POST 1: A Cartoon by Patrick Chappatte, The International Herald Tribune - 5/16/2008

THE IDEA OF PROGRESS

A  Fanatic Geek at the Cannes Film Festival

(by Patrick Chappatte, published in  The International Herald Tribune  on 0 5/16/2008) 

Patrick Chapatte, also known as Chapatte, was born in Karachi, pakistan in 1967. His 

mother was Lebanese and his father from Switzerland. He was raised there and in Singapore. Now, he lives between Geneva and Los Angeles. 

Since 1995 he dedicated his life to graphic journalism. He is a cartoonist and an illustrator who draws for famous newspapers like Le Temps, The New Zurich Time, The Internatioanl New York Time, New York Time or Newsweek.

He has collaborated with editorial cartoonist in conflict-ridden countries in order to promote the communication through cartooning. He used to draw cartoons of historical event like the war in Gaza in 2009 or the 9/11 attacks. They also represent international news :the Israeli-palestinan conflict or the rise of Swiss People's Party.  

He won the Overseas Press Club of America's Thomas Nast Award for best cartoon an international affairs in 2011 and in 2015. He is the only non-American to have won this prize

This document is a cartoon entitled " A Fanatic Geek" which was drawn by Chapatte, it was published in the International Herald Tribune on June, 5th 2008.
The cartoon deals with the Cannes Film's Festival and it tackles a highly-debated topic, namely the spread of illegal downloading.

~

Indeed, we can recognize the golden palm, the red carpet and the name of the city at the top-left hand corner which suggests that the scene takes place during the famous Cannes Film´s Festival. 

However, our attention is attracted by the characters. 

In the foreground, we see a man who could be a movie's director or an actor. He is standing on the red carpet accompanied by his wife. He is signing an autograph for a fan who seems very enthusiastic whereas the man seems to be in a bad mood. The teenager embodies a computer geek because he is wearing  tee-shirt with a @
In the background, we can notice some stars who are climbing the Cannes Film's Festival while paparazzi are taking pictures. Next to them, the public is very exiting.

~

At first sight the cartoon is very pleasant, but when we read the balloon we understand the purpose of the cartoonist. Through the teenager, the author share his message. 
The young man embodies a computer geek as well as the new generation which handle perfectlty the new technologies. He seems admiring through his sentence, then he directly tell him without a gene that he doesn't care about his copyright.
 The author denounces the banality of the illegal download. He wants to make people aware that the Internet enables people to illegally download film without respecting author's rights. The teenager is violating the director or actor's rights and it deprive him of a lot of money.
Therefor, the cartoonist criticizes this widespread practice by using humor.

~

In my opinion, I find this cartoon very well-done. The author is able to send his message through his draw and it makes him talented. 
The message is clear and it deals with an illegal practice which is not often raised. I find it convincing and the fact that the scene takes place in Cannes, it's a great symbol and it insists on the problem that the author is defending. 
I agree with his point of view, the artists and the directors are working and have right on their work, we have to respect them even if with the Internet it's easy to get some of them and the new generation knows how to steal them.

~

This cartoon makes me think of the illegal download of music which is almost like movie. A lot of people are abusing of free download site and at the same time, abusing of the artist's rights.