German Civilization(New German Cinema) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

German Civilization(New German Cinema) - Essay Example After the World War II, German film industry was in great turmoil due to the division of Germany wherein many people got separated from their families. Most films in 1950s were characterized as ‘escapist’ entertainment by critics because they shied away to address contemporary issues although they remained popular among German audience. However, with the advent of television box-office collection of such films began falling drastically and cinemas began to close. At the beginning of 1960s, German film industry became not only economically vulnerable due to lack of creative and artistic touch but was struggling for its survival. That is evident from the fact that in 1961, none of the German film got entry at the prestigious Venice Film Festival. That was also the time when the German market was largely in control of Hollywood movies. Film industry, especially young and talented film makers greatly needed financial support without which it was impossible for them to either make films or compete with Hollywood films in German market due to latter’s financial strength. The German governments support in this respect providing financial stability to the New German Cinema came very handy. Many makers of the New German Cinema also collaborated with the German TV. This is in sharp contrast with Hollywood movies where they compete with local TV for audience. The German governments support to the New Cinema through tax reliefs and bank credits made it possible for young makers to produce some of the great movies. Thus, the New German Cinema not only survived on government funding and support but prospered too – to be touted as National Cinema. Many films in The New German Cinema ran packed houses around the world. In ot her words, it helped made the national cinema popular internationally. The Oberhausen Manifesto is known as the beginning of the New German Cinema. Films made during this era made a clear departure from traditional cinema –

International Justice & Rehabilitation in Post-War Sierra Leone Thesis

International Justice & Rehabilitation in Post-War Sierra Leone - Thesis Example Sierra Leone is a small republic founded in 1842 on the West Coast of Africa (Grover, 2009 p1). It is bordered to the north and east by Guinea, to the South by Liberia and to the South-West by the Atlantic Ocean. The country plunged into the civil war which lasted throughout most of the 1990s. In the heat of the Sierra Leonean War in 1997, AFROL News announced that about 5,400 children were involved in the war and this was in sync with the UN's official figures. After the war, it was reported that Sierra Leone's conflict involved about 6,914 child soldiers (Facts of Sierra Leone, 2011). These children were recruited to take part in the Sierra Leonean Civil War that lasted between 1991 and 2001 (Sillinger, 2003: p3). The root of the Sierra Leonean Civil War and the recruitment of child soldiers has a strong and deep root in international relations. The connection between the Sierra Leonean Wars and international relations has a strong connection with the diamond deposits of the countr y. Diamonds are found in approximately a third of Sierra Leone's territory (Levy, 2003 p2) Up until the late 1980s, Sierra Leone produced about $90m worth of diamonds each year (LeVert, 2007 p81). This figure represents the official value of diamonds that was exported through the legally accepted route of the Government Diamond Office and this could be just a fraction of the actual figure (Forde, 2011 p21). Primarily, British and South African companies have been at the forefront of the exploration of the country's diamonds and other minerals (Hirsch, 2007 p18). Multinationals from these countries were granted legitimate rights to mine and export the country's diamonds for several years after the country gained independence from Britain in 1960. 1.3 Sierra Leone's Conflict & Child Soldiers The country's first government led by Sir Milton Margai handed over power peacefully to Siaka Stevens who also handed over power to Major General Joseph Momoh in 1985.