Argentina, 1985 is based on the true story of the Trial of the Juntas, which was a court case in Argentina that prosecuted leaders of Argentina's military dictatorship for human rights violations. The film follows prosecutor Julio César Strassera as he makes the government's case against the military junta for crimes against humanity. The junta have experienced lawyers to back them, while Strassera struggles to find lawyers to work with. He meets deputy prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo, who suggests they find young, inexperienced lawyers to work for them, since experienced lawyers do not want to risk their reputations to be a part of such a politically divisive trial. Strassera and Moreno Ocampo assemble a team of young lawyers and form a case by interviewing victims of the junta's abuse. To close out the trial, Strassera makes a powerful closing statement, ending with "Señores jueces, nunca más" (Your Honors, never again). The outcome of the trial does not result in life sentences for all of the generals, which dissatisfies Strassera, and the film ends with him typewriting an appeal.
Describes the setting of a scene in a play or a film. It refers to everything placed on the stage or in front of the camera—including people. In other words, mise en scène is a catch-all for everything that contributes to the visual presentation and overall “look” of a production. When translated from French, it means “placing on stage.”
In his office, the lighting is cooler, with more blue and gray tones. This makes the environment appear more formal and institutional. This also reflects the seriousness of the trial and the pressure that Strassera is under.
The contrast in the lighting between these two settings helps portray two different sides of Strassera's life: his private family life and his responsibility as a public persecutor.
The military dictators seen in the court room are dressed in their military uniforms, which makes them associated with authority and institutional power. They do not show any individuality, since their uniforms are all the same. They appear much more rigid and imposing than the young lawyers due to their structured and standardized clothing.
The contrast between these costumes emphasizes how the young legal team's argument is based on evidence and victim testimonies, rather than military force, power, and authority.
This is the art of photography and visual storytelling in a motion picture or television show. Cinematography comprises all on-screen visual elements, including lighting, framing, composition, camera motion, camera angles, film selection, lens choices, depth of field, zoom, focus, color, exposure, and filtration. Cinematography sets and supports the overall look and mood of a film’s visual narrative. Each visual element that appears on screen, a.k.a. the mise-en-scène of a film, can serve and enhance the story—so it is the cinematographer’s responsibility to ensure that every element is cohesive and support the story. Filmmakers often choose to spend the majority of their budget on high-quality cinematography to guarantee that the film will look incredible on the big screen.
Editing is the process of putting a film together–the selection and arrangement of shots and scenes. Editing can condense space and time, emphasize separate elements and bring them together, and organize material in such a way that patterns of meaning become apparent. In addition, editing can determine how a film is perceived: for instance, quick, rapid cuts can create a feeling of tension, while a long take can create a more dramatic effect. The first photoplays generally had no cutting, owing to the fact that they were single-reel films; once filming began, you could not stop until the film ran out. (https://filmglossary.ccnmtl.columbia.edu/term/editing/)
Sound is an integral part in a film. It refers to everything that the audience hears including sound effects, words and music. Sound is used in films for various purposes, including: providing the information to the viewer about the location of the scene, heightening the mood, telling the audience about the characters and advancing the plot. Every person who watches a film realizes that the choice of voices, soundtrack and music present in a film affect the way that the viewer perceives a particular film. As a result, the sound is an important and integral element of the film, one that determines the way that the viewer experiences and understands a film as a visual experience.
Narrative analysis is an examination of the story elements, including narrative structure, character, and plot. A narrative can be considered to be the chain of events in a cause-effect relationship occurring in time and space. In order to analyze the narrative of a film, we need to first make the distinction between the plot of the film and the story of the film. This is sometimes referred to as the discourse and story of a film. Narrative may also be called the story thought story mainly refers to the events that describe the narrative.
Film genres are various forms or identifiable types, categories, classifications or groups of films. (Genre comes from the French word meaning "kind," "category," or "type"). These provide a convenient way for scriptwriters and film-makers to produce, cast and structure their narratives within a manageable, well-defined framework. Genres also offer the studios an easily 'marketable' product, and give audiences satisfying, expected and predictable choices. Genres refers to recurring, repeating and similar, familiar or instantly-recognizable patterns, styles, themes, syntax, templates, paradigms, motifs, rules or generic conventions.