World Cinema: Why I Love It!

I honestly believe that foreign cinema is the way forward. It has everything going for it, but that’s not to say it’s fundamentally better than mainstream or Hollywood films. It’s the differences in foreign story telling that I love and, of course, we have culture to thank for this. The way a Japanese man apologizes to his wife, a Moroccan child greets another, or a Turkish woman fights with her sister are beautiful moments of life that we don’t see as Westerners. What do we learn when we watch an American couple discussing their relationship when compared to a couple from another part of the world? It’s just too close to our own lives and habits. To watch this same scene in another language, and with completely alien idioms and stresses, is a fantastic gift to be given.

Irreversible: "I felt violated, assaulted and emotionally challenged."

It’s not just a change of culture that foreign films offer up on a silver platter. So many people think that French films are only made for French people and without a personal connection to the country, we, as outsiders, just can’t grasp what the film is trying to do. What they don’t realise is how accessible cinema is making our world. We can reach out and experience something completely divorced from our usual day to day lives with just the push of a button. I can’t even count how many bands I’ve discovered from watching world cinema. I didn’t think about it until recently, but these movies are a fantastic source of material for other forms of entertainment. Where else would you discover a Korean electro-pop group? Or a Swedish/Columbian soloist?

People are quick to judge what they don’t know, and foreign films have long been a target of such criticism. I have to admit that I don’t really understand where this opinion originated. As a species, we thrive on knowledge and discovery, yet so many film goers shy away from something foreign because they fear their differences. I always thought that whatever is different is innately positive. Every time we learn, we grow and change in some imperceptible way, and it’s these changes that truly develop our characters. I don’t like to think about where we’d be without world cinema, but I know it would be somewhere much blander.

First World Cinema Experience

My first experience with world cinema was one that many other people may wish to forget. I saw Irreversible in 2002 at the Dendy Theatre in Newtown, Sydney. I was 16 years old, and when I walked out of the cinema, I felt like I’d been hit over the head. Anyone who has experienced Irreversible – and believe me, it is an experience – knows how shockingly disturbing its content is. Putting aside the complicated (and brilliant) structure of the film, it was unlike anything I’d seen before. I felt violated, assaulted and emotionally challenged. If I’d been older, maybe I’d have dealt with it differently; perhaps with more films under my belt, the graphic nature of Irreversible wouldn’t still be emblazoned on my memory. Then again, it is one hell of a tough watch. I do know that I’m still drawn to films of this nature – I like the challenge they offer and the emotional capacity they contain.

"Bless Korean cinema and its ability to keep me on my toes."

The Hollywood Alternative To World Cinema

Sometimes, Hollywood gets it right. I’ve seen some amazing war films, great Saturday-Night-Live-based comedies and even a couple of enjoyable modern westerns, but what the industry is lacking overall is subtlety. Blockbusters are so over saturated with communication that audiences have no chance to figure things out for themselves. If filmmakers trusted their targets, Hollywood productions would gain an enormous amount of realism and believability. We don’t need every detail of a story line rubbed in our faces; we want to work for it. The payoff is so much greater if the audience has struggled and suffered. In so many cases, foreign films offer this subtle edge to their storytelling, and it makes for a much better experience.

What’s Missing For World Cinema?

It’s an unfortunate thing, but I really believe the majority of film goers in the UK and America are turned off foreign cinema because of language. I’d like to say that the issues lie within the complications of subbing and dubbing the original language into English, but there seems to be a disconnection between foreign or ‘otherness’ and popular entertainment. So many people are exclusively surrounding themselves with what they know that they have no time to branch out and take a risk. The question is, how do you talk someone into watching a film that’s so completely divorced from what they’d usually enjoy? There’s something to be said for educating people in the way of foreign cinema. The old adage ‘start ‘em young’ is a great way to think in terms of any form of entertainment.

What’s On Offer For World Cinema Fans?

I’m living in Edinburgh at the moment and the whole city is like a smorgasbord of film, theatre and festival fun. The art house circuit is huge, and foreign films are one of the major attractions at every venue. The Cameo and Filmhouse cinemas are on the same street and show foreign films almost constantly – the best part is how many they have on a rotating schedule. There’s always something different coming soon or being released and the focus is definitely on world cinema.

"With Oldboy, Park set himself up as a highly graphic, groundbreaking director who manages to take the basics of a genre and complete renovate it."

