Mondo Films: How Post-Colonial Propaganda Films Shaped Our View of the ‘Third-World’
- Chirani Silva
- Jan 15, 2022
- 3 min read
If you asked any random resident of a developed country what thought first comes to mind at the mention of an African nation, a majority would answer with terms such as “poverty,” “war,” “violence,” “starvation,” or even “uncivilized.” These prejudices could be considered a form of racism, but that does not explain why, even in the most multicultural, racially diverse, and liberal countries, this idea of less-developed nations being barbaric persists. So, what led people to have such low opinions of ‘third world’ countries, regardless of how developed they have become?
Source: indie wire
Mondo Cane:
Mondo Cane (Italian: A Dog’s World) is an Italian documentary film released in 1962 that depicts footage of the rabid nature of recently decolonized (Asian and Pacific Island) third-world nations in brief vignettes. Among the depictions of post-colonial nations are the consumption of ‘exotic’ animals, cannibalism, animal mutilation, and sexual rituals. The film has been widely accused of instigating and immortalizing negative views of third-world countries in modern society and popular culture. especially since the narrator refers to third-world inhabitants as “savages” and “uncivilized beings.” The most noticeable evidence of slighting in the footage is the juxtapositions between practices common in third-world countries to those in developed countries. For instance, footage of families mourning the death of their pets at ‘Pet Haven Cemetery’ in California cut off to the footage of dogs being butchered and sold for consumption in Taiwan.
At the time of its release in the mid-20th century, Mondo Cane was a novelty – one that would introduce a far more visceral – and, arguably, harmful and degrading – view of the third world than what the developed world had seen or heard before. The movie’s popularity and influence rose as multiple international film festivals took notice of it – with Cannes Film Festival even nominating it for their highest award, the Palm d’Or. Moreover, Mondo Cane established a new genre of movies, known as ‘Mondo Films,’ that revolves around the depiction of “shocking” cultural, religious, and traditional aspects of various countries and communities. Despite the excitement in the film industry, Mondo films would become a powerful form of post-colonial propaganda that even developed nations’ governments would exploit to incite patriotism and popularize white supremacism.
Africa: Blood and Guts
After the success of Mondo Cane, the British government approached the film’s creators to commission a Mondo film with exaggerated depictions of wars in Africa that – supposedly – began after Britain’s withdrawal of their African colonies. This led to the creation of ‘Africa Addio’ (Italian: Farewell Africa), or, as it was released in the US, ‘Africa: Blood and Guts.’ As the name suggests, the film focuses on the murder and violence of these real-life conflicts, neglecting their causes. It is worth noting that the post-colonial chaos of Africa was incited and encouraged by colonizers, who exploited ethnic and religious divisions in the region to ease their takeover of the land.
How Can You Help?
Educate yourself and others on the perpetuation of colonial values through popular beliefs and stereotypes such as those discussed above. To make it more meaningful to yourself, try to research the colonial crimes and legacy of the country or region you reside in and learn to respect your own degraded culture or the victims of your colonial ancestors. At the same time, look into how far Africa, Asia, and South and Central America have come since the colonial period. You may be surprised, or even proud, at how rapidly even the most massacred regions of Africa have developed over recent decades.
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