The importance of cinema
January, 13; 2026. By Arscodex
Today we're going to briefly discuss a key idea that has already been touched upon in this publication: cinema is currently the most effective vehicle for propaganda, communicating an idea, promoting a country, or a particular lifestyle.
Indeed, although cinema is an art form (yes, oh, how lovely!), it also serves to disseminate ideas, as we've already mentioned. Therefore, it has this dual function: half monk (art), half soldier (propaganda), as the Spanish saying goes; just like the Knights Templar in their day.
As we've also mentioned previously in this publication, various art forms have assumed the role of propaganda throughout history, beginning with architecture (for example, the pyramids of Egypt), continuing with sculpture (for example, the statues of emperors in ancient Rome), and also oil painting during the second millennium AD (the paintings of Raphael Sanzio or even the frescoes of Michelangelo).
Since cinema—moving images combined with sound—the audiovisual medium as we know it today, and broadly defined here to include television and the internet; since cinema first appeared on Earth in the late 19th century (invention generally attributed to the Lumière brothers), there has been a creative explosion seeking to capitalize on film. This endeavor was traditionally dominated by Hollywood, the mecca of 20th-century cinema, which fully grasped the medium's potential.
And today, films—whether feature-length, short, medium-length, or even serials—travel the world via the internet, making the recorded image the most effective mechanism for conveying and shaping any idea.
So far, so good. But another half is needed, the "monk's half," which is the artistic aspect and offers intrinsic value, apart from the idea that each film may convey. It is essential that, just as the Catholic Church attracted the most talented artists for its propaganda purposes (mentioning, for example, Michelangelo, already listed above, or, in the more Hispanic context, Murillo), cinema should similarly attract the most influential filmmakers to carry out this propaganda work.
In short, for one reason or another, to this day, and without going into further detail, cinema remains the medium of mediums, the cornerstone, the keystone for conveying and delivering an idea, whatever its nature.
Indeed, although cinema is an art form (yes, oh, how lovely!), it also serves to disseminate ideas, as we've already mentioned. Therefore, it has this dual function: half monk (art), half soldier (propaganda), as the Spanish saying goes; just like the Knights Templar in their day.
As we've also mentioned previously in this publication, various art forms have assumed the role of propaganda throughout history, beginning with architecture (for example, the pyramids of Egypt), continuing with sculpture (for example, the statues of emperors in ancient Rome), and also oil painting during the second millennium AD (the paintings of Raphael Sanzio or even the frescoes of Michelangelo).
Since cinema—moving images combined with sound—the audiovisual medium as we know it today, and broadly defined here to include television and the internet; since cinema first appeared on Earth in the late 19th century (invention generally attributed to the Lumière brothers), there has been a creative explosion seeking to capitalize on film. This endeavor was traditionally dominated by Hollywood, the mecca of 20th-century cinema, which fully grasped the medium's potential.
And today, films—whether feature-length, short, medium-length, or even serials—travel the world via the internet, making the recorded image the most effective mechanism for conveying and shaping any idea.
So far, so good. But another half is needed, the "monk's half," which is the artistic aspect and offers intrinsic value, apart from the idea that each film may convey. It is essential that, just as the Catholic Church attracted the most talented artists for its propaganda purposes (mentioning, for example, Michelangelo, already listed above, or, in the more Hispanic context, Murillo), cinema should similarly attract the most influential filmmakers to carry out this propaganda work.
In short, for one reason or another, to this day, and without going into further detail, cinema remains the medium of mediums, the cornerstone, the keystone for conveying and delivering an idea, whatever its nature.
