Il cinema dei dati. Strategie cinematografiche per rappresentare la società contemporanea = The data cinema. Cinematographic strategies to represent contemporary society

Abstract

The purpose of the paper is to introduce the concept of data cinema, referring to films that have used the theme of data as a narrative tool to illustrate the changes in contemporary society. This type of cinematography is interesting for three main reasons: due to the challenges in visually representing the concept of "data", because data cinema spans across diverse genres and styles, and because it doesn't solely rely on a science fiction-based imagery but also embraces hyperrealistic storytelling. To illustrate this transition, a quantitative analysis will be conducted on films addressing this theme starting from 1960, aiming to observe the changes (genres, treatment, themes) that have characterized this type of cinematography. The approach employed adopts a materialistic perspective towards the collective imagination, seeking concrete empirical references to study the formation of such imagery.