The One Inch Barrier

When director Bong Joon-Ho claimed the Golden Globe for the Best Motion Picture in a Foreign Language for the movie “Parasite”–becoming the first South Korean film to do so–he began his speech saying,“Once you overcome the one-inch-tall barrier of subtitles, you will be introduced to so many more amazing films.” Not only does this statement question the other-ing of foreign films, but it also calls out the general Hollywood myopia. With the rise of “Squid Game,” “Money Heist,” “Sacred Games,” and “Lupin,” there is a rising importance given to what the “rest of the world” has to offer.

Before the importance of foreign films is discussed, the importance of storytelling must be understood. Storytelling is not a construction of our identity; instead it is a manifestation of our identity. Most of what we know (or think we know), we have not experienced but directly learn from stories. We operate in a reality constructed by stories–stories that come in all forms from news programs, social media posts, lectures, conversations, religious gatherings, etc. We are what we consume. Thus, limiting our consumption of films to certain languages limits our understanding of global reality.

It is not just about language, but also about culture. If one only watches films in their own culture, they would see a small speck of what film has to offer. Additionally, without the consumption of other perspectives, there is no exchange of ideas or broadening of horizons, and this leads to the creation of stereotypes and echo chambers. Media consumption patterns of the 90s were not interested in art that did not come from the Hollywood elite, such that non-White films were held to different standards. This was best seen when Italian gangster films were in fashion. The portrayal of violence was deemed artistic and given human qualities, claiming critical acclaim and winning multiple awards and nominations (“The Godfather,” “Goodfellas”). Around the same time, Black rappers and filmmakers in the boroughs of New York were snubbed for retelling stories of their upbringing through music and film. Movies such as “Menace II Society,” and “Poetic Justice” had great receptions, but were never nominated for major awards (their only nominations coming in the niche MTV Awards). Thus, much of Black film in the 90s is overlooked and put into the (inaccurate) box of glorification of violence. One group was celebrated, the other was dismissed, when there was no reason not to celebrate both. This is a direct consequence of an unwillingness to consume art outside of the mainstream.

If one only watches films in their own language, not only are they missing the chance to learn a few words in a new language, but they are also missing out on perspective changes and worldview expansion. In a world of globalization, it is almost redundant to stick to the same consumption patterns as twenty or thirty years ago. A deconstruction of stories from all over the world can help us understand the world better and avoid spewing narratives of saviorism and neocolonial tendencies. One of the big misconceptions of Indian film (particularly Bollywood), is that the movies are brightly colored and dumbed down to distract the “poor Indians” from their poor lives (a view that is often pushed by misinformed Indian diaspora). While there are a few run-of-the-mill crowd pleasers, these movies do not define the industry. Broadly speaking, Indian culture is a culture of storytelling. Indian philosophies and theologies are deeply guided by centuries of storytelling. This manifests in the sheer amount of films produced each year, with more than 1200 films produced annually. The Southern Asia Student Association held a “South Asian Film Fare” in November last year. The events showcased short films from various parts of South Asia, which were followed by a panel discussion.

It is also important to consume media from other parts of the world, created by people from those parts. Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel was a German philosopher who talked about Africa in his book, “The Philosophy of History,” stating, “no historical part of the world; it has no movement or development to exhibit (117).” Hegel’s view on Africa is not only inaccurate but also irrelevant. Colonialism resulted in nations and peoples losing autonomy over their narratives. Old Hollywood movies are guilty of turning huge populations into caricatures and stereotypes. Looking to Hollywood for an understanding of how the rest of the world is demonstrates a result of flawed media consumption. Instead, it is imperative to respect the autonomy of peoples and nations, allowing them to create their own narratives, by simply watching their films.

Bong Joon-Ho ended his speech saying, “Just being nominated along with fellow amazing international filmmakers was a huge honor. I think we use only just one language–the cinema.” For those who are interested in learning the language of cinema, you can start with this list of movies.

Reference:
Hegel, G. W. F., Sibree, J., Hegel, C., & Friedrich, C. J. (2004). The Philosophy of History
(Dover Philosophical Classics) (Reissue ed.). Dover Publications.