LAW, ART, AND CINEMA

A CRITICAL AND SENSITIVE APPROACH TO LEGAL EDUCATION

Abstract

Cinema is one of the most popular forms of art and entertainment globally, exerting a profound impact on popular culture and society at large. Through its narratives and images, cinema has the power to engage audiences and prompt reflections on fundamental aspects of the human experience within the social context, shedding light on collective or individual conflicts that mirror the diversity and complexity of societies throughout their historical and multicultural development. In light of this, this article explores the possibilities offered by the cinematic experience in shaping new sensitivities and legal practices, positing the hypothesis that immersion in cinematic narratives can not only enhance legal professionals' understanding of complex ethical and social issues but also provide a novel critical and sensitive perspective for approaching and rethinking traditional legal concepts. Methodologically, a cartographic immersion into the writings of Luis Alberto Warat on "cinesophy" is employed, comparing his concepts with other perspectives and ideas identified during the literature review to either corroborate or challenge the proposed hypothesis. This journey begins with a critical analysis of the establishment of the first law schools in Brazil up to the present day, seeking to comprehend the roots of Brazilian legal thought and, based on this understanding, chart new horizons. Following this, the article examines the relationship between law and art, questioning the theoretical and epistemological potentials of this intersection. Subsequently, a discussion ensues regarding the disruptive and sensitizing function of cinema from the Waratian cinesophic perspective. The article then addresses cinema as a device for generating new sensitivities, emphasizing how cinematic productions can portray and reflect on social and historical issues, thus (re)interpreting reality from alternative scenarios and perspectives. Ultimately, the article concludes by affirming, on one hand, the potential of cinema for constructing new sensitivities and legal practices and, on the other hand, acknowledging the infinite possibilities inherent in this field. Rather than prescribing a singular path or instrumentalizing this journey, it emphasizes the notion of this space as perpetually unfinished, open to new narratives, actors, meanings—essentially, a realm of sensitivities continually reproducing and renewing with each frame.

Keywords: Cinesophy. Law and Art. Legal Education. Law and Cinema. Legal Sensibility.