THE COLOMBIAN CINEMA VS. THE HOLLYWOOD CINEMA

According to Fernando De Toro[1] the cinema is an analogous representation of the reality; the cinema is a sign of signs or a sign of things. In this way, humans have been interested in capturing their essence on the big screen. Although Colombian cinema has done its best effort to do good quality movies, it is not as good as Hollywood cinema is.

First, the Colombian cinema is genuine and original because it reflects our social reality. If you go to see Colombian cinema, you will find stories about peculiar families, urban drama, the Caribbean coast, the Vallenato and migration. For example Los Viajes del Viento presents a wonderful sample of music, colors and forms from the Colombian coast mixed with a cultural and anthropological point of view about our customs. Also, it is possible to find some stories as Sumas y Restas and Maria llena eres de gracia, in which you can appreciate some of drug trafficking, para-guerrilla and poverty. Then, Colombian cinema is authentic as far as it shows our real life.

However, Colombian cinema is below from Hollywood cinema in what refers to techniques and technologies. This problem has been caused, maybe, because of the low budget addressed to cinema in our country, or just because Colombian producers do not create stories that demand more elaborated methods. With regard to that, Hollywood cinema is really extraordinary. Producers make movies that tell captivating stories, and they do it better when they produce films with highly structured techniques, a great example of this is the 3D films. It gives to the viewer, who is in a globalized world, the opportunity to compare and choose what he prefers. So, Colombian cinema could be better if it told more elaborated stories and used more advanced techniques and technologies.

To sum up, Colombian cinema presents some different aspects from Hollywood cinema as are its daily stories which reflect our real life, and its poor techniques in production. Nevertheless, it is an authentic, real and valid cinema. It fulfils the purpose of the seventh art: it recounts our history through stories that allow us to see how we are, it entertain us.

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[1] De Toro, Fernando. “Semiótica del teatro” chapter III. Buenos Aires, Galerna Editorial, second edition 1989.