Film in the Service of Nationalism

Od svog nastanka, filmovi igraju veliku ulogu u kreiranju ''javnog sjećanja'' povijesnih događaja. Kao takvi, često su korišteni kao propagandna sredstva za oblikovanje nacionalnog identiteta. U ovom se radu vrši analiza filmova Trijumf volje (Triumph des Willens, Leni Riefenstahl, 1935), Bitka na Neretvi (Veljko Bulajić, 1969) i Dunkirk (Christopher Nolan, 2017) iz perspektive postojećih socioloških teorija nacionalizma. Iako su različito režimski pristrani i nastaju u drugačijim društvenim kontekstima, sva tri filma služe oblikovanju nacionalnog identiteta gledatelja kroz uporabu povijesnih sjećanja, isticanje dijelova zajedničke kulture te prikaze visoke razine nacionalne solidarnosti. Ovi su filmovi izabrani baš zato što nastaju u različitim nacijama i razdobljima. Analizom filmova koji se međusobno toliko razlikuju nastojimo utvrditi koje su im metode promoviranja nacionalizma zajedničke, koje se gube s vremenom i promjenom nacionalnosti, koje nove se javljaju te zašto su određene metode posebno efikasne. Propituje se i nužnost nacionalnog konflikta u filmovima nacionalističke tematike.Since their inception, films have played a major role in creating ''public memory'' of historical events. As such, they were often used as propaganda tools for shaping national identity. This paper analyses the films Triumph of the Will (Triumph des Willens, Leni Riefenstahl, 1935), Battle of Neretva (Bitka na Neretvi, Veljko Bulajić, 1969) and Dunkirk (Christopher Nolan, 2017) from the perspective of existing sociological theories of nationalism. Although they were created in different social contexts and had different relations to their respective regimes, all three films serve to shape the national identity of the viewer. They achieve this through the use of historical memories, by emphasising a common culture and by portraying a high level of national solidarity. These films were chosen precisely because they were created in different nations and periods. By analysing films which are so different from each other, we aim to determine which methods of promoting nationalism they all have in common, which are nation-specific, which old ones are disappearing, which new ones are appearing and why certain methods are particularly effective. The necessity of national conflict in nationalist films is also brought into question