Film and Politics

Since the invention of the motion picture at the turn of the 20th century, film has remained a popular and powerful medium that does much more than entertain collective, or individual, viewers. From early efforts, to modern-day productions, movies have had the ability to communicate many diverse, global political issues. Through genres such as comedy, science fiction, drama, melodrama, documentary, mock-umentary, and [Page 238]blatant propaganda, film has communicated and influenced audiences about political issues, events, individuals, and entities. Popular film continues to inform and educate viewers about politics. From fictional retellings of real events, to the pure imagination of fictional scenarios, to documentaries, film proves to be an important channel through which audiences can explore past, present, and future political areas.