Aesthetics and Politics in the Cinema of Sebastián Lelio ; Estética y política en la obra de Sebastián Lelio

Abstract

Art that addresses socio-political issues is exposed to various hazards. Its creators can easily fall into a moralizing or propagandistic tone, being accused of impoverishing ideologization, on the one hand, or opportunistic populism, on the other. In the case of this type of work, the discussions on the importance of the social problem addressed relegate aesthetic issues to the background, turning them, according to the opinion of some, into second-rate works, which serve a greater cause but lack real artistic value. These dilemmas, as he himself affirmed on many occasions, lie at the heart of Sebastián Lelio's cinematographic creation. In his films, the Chilean director seeks to overcome the difficulties that come with the desire to tell a socially relevant story in a non-biased way that is both unique and universal. The director's last three works touch on "urgent" subjects. Gloria (2013), Una mujer fantástica (2017), Disobedience (2018) portray figures excluded or placed on the margins of hegemonic society. Lelio confronts the non-normativity of his characters with a whole series of mechanisms of social discipline. The aim of the article will be the analysis of the director's artistic project – the characterization of its aesthetic qualities and its political consequences. In this task we will rely on the conceptual apparatus constructed on the basis of ideas taken from Jacques Rancière's theory, the essential reference for any approach to the relationship between aesthetics and politics. ; Art that addresses socio-political issues is exposed to various hazards. Its creators can easily fall into a moralizing or propagandistic tone, being accused of impoverishing ideologization, on the one hand, or opportunistic populism, on the other. In the case of this type of work, the discussions on the importance of the social problem addressed relegate aesthetic issues to the background, turning them, according to the opinion of some, into second-rate works, which serve a greater cause but lack real artistic value. These dilemmas, as he himself affirmed on many occasions, lie at the heart of Sebastián Lelio's cinematographic creation. In his films, the Chilean director seeks to overcome the difficulties that come with the desire to tell a socially relevant story in a non-biased way that is both unique and universal. The director's last three works touch on "urgent" subjects. Gloria (2013), Una mujer fantástica (2017), Disobedience (2018) portray figures excluded or placed on the margins of hegemonic society. Lelio confronts the non-normativity of his characters with a whole series of mechanisms of social discipline. The aim of the article will be the analysis of the director's artistic project – the characterization of its aesthetic qualities and its political consequences. In this task we will rely on the conceptual apparatus constructed on the basis of ideas taken from Jacques Rancière's theory, the essential reference for any approach to the relationship between aesthetics and politics. ; Art that addresses socio-political issues is exposed to various hazards. Its creators can easily fall into a moralizing or propagandistic tone, being accused of impoverishing ideologization, on the one hand, or opportunistic populism, on the other. In the case of this type of work, the discussions on the importance of the social problem addressed relegate aesthetic issues to the background, turning them, according to the opinion of some, into second-rate works, which serve a greater cause but lack real artistic value. These dilemmas, as he himself affirmed on many occasions, lie at the heart of Sebastián Lelio's cinematographic creation. In his films, the Chilean director seeks to overcome the difficulties that come with the desire to tell a socially relevant story in a non-biased way that is both unique and universal. The director's last three works touch on "urgent" subjects. Gloria (2013), Una mujer fantástica (2017), Disobedience (2018) portray figures excluded or placed on the margins of hegemonic society. Lelio confronts the non-normativity of his characters with a whole series of mechanisms of social discipline. The aim of the article will be the analysis of the director's artistic project – the characterization of its aesthetic qualities and its political consequences. In this task we will rely on the conceptual apparatus constructed on the basis of ideas taken from Jacques Rancière's theory, the essential reference for any approach to the relationship between aesthetics and politics.