ABSTRACT

This article examines film consumption within the Fascist empire of Italian East Africa (1936–1941). In dialogue with recent scholarship exploring social and cultural aspects of the Italian presence in the Horn of Africa, it draws on original archival research to investigate the stories, theories and practices underpinning the Fascist intervention. The implementation of itinerant screening by state authorities as well as the organization of distribution, censorship and consumption’s spaces concerning movie theatres will be interpreted within a broad critical framework, which will highlight the impact of the Fascist intervention in the field of colonial culture compared with previous or coeval experiences and projects of film consumption in Africa. Analysis reveals the difficulties in arranging a racially segregated cinematic experience and the related imperfect level of Fascistization of the imperial society, in part because the Fascist empire was short-lived and, especially in Ethiopia, it was constantly threatened by local resistance. However, the article argues that the substantial failure of the Fascistization of film consumption primarily stems from the unsuccessful relationship that Fascism established with pre-existing theatre owners. It also reveals how the transnational nature of film practices de facto inhibited their seamless adaptation to the Fascist’s imperial agenda.

摘要

本文考察了意大利东非法西斯帝国（1936-1941）内的电影消费。在与最近探索意大利在非洲之角存在的社会和文化方面的奖学金的对话中，它利用原始档案研究来调查支持法西斯干预的故事、理论和实践。国家当局实施巡回放映，以及电影院的发行、审查和消费空间的组织将在一个广泛的批判框架内进行解释，与以往相比，这将突出法西斯干预在殖民文化领域的影响。或同时代的非洲电影消费经验和项目。分析揭示了安排种族隔离的电影体验的困难以及相关的帝国社会法西斯化的不完善程度，部分原因是法西斯帝国是短暂的，尤其是在埃塞俄比亚，它不断受到当地抵抗的威胁。然而，文章认为，电影消费法西斯化的实质失败，主要源于法西斯主义与原有剧院所有者建立的不成功关系。它还揭示了电影实践的跨国性质实际上如何抑制了它们对法西斯帝国议程的无缝适应。文章认为，电影消费法西斯化的实质失败，主要源于法西斯主义与原有剧院所有者建立的不成功关系。它还揭示了电影实践的跨国性质实际上如何抑制了它们对法西斯帝国议程的无缝适应。文章认为，电影消费法西斯化的实质失败，主要源于法西斯主义与原有剧院所有者建立的不成功关系。它还揭示了电影实践的跨国性质实际上如何抑制了它们对法西斯帝国议程的无缝适应。