Teufelskreis (1961) tells the story of a lawyer who must decide if he is willing to risk his entire existence to get justice for a former lover. It is said that the film so touched the hearts of even conservative English politicians that most of them agreed to the decriminalization of homosexuality. Philadelphia (1991), Brokeback Mountain (2005), Carol (2015) also made the world a better place because there was less homophobia in it.
Women in their 30s around the year 2000 suffering from loneliness found solace in Sex and the City. The heroines of the series certainly craved one thing, but they also craved a particularly expensive piece of furniture in much the same way. They hoped that this would improve their lives, but by no means eliminate all adversity. After all, they knew from experience that every sofa, even the most extravagant, will eventually seem ordinary.
Another person after the movie
You can also find encouraging films against racism (“Imitation of Life” or “Selma”), against all-powerful evil corporations (“Erin Brockovich”), against the death penalty (“A Brief History of Murders”). The film showed aging (“Love”), youth (“Sex Education”) and homosexuality (“Love, Victor”).
Some films, like dreams, teach the dreamer how to, how to, how to, how to, how to live. Through them, we connect with other people, our own and other people’s desires, anxieties, fears. After watching them, you can imagine more than before. You are more satisfied. More friendly and bolder, almost more energetic.
Audiences crave climate heroines
But it is precisely for the biggest problem that affects us all, namely the climate catastrophe, that there is hardly any help in the world of feature films. The climate crisis in the American entertainment industry is almost non-existent.
This was shown by a study by Norman Lear Center researchers. She also showed that the audience would be very interested in fictional stories about the climate crisis, about the heroes and heroines who fight it, showing possible courses of action. Everything will be fine.
Ursula von Arx didn’t really like Don’t Look Up. And he still believes that more comedy, tragedy, tragicomedy about climate catastrophe is needed. Arks writes to Blick every other Monday.