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France Is An Empire : Movie Review : France Is An Empire

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The film France is An Empire serves a form of propaganda to perpetuate the civilizing mission of France’s Office of the Colonies. Jules Ferry, France’s prime minister from 1880-1885, believed that it was their duty as a classified superior race to civilize the demeaned lower races. The civilizing mission was believed to be sharing the European generosity and compassion to those uncivilized people practicing, and living in uncultured conditions. The documentary details the advances that France brought to its colonies such as medicine, education, science, and military practices, but never shows nor allows native opinion. Through the use of evidentiary editing, the viewer listens to all the wonderful opportunities France brought its colonies, and proceeds to see the colonists enjoying the fruit of France’s labour. In addition, the use of diegetic sound furthers idea that the native practices were strange, and needed French influence. Jules Ferry’s civilizing mission, of superior races having a duty to refine the lower race, is justified in France is an Empire through the use of evidentiary editing and diegetic sound. In the beginning of the film, the narrator establishes France’s purpose in civilizing the colonies through videos carefully crafted together to show the audience all the wonderful services they are now able to offer the colonized citizens. The concept of the civilizing mission was not only a justification for supporting French Colonization, but also rationalized

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