Costumes and settings in Camila
illustrate the lengths that the director made to make the film historically
accurate. Entertainment wise, Camila isn't the worst foreign film that I have
seen, but isn't the best. The story is a bit jumbled at the beginning and for
the most part, the plot is entirely predictable.