Development in Pop Culture

While we may bemoan the lack of coverage that Development gets in the mainstream media, there are a few examples of excellent development themes in film, books and TV. This week, I’d like to take a look at how culture portrays development to the majority audience.   As always, I welcome feedback as I explore these issues from a slightly different perspective.

The Constant Gardener.

It’s both a book (by John le Carre) and a film (by Fernando Meirelles). It tells the story of Justin Quayle, a British diplomat (played emotively by Ralph Fiennes), who falls in love with feisty and forthright activist, Tessa (played by Rachel Weisz).

They live in Kenya, Kibera to be exact which was the subject of a wonderful post by Jana. Justin gardens and quietly works in the British embassy while Tessa is a journalist. I won’t ruin the plot but suffice to say, tragedy strikes and the audience gets an uncomfortable look into unethical development practices. The focus on drug corporations is almost refreshing, given that it’s usually the oil or diamond companies that get a scolding from Hollywood in these tales.

For me, Weisz was the high point. Feisty, determined and opinionated, she is the perfect antidote to the paternal society she inhabits.

It does fall victim to the accusation of being third world tourist cinema and there are all sorts of ethical grey areas, but any film set in Africa will face these contentions. Equally, the fact that we follow the suffering of middle-class westerners amid one of the most impoverished places on the planet takes some getting used to. But, films based in Africa are rare and this one is both entertaining and relatively accurate in it’s portrayal of African life. It also looks stunningly beautiful.

I would recommend it both as an entertaining (albeit one-watch film) and a strong depiction of the developing world.