Fiction Film and History
AbstractAs well as taking stock of the existing literature on film and history, this chapter aims to develop a terminological apparatus for describing the conceptual core of the historical film. The first section makes reference to a classic semiological model according to which a film’s production of meaning is determined by its specific arrangement of signs. It draws parallels to debates within historical studies that have enabled a reassessment of fiction film as a historiographical medium and mode of conceptualizing history. Building on these considerations, the second section posits a genre of popular fiction film defined by its referential relation to historical events, individuals, and lifeworlds. The third section argues that this is less a matter of incontrovertible factual accuracy than of generating a feeling of authenticity.