Oppression of Women under Communism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Oppression of Women under Communism - Essay Example It also won various other awards all over the world and performed well in the box office. The film mainly portrays the life experienced in the communist regime of Ceausescu through the eyes of the two girls. In the film, the director uses mise-en-scene and long takes to bring out important changes and problems faced by Otilia and Gabita and thus by association portraying the difficulties women faced during the communist era. Through the use of these elements of cinematography, the oppression of women in various forms is illuminated through nostalgia and passive criticism (Bordwell & Thompson 23). Mise-en-Scene Mise-en scene is term the means â€Å"putting in the scenes†. The term defines the design features of a film production or theatre. Basically, the term describes the presentation of the visual theme both through cinematography, story boarding or the use of virtual art (Bordwell & Thompson 23). In film studies, the term is used to cover all that appears before the camera and the manner in which they are arranged and shown. The key aspects of mise-en-scene include set design, lighting, film stock, space, composition, costumes, makeup and hair styles, acting and finally aspect ratio (Pramaggiore and Wallis 60). Mise-en-scene and theme development 4 months, 3 weeks and 2 days is presumably a film about abortion, however it a study of important skills women required in order to survive in the 1980s in Romania. The script shows a gentle evolution from the protective cocoon of the dorm to a point of painful exposure. In the film, mise-en-scene is used superbly to bring out the main message to the audience. The film does not attack the communist era but however brings out a nostalgic feeling for those who lived during the era and show other viewers an untarnished image of how things were. It is through the use of the various aspects of mise-en-scene that audience is presented with an outsiders look at the plight of women during this era. In the initial set ting, the film employs set design to show ambiance of the dormitory as a place of camaraderie, a protective bubble gifted with most of the things communism had promised to bring about, where material things pose no problem as everyone is willing to share. In the opening sequence of 4 months, 3 weeks and 2 days we are introduced to two roommates preparing for a journey to an unknown destination. The first shot is of a table that has a smoking cigarette, a ticking clock, a bizarre fish bowl with shallow water and two orange fish inside and some papers possibly classroom materials. As the camera moves, we are introduced to the two girls who are preparing to embark in a journey to perform an illegal abortion. In the dormitory, Otilia buys soaps, cigarettes and other items that they may need to use in their journey for the small black market that exist inside (Bordwell & Thompson). The set presents the viewer to a glimpse of the life of the ordinary Romanian during the 1980s. The manner in which these objects are framed by the camera seeks to remind the audience that they are on display. They are mementos from the past and the audience views them with the narrow and prejudicial eye of the present. According to Bordwell and Thompson (34), film setting has the ability to transport the audience to not only the time period the film is set in but also the emotional environment that exist within the film. The set