A debate ignited by Arundhati Roy and Wim Wenders highlights whether film festivals should engage with politics. This article argues forcefully that cinema is a powerful tool for social and legislative change, showcasing multiple real-world examples where films directly influenced public opinion, politicians, and led to new laws.
The article explores the contentious debate initiated by novelist Arundhati Roy, who withdrew from the Berlin festival jury in protest against president Wim Wenders' assertion that films should 'stay out of politics.' Roy deemed Wenders' stance 'unconscionable,' arguing that art cannot be divorced from political realities. Wenders suggested cinema builds empathy but doesn't directly change politicians' minds, a claim the article refutes by presenting compelling evidence. It highlights several films that have demonstrably influenced public opinion and led to legislative action: * **A Fantastic Woman (2017):** This Chilean drama about a transgender woman's fight for acceptance led to the passing of Chile's gender identity law, which had been stalled for five years. * **A Girl in the River (2016):** Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy's documentary on 'honour' killings in Pakistan prompted the prime minister to commit to changing the law, resulting in stricter punishments and the closure of legal loopholes. * **A Handful of Ash:** A decade-long documentary project on female genital mutilation (FGM) profoundly affected lawmakers in Kurdistan, leading to a bill outlawing the practice in 2011. * **Cathy Come Home (1966):** Ken Loach's BBC television play on homelessness challenged national views, contributing to the creation of the charity Crisis and, eventually, the Housing (Homeless Persons) Act 1977. * **Mr Bates vs the Post Office (2024):** This ITV drama spurred politicians to act on the Post Office Horizon scandal, resulting in the Post Office (Horizon System) Compensation Act and Offences Act 2024. * **Silenced (2011):** Hwang Dong-hyuk's drama about sexual abuse at a deaf school in South Korea sparked public outrage and led to the 'Dogani law,' scrapping the statute of limitations for sexual crimes against children and disabled people. * **The Day After (1983):** This television film depicting a nuclear attack on the US was watched by over 100 million people, including President Ronald Reagan, influencing his nuclear policy and contributing to the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty in 1987. * **The Snake Pit (1948):** This psychological drama about a woman in a psychiatric hospital led several US states to change laws to improve conditions in mental health institutions. These examples collectively underscore the article's central argument: films are not merely entertainment but powerful agents of social and political change, capable of moving individuals and shaping legislation.
