Political Events through Films: The Death of Stalin

 

For the political scientist and historian of mentalities, films are a very useful - and sometimes, entertaining - tool to read past and current political events. The ways in which political events are related in films may be indicators of opinion switches for or against certain situations and events. Sometimes, the so-called turns may be just a proof of lack of proper documentations. 

Personally, I am a big consumer of such movies and I often recommend them to those interested in expanding or diversifying their studies in a specific mentalities/history-related field, alongside with literary renditions.

The Death of Stalin, a French-British-Belgian co-production based on French graphic novel (oh, graphic novels are actually my favorite medium of choice for political and historical stories) directed by Armando Iannucci, is a completely different level of comedy. 

Set in 1953, in the days following the death of Stalin, the movie is highly ironically reproducing the murderous struggle for power within the Council of Ministers of the late Soviet Union. You can have it all, the petiness of power and its humble servants, the show offs and the hunger for power, as much as possible, at any costs. 

I really enjoyed the movie, and laughed out very very loud. The characters seem to be historically relatable, except that I could not match the deep British accent of the cast of characters and the elegant British outfits and manners of the ladies.

Otherwise, it is a highly recommended view for any Soviet researchers looking for a break from heavy reading, without actually leaving the field. The movie is forbidden in Russia. 

´When They Call You a Terrorist´. A #BLM Memoir

I will probably write a little bit later about the current wave of protests that took over the US and some European universities as well. The events are unfolding and as for now, I would rather observe and analyse the tactics and the situation in its entirety. 

On the other hand, one cannot avoid noticing that in fact, the content of the messages and the pattern of protests can be traced couple of years back, before and after the Blak Lives Matter #BLM movement. Thus, better understanding the mindset of the creators of this movement may shed more light on the current protests on campus.

Patrisse Khan-Cullors is together with Alicia Garza and Aya (former Opal) Tometi one of the founders of BLM. With a vocation of political activism, born in a poor single-mother household Khan.Cullors is a brand name for contemporary civil rights movements. And with the fame comes also the controversy, although being able to overcome one´s poor upbringing is not a crime.

When They Call You a Terrorist, that Patrisse Khan-Cullor5s wrote together with Asha Bandele - with a foreword by Angela Davis, is an important testimony to the genesis of the movement, as well as for larger political takes within the American policy, such as carceral policies and discrimination. At the same time, it also offers very important personal accounts on healing, being queer and overcoming one´s family boundaries.

The book is a first person memoir chronologically accounting Khan-Cullors life, but it also can be considered the evolution of an idea, a mindset and in the end, of a movement. I do have another memoir that may be relevant to my understanding, by Angela Davis, and hopefully soon I can have a bigger picture on this phenomenon.

There is definitely much more to be said about BLM and there are critical points to be touched upon that are not included in the memoir - but there are always limitation of the I-story because in such contexts the focus is on remembering, not on re-considering, and re-evaluating. Nevertheless, memoirs are an important part of any story, as they offer a good ground for a critical evaluation.

Rating: 3.5 stars