The effects of colonialism have percolated into every facet of people’s lives, affecting the way in which they perceive reality and express their attitude toward it. In art and, particularly, in cinema, promoting a diverse outlook on how movies are shot and how reality is portrayed is particularly difficult due to the overwhelming power of popular media. However, the Cine-Aztlán collective has managed to break free from the shackles of the colonial perspective on art, creating an outlet where genuine indigenous ideas and perceptions created a tapestry of unique cinematic ideas and expressions.
The intention to promote social change with the help of cinematic art can be considered the definitive characteristic and the ultimate goal of the Cine-Aztlán collective. According to the published manifesto of the organization, the Cine-Aztlán collective sought to deviate from the path crafted and actively foisted onto the Latino and Chicano communities by American imperialists (Cine-Aztlán). Specifically, the manifesto stated explicitly that “modern cinematic technology has become a powerful weapon in the struggle for social justice” (Cine-Aztlán 1). Therefore, the organization viewed it as its main objective to subvert the standards reinforced by American imperialists and resurge traditional Chicano and Latino art to embody it in cinema.
The Cine-Aztlán collective produced several documentaries that could be considered seminal, yet “la Chicana” remains one that stands out most. Representing the life of a young Chicana woman, the film introduces a rather unexpected, female-oriented perspective. Specifically, the sociocultural perceptions and roles of Latino and Chicano women are examined in the film both in its plot and with the help of colorful visuals. For instance, the stark contrast between an older woman cooking and a young one visibly having fun while playing sets the tone for the documentary and allows understanding of the effects of social constraints faced by women in Latino and Chicano cultures.
Moreover, apart from centering on female characters, the documentary provides a revolutionary perspective on moviemaking by portraying the household environment of a Latino community. Namely, the document does not pursue any evidently grand objective; instead, it focuses on what could be seen on the surface level as insignificant and mundane elements of life. However, considering the documentary further, one will realize that it revolutionizes cinema by providing a glimpse of what the general audiences, including both white middle-class Americans and ethnic minorities. Namely, the documentary boldly portrays Latino people in everyday environments, representing them as members of unique culture and a strong community and unique individuals.
However, most importantly, the revolutionary nature of the documentary originates from its message. Specifically, the challenges that Latino and Chicano women face due to the presence of patriarchy and rigid gender norms are portrayed in the documentary. The stark contrast between a careless young girl and the exhausted woman mentioned above is one of the many depictions of the drastic change that Latino and Chicano women experience after experiencing puberty and accepting the weight of gender roles and social prejudices (“La Chicana”). Thus, the documentary can be considered revolutionary in its message.
By challenging the colonialist perspective on relationships across communities, the Cine-Aztlán collective escaped the trappings of cultural appropriation and the threat of its culture being ousted by the American one. As a result, the movies that the Cine-Aztlán collective produced were expressively unique and remarkably honest, incorporating the elements of indigenous cultures and portraying its representatives as leading characters of their narratives. Thus, the legacy of the community was preserved in the works of the Cine-Aztlán collective.
Works Cited
Cine-Aztlán. Ya Basta Con Yankee Imperialist Documentaries! Cine-Aztlán, 1974.
La Chicana. Directed by Sylvia Morales, performances by Carmen Zapata and Carmen Moreno, CSU, 1979.