A study on the cinematic representation of capital and precariat in the society of financial capitalism

Film reflects society and society reflects film. Over the course of 130 years of film history, we have witnessed the evolution of media culture from film to digital to OTT platforms, which have generated extensive discourse in film theory. Despite these significant changes, the essence of film remains unchanged: it is closely intertwined with society, serving as an art form readily accessible to the public. Film actively examines and meticulously represents society on screen, possessing a unique ability to embody imaginary and virtual worlds, while also striving to represent our real world and explore its hidden facets. Recently, there has been a surge in films exploring the economy. However, academic research on these films has been somewhat limited due to the inherent complexity of the subject matter. This paper aims to analyze “Helpless” and “Sorry, we Missed You” with grave concern. These films tackle the issue of ‘financial capitalism and the precariat’, exerting a significant influence on the structure and phenomena of contemporary society. This research delved into the lives of the precariat suffering from debt and rhetorics, which are cunning devices created by financial capitalism. Lastly, this paper proposes that these films can be categorized as “social problem films” that raise awareness about societal issues and spark changes in society. Through this study, this paper aims to demonstrate the profound connection between film(as a cultural medium) and society, thereby affirming the impact of film on society.