Childhood and Conflict: On the Trend towards “Nonpolitical” Cinema in Colombia

Abstract

A number of contemporary filmmakers, both in Colombia and in other Latin American countries, have explicitly stated their disinterest in what they themselves call “political cinema”. With this apparent declaration of principles, they seem to be distancing themselves from previous generations for whom each film implied a commitment to the representation and transformation of reality. Some directors have defined themselves as “'neutral” in political terms, even when their work directly addresses issues concerning the social and political realities of each country.  The intent of this essay is to examine what this supposed neutrality consists of, from where it is derived, and what are its dangers. Through an analysis of the concept of childhood in the film Los Colores de la Montaña (The Colors of the Mountain) (2011), the author attempts to show the film’s political dimension above and beyond the director’s intentions of neutrality, so as to highlight the importance of political thinking in film, apart from identifying with ideologies and taking sides.