I have been attached with preparation of Central Superior Service (CSS) exams for years. The wonderful journey has taught me a lot of things. I believe CSS exam tests many things in a candidate and these qualities can be developed using various sources. Movies are one those methods that I recommend to my followers preparing for CSS. Here I want to mention 6 movies any CSS student can not afford to miss, and how these films can help in the preparation of any competitive exam. Some of the most important skills taught by these movies are analytical, critical and creative thinking skills.
12 Angry Men
Bureaucrats need to have negotiation, persuasive and argumentation skills and 12 Angry Men teaches mastery in these skills among many other lessons like why being unbiased is necessary in decision-making. 12 Angry Men continues to teach me everyday a new thing. It is considered to be best movie ever made in the cinema history.
This unorthodox courtroom drama tells the story of twelve members of the jury who have to fulfill their civic duty of deciding if a young man from the slums was guilty of stabbing his father to death.
Judgement at Nuremberg
This is another favorite movie which teaches how individuals and nations make decisions and how they react in the face of a backlash. This movie presents a dilemma and lets audience decide what should have been the final verdict. The movie also shows how court matters can be influenced due to international politics and how decisions are influenced.
It is based on military tribunal convened in Nuremberg, Germany, in which four German judges and prosecutors stand accused of crimes against humanity for their involvement in atrocities committed under the Nazi regime. Students of International Relations and International Law must not miss watching this movie.
M – A City Searches for a Murderer
Like two previous movies, it is a black and white movie but it is from 1931 and it is the first sound movie ever. This can teach CSS students how a crime takes place, how a society and its institutions reacts to it. Directed by father of Psychological-thriller movies, M also leaves audience with a dilemma where they have to decide what verdict should be awarded to the child rapist.
When the police in a German city are unable to catch a child-murderer, other criminals join in the manhunt.
Read more: This movie will remind you of the tragedy of little Zainab
Schindler’s List
My favorite director, Steven Spielberg directed and produced this movie in 1993, yet he kept it black and white because it is based on history’s horrendous event of Holocaust. For CSS students, there are takeaways of history of the Jewish genocide, how war economy runs and how state-policies can be manipulated. It is based on the life of Austrian industrialist who saved Jews from Nazi camps.
The #Oscars are almost upon us. Our challenge: Pick just 3 films to keep from the last 40 Best Picture winners… pic.twitter.com/q2eE94Xl1e
— That Shelf (@ThatShelf) April 16, 2021
Green Zone
Although, it is not a remarkable movie like others listed above, this movie shows how US invasion of Iraq in 2003 was based on lie, for there were no Weapons of Mass Destruction. It is inspired by the nonfiction book by former Washington Post Baghdad bureau chief Rajiv Chandrasekaran, “Imperial Life in the Emerald City: Inside Iraq’s Green Zone.” It helps us learn the politics of Middle East.
The Pianist
I very well know that students who prepare for CSS sacrifice many things and struggle to achieve their goal; they usually need inspiration to carry on. This movie provides us the motivation to carry on despite all the odds. It shows how during the WWII, an acclaimed Polish musician struggles to survive as he loses contact with his family.
Read more: CSS: Why are dreams of thousands shattered every year?
I will keep on suggesting more movies that have plenty of lessons for CSS students in my next articles.
Fahad Aziz Taherani is the Coordinating Editor at Global Village Space (GVS) News Publication. He has a keen interest in Central Superior Services of Pakistan. He tweets at fahadtaherani. The views expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Global Village Space.