Summary of Urban/World Cinema Topic

1. World Cinema
Last minute advice!

2. Past Questions
What are the reoccurring topics that come up?
What topics have not come up recently?

3. Examiner Comments
• What is important is that the candidate carries
into FM4 their training in macro and micro
analysis. Detailed reference to a film, using
precise technical language to identify a particular
cinematic device and its effect is very important
in all three sections of the paper. Good close
analysis of detail in which the candidate directly
interrogates a film, how it works, what it
communicates and the feelings it generates, is
worth so much more than vague generalisation
and sweeping assertion.

4. Examiner Comments
• Candidates need more than the minimum two
films to answer broader based questions (so if
you choose to answer the broad question discuss
another film!!!)
• On the other hand, questions which focus on
stylistic elements, including reference to specific
micro features, often are best answered by
candidates restricting their response to two films
which they can refer to with the necessary detail.

5. Examiner Comments
• Particularly pleasing was the ability of candidates
to make effective comparisons and draw points
(argument/viewpoint) from those comparisons.
• The balance between descriptive detail and
argument was a problem for many candidates,
even where the argument was essentially
embodied in the detail. An ideas-led
(argument/viewpoint) rather than a description-
led answer is one of the potential hallmarks of a
higher level performance

6. Summary of Recommendations
• Answer the question as asked.
• Less is sometimes more: structure an
argument and choose examples carefully for
maximum impact in relation to the question.
• Bring macro and micro analysis into this
paper; extending on the last point, detailed
reference and discussion is always better than
general description.

7. D Grade vs A Grade
• Compare the different ways in which conflict
between the poor and the powerful are
represented in the films you have studied for
this topic? (Jan 2012)

8. D Grade
• The early sequences of the film are set post-riot when we
see the destruction of Hubbert's gym and the vandalism
of police cars by Said it is clear that there is obvious
conflict between poor and powerful. The police have also
killed someone and Vinz's readiness to go and kill a police
officer to get even clearly demonstrates how conflict is
rife between people and authority, and how they resent
those in power. The unrest and continuation of the riots
helps visualise the unhappiness that prevails in the
projects and the readiness of people to change it shows
how they want to be recognised and helped.
• Comments
• Lacks detail - has a tendency to generalise - lacks film
language - fails to discuss wider issues

9. A Grade
• With the use of black and white stock footage of the riots in the
title sequence the audience are made aware that conflict is a key
issue from the start. The grittiness of the style exemplifies the
themes of conflict in French culture of 'Liberty, equality and
fraternity' in mid 90's Paris and the way that the 3 main characters
express contrasting attitudes to dominant social values. A
particularly powerful character is Vinz who represents 'liberty' in
the narrative; he is seen displaying power in the scene when he
talks to himself in the mirror in a mid-shot and adopts De Niro's
posturing from 'Taxi Driver'. His lack of any 'true' identity though
suggests that he is a poor character struggling to gain respect from
the society that wishes to exclude or devalue his participation in
French society.
• Comments
• Includes detail - does not generalise - uses film language -
discusses wider issues - is confident

10. Strong Exam Responses
• Include detail
• Don't generalise
• Use film language
• Discuss wider contexts
• Are written with confidence
• Understand that film is a visual language

11. Planning for Essay
• Look back over the past questions and topics
most likely to come up and plan a response to
them using the templates provided.