Films Aren't Supposed to be Propaganda

The objective of a true artist is to never regress the medium...

Parasite, directed by Bong Joon-Ho, is an intriguing but challenging film. Since it came out in 2019, I've seen it over six times, and every time I watch it, I learn something new—something that a great movie is supposed to accomplish.

The film's ability to avoid trying to lecture viewers and to be subtly ironic is what I find so intriguing about it, aside from its excellent screenplay, direction, cinematography, editing, and acting.

Rather, it dares to provoke thought and even discussion among viewers. When you are creating and producing your picture, you have to keep an element of ambiguity alive. And that is just what Bong Joon-Ho has done.

Whether a movie is humorous or has a more serious tone, we often assume it has a purpose right away. Films aren't supposed to be propaganda. We should constantly support and participate in films that generate debate and, in certain cases, even incorporate something new into the cinematic canon.

I've always aimed for films that, despite their simplicity, push me to limits I never thought possible. Rather than serving as an exclusive source of amusement, I believe that the primary goal of film is to educate.

Films are objective, and we all watch them for various reasons and from different points of view. But the genuine way to watch a movie, as far as I understand it, is to approach it like a window into a world you didn't know existed. 

I therefore really mean it when I suggest that films shouldn't be propaganda, or, to put it another way, extremely obvious. Naturally, this is true for any genre. And films should, first and foremost, always aim for originality.

Since scripts are how films are created, every film you write as a screenwriter and later make as a director should aim to improve the cinematic medium, and the objective of a true artist is to never regress the medium. 

Parasite is one of those films that satisfies all the prerequisites and requirements I've listed. It skillfully conveys a topic and ideas to the audience through its subtext, seeming simple on the outside yet challenging underneath.