Favourite World Cinema Country

I am particularly drawn to South Korean cinema. It doesn’t matter if they’re horror or comedy, action or romance, Korean films manage to draw intensity from every tiny moment. Considering the majority of Korean cities are concrete jungles with little change in environment or scenery, and the countryside is quite barren outside the autumn seasons, the cinematography of Korean film is stunning. I always appreciate a movie that takes its time to set up a scene and isn’t afraid to saturate or remove its own colour. Perhaps that’s what’s really missing in Hollywood these days: fearlessness. Films aren’t there to play it safe. They should take risks, do the new and unusual, and delve into darkness, both figuratively and visually. There’s nothing more disappointing than walking into a film that looks promising only to find I can anticipate every shot until the last. Bless Korean cinema and its ability to keep me on my toes.

Favourite World Cinema Director

Following up on my Korean film fetish, Park Chan-wook’s directorial work has been a constant source of enjoyment for me. With Oldboy and The Vengeance Trilogy, Park set himself up as a highly graphic, groundbreaking director who manages to take the basics of a genre and complete renovate it. When I hear about a new film from Park, I’m first at the cinema or movie store. No matter what genre he’s breaking apart, it always teaches me something about how story can be manipulated in film. Thirst is a great example of such tampering with form. Only Park could take horror and French literature and make a stunning piece of cinema. It helps that he has a great fondness for actor Song Kang-ho who is easily one of my favourites.

Top-5 World Cinema Films

Thirst (South Korea, 2009)

I know I mentioned this film earlier in this article, but it really is one of my favourite of all time. The way director Park Chan-wook splices literature and cinema is inspired – and completely revolutionary within the horror genre. It’s rare that a film designed to scare can so successfully combine sexuality and religion, but somehow, Thirst manages it. The lead actors have incredible chemistry together and they don’t have to rely on good looks to carry their performances. It’s difficult to ever really recommend a film to another person; after all, tastes are so enormously varied – and horror can be a tricky sell to certain people. I would, however, highlight that this film isn’t just one thing. It asks startling questions about morality, and doesn’t shrink from leaving a mystery or two behind.

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The Host (South Korea, 2006)

Another film hailing from the wondrous country that is South Korea, The Host is a fantastic dark comedy/monster film that uses the layout of Seoul’s city centre to perfect advantage. It’s so much more than a Cloverfield-style monster rampage; The Host imparts a very touching message about the importance of family, and the way this theme is integrated into the rest of the film is masterly. On top of this, the action scenes and special effects are extremely well rendered. Considering how many styles this movie incorporates, it is an almost seamless film.

I have a special affinity to Korean cinema (I lived there for twelve months in 2010) and this is such a good example of how Korean film makers approach story. Things are never completely black and white, nor is there only one plot line running through the film. They are complicated, yes, but the pay off for unravelling their many cords is immense. This film is the one I use to tempt others into Korean cinema.

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Princess Mononoke (Japan, 1997)

Every film buff on earth is familiar with Miyazaki’s surreal and astounding animated films. They laugh in the face of normal story rules, and insist upon showing both sides of any argument, be it environmental, political or familial. Princess Mononoke is the perfect example of such moral dilemmas. There is no good or bad character throughout the story, but emphasis is put upon the way the world is treated at the hands of those in power.

I’ve always been a little unsure when it’s come to the decisions on subbing or dubbing Miyazaki’s films; I feel something integral is lost when his unique characters’ voices are dubbed over with Hollywood stand-ins, but Princess Mononoke doesn’t suffer like others have. Of all his films, this one is my favourite and definitely one of my favourite animated pieces.

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[REC] (Spain, 2007)

I wasn’t sure about including a ‘found-footage’ film in my list, but this one is really impressive. I’m not usually a fan of zombie films (let’s face it, they rarely say anything different) but [REC] is a brilliant take on a tired genre. The shots are clearly discernible, despite the dark lighting and shaky style of the camera work, and this alone pulls it out of the hand-held horrors. The acting is some of the best to come out of Spain in recent years, and this is made more remarkable considering they are all unknowns that audiences could watch with one eye open and still be mesmerised.

[REC] truly is the best example of innovative directing – and what a little imagination can do to a commonly explored scenario.

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Audition (Japan, 1999)

I realise now that my list has been very Asia-heavy, but there’s a good reason for this – Asian cinema knows how to build tension. This film is terrifying, but not in a jumpy way. The development of character and the slow pace of the drama is absolutely astounding. Most films that incorporate physical abuse scenes end up looking like Saw and its many torture-porn sequels, but Audition is a totally different kettle of fish. The focus of its horror is never on the violence itself but on the psychological breakdown of the characters; it’s like a sick dance that you just can’t look away from. Even those who are uncomfortable with disturbing material owe it to themselves to sit through this marvellous piece of Japanese cinema. I’ll stake my reputation on its ability to impress.

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By Lara S. Williams

Lara S. Williams is a British/Australian writer currently studying for her
masters in creative writing at Edinburgh University. Her fiction and poetry…

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