Alharun film

The Alharun is a film genre that, as described by the Andro Academy of Fine Arts, “set in the western regions of Alharu, embodies a struggle for survival, grit, and a defiant frontier spirit.” Traditionally Alharuns are set in the Alharun Frontier, a region generally considered stretching from the Chenshas Lake to the Hei Sea, and bounded to the south by either the Moros Mountains, or Bahia del Trébol and the Synthe Sea depending on the source. The majority of land area of what is considered the frontier is taken up by the Paran Desert, which features prominently in Alharun fiction and has influenced the aesthetic elements of many films and art pieces. There are many examples of stories of the genre being set in locations outside the frontier – including Mesothalassa, Cashari Island, and even parts of Aurelia. Conventionally, Alharuns are set in the historical era from 1845 to 1910.

History

Origins

Alharuns draw inspiration from multiple sources. The characteristic aesthetics and stunt work of early Alharuns draw on performances seen in shows and circuses that began to gain prominence towards the end of the “Wild Alharu” period in more populated areas. Stories and themes characteristic of Alharuns come from contemporary Wild Alharu popular literature, folk tales, and Esonian samurai stories. These stories typically portray black-and-white morality, a romanticized view of frontier life, and a loner protagonist struggling with their place in the wurld.

Silent Film Era

Most scholars consider the Iverican film, Asalto y Robo de un Tren (The Great Train Robbery), the first film of the Alharun genre. The 12-minute short film, directed by Manuel Marmól and filmed in Iverica, portrays a train robbery by a band of outlaws, who are then pursued and ultimately apprehended by a posse of local townspeople. The standout actor in the film was Francisco Hidalgo, who portrayed the sheriff. Hidalgo had been a vaquero, and then a Wild Alharu show performer, before his casting in the film. He would have a successful career as a performer and star in Wild Alharu silent films, delighting audiences with his stunts and screen presence. The film was wildly successful and popular and led to a boom in Alharun silent films throughout the 1910s and 20s.

Characteristics, Themes, and Setting

Subgenres

Bayou Alharun

The Bayou Alharun takes its name from its birthplace. In the 1920s, Stillian immigrants imported the Alharun genre to Florentia. Adapting to the local environment, those films were known to usually show bayou landscapes, a type of swamp typical to Florentia.

Very popular in its home country, it depicts and promotes a strong sense of morality where justice and law always triumph. It typically takes place in the “Far North”, between the 1870s and the 1930s, when the northern part of Florentia was still considered as a wild and dangerous place. It is also known to show numerous racial stereotypes, targetting mostly Casharis but also Esonians and Ocralians, or even to stand in favour of slavery.

However, the 1950s saw the rise of the revisionist Bayou Alharun subgenre. While keeping the romanticized style of the Alharuns, this movement aims to criticize racial bias and to depict the marginalised. It also created a new kind of protagonist : the moral criminal, a bandit who shows mercy and uses his skills to bring justice outside the law.

Outside its birthplace, the Bayou Alharun subgenre has the bad reputation to be racist and reactionary, even if the subgenre evolved since the 1950s. However, it still has a lot of popularity in Florentia.

List of Films

Title	Year Released	Nation of Origin	Director	Notable Cast	Subgenre/Notes
Asalto y Robo de un Tren (The Great Train Robbery)	1903	Iverica	Manuel Mármol	Francisco Hidalgo	Silent short. Considered to be the first film of the genre.
Nashahsew (The Nomad)	1967	Hemahat	Ri Metewu	Thesm Qalbetu, Kreg Makan	Revisionist Alharun.
Lés aligatiors ne dorment que d'un euille (Alligators sleep with only one eye closed)	1952	Florentia	Henri Millart	Pierre Maraîcher, Jean-Claude Beaumont	Bayou Alharun