Cinema as a tool towards symbolic reparation and non-repetition: a children’s rights perspective

Abstract

Current symbolic reparation mechanisms for children are lacking. Art, and particularly films, have the potential to symbolically offer a sense of repair to child victims of armed violence and systematic violation of their human rights, to give re-meaning to trauma experienced and help to shape their identities. This research designs a proposal of guidelines for making children’s films within transitional justice contexts, from a human rights perspective and a children’s rights-based approach. For this, 57 films were reviewed, and 3 feature films were selected and analysed (My life as a Courgette (2016), My neighbour Tororo (1988), and Big Hero 6 (2014)). The films selected were related to the external context of the child that caused the victimisation, the inner abilities of the child to overcome the trauma, and the interaction between them to make decisions that break the cycles of violence and achieve non-repetition. The analysis led to the proposal of 20 guidelines on children’s cinema for the design of reparation mechanisms for child victims of systematic armed violence to help children coping with violence-related trauma. These guidelines are aimed at international organizations and the filmmaking industry. To make these films possible, it is necessary to follow some ethical considerations and develop financing mechanisms. Keywords: guidelines, children’s film, symbolic reparation mechanisms, children’s rights, armed violence, trauma.