This important anthology addresses established notions of Third Cinema theory, and the cinema pratice of developing and postcolonial nations. The 'Third Cinema' movement called for a politicised film-making practice in Africa, Asia and Latin America, one which would take on board issues of race, class, religion, and national integrity. The films which resulted from the movemnet, from directors such as Ousmane Sembene, Satyajit Ray and Nelson Pereira dos Santos, are among the most culturally significant, politically sophisticated and frequently studied films of the 1960s and 1970s. However, despite the contemporary popularity and critical attention enjoyed by films from Asia and Latin America in particular, Third Cinema and Third Cinema theory appears to have lost its momentum. Rethinking Third Cinema seeks to bring Third Cinema and Third Cinema theory back into the the critical spotlight.
The contributors not only address the most difficult and challenging questions Third Cinema posed and continues to pose, suggesting new methodologies and redirections of existing ones, but also reread the entire phenomenon of film-making in a fast-vanishing 'Third World', with case studies of the cinemas of India, Iran and Hong Kong, among others. Sumita Chakravarty, Rey Chow, Wimal Dissanayake, Marvin D'Lugo, Krishna Sen, Ella Shohat, Robert Stam, Frank Ukadike