World cinema

2025-11-03T16:32:55Z

2001:1C00:3B8C:4900:FDAE:FD55:ADF9:B867: /* See also */

{{Short description|Term in film theory}}
{{About|the term in film theory|a list of the cinemas of individual countries|List of cinema of the world}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{Globalize|date=January 2010}}
{{More citations needed|date=May 2012}}
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{{World Cinema}}

'''World cinema''' is a term in [[film theory]] in the [[United States]] that refers to films made outside of the [[Cinema of the United States| American motion picture industry]], particularly those in opposition to the aesthetics, language and values of commercial American cinema.<ref name="Nagib2006">Nagib, Lúcia. "Towards a positive definition of world cinema." ''Remapping world cinema: Identity, culture and politics in film'' (2006): 30-37.</ref> The [[Third Cinema]], the [[Latin America|Latino]] and [[South America|South American]] cinema, as well the [[European cinema|European]], [[Asian cinema|Asian]] and various non-English language [[national cinema]]s are commonly identified as part of world cinema. The term criticizes the [[Americentrism]] as well as the ignorance of different cinematic traditions and filmmaking diversity around the world.<ref name="Nagib2006" />

==Types==
World cinema has an unofficial implication of films with "artistic value" as opposed to "Hollywood commercialism." Foreign language films are often grouped with "[[Art film|art house films]]" and other [[independent film]]s in DVD stores, cinema listings etc.
Unless dubbed into one's native language, foreign language films played in English-speaking regions usually have English [[Subtitle (captioning)|subtitles]]. Few films of this kind receive more than a limited release and many are never played in major cinemas. As such the marketing, popularity and gross takings for these films are usually markedly less than for typical Hollywood [[Blockbuster (entertainment)|blockbusters]]. The combination of subtitles and minimal exposure adds to the notion that "World Cinema" has an inferred artistic prestige or intelligence, which may discourage less sophisticated viewers. Additionally, differences in cultural style and tone between foreign and domestic films affects attendance at cinemas and DVD sales.<ref name="Curran 500">Curran, Daniel. ''Foreign Films: More than 500 films on video cassette,'' pages v-vi. Evanston, Illinois: CineBooks, 1989.</ref>

Foreign language films can be commercial, [[Low culture|low brow]] or [[B-movie]]s. Furthermore, foreign language films can cross cultural boundaries, particularly when the visual spectacle and style is sufficient to overcome people's misgivings. Films of this type became more common in the early 2000s, as ''[[Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon]]'', ''[[Amélie]]'', ''[[Brotherhood of the Wolf]]'', ''[[Y Tu Mama Tambien]]'' and ''[[Talk to Her]]'' enjoyed great successes in United States cinemas and [[home video]] sales. The first foreign and foreign language film to top the North American [[box office]] was ''[[Hero (2002 film)|Hero]]'' in August 2004.<ref>{{cite web|title='Hero' Soars to Late August Record|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=1445&p=.htm|work=boxofficemojo.com|author=Brandon Gray|date=August 29, 2004|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071004023456/http://boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=1445&p=.htm|archive-date=October 4, 2007}}</ref> "The rule for foreign-language films is that if you've done $5 million or better (in United States cinemas), you've had a very nice success; if you do $10 (million) or better (in United States cinemas), you're in blockbuster category," [[Warner Independent Pictures]] ex-president Mark Gill said in 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000724461|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090703133158/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000724461|url-status=dead|archive-date=3 July 2009|title=Foreign affairs| website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |date=3 July 2009|access-date=10 August 2018}}</ref>

On the other hand, English-dubbed foreign films rarely did well in United States box office (with the exception of [[anime]] films). The 1982 United States theatrical release of Wolfgang Petersen's ''[[Das Boot]]'' was the last major release to go out in both original and English-dubbed versions, and the film's original version actually grossed much higher than the English-dubbed version.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.indiewire.com/1999/08/editorial-life-isnt-beautiful-anymore-its-dubbed-82123/|title=EDITORIAL: Life Isn't Beautiful Anymore, it's Dubbed|date=23 August 1999|website=Indiewire.com|access-date=10 August 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/02/19/business/will-dubbing-fly-in-the-us-read-my-lips.html?gwh=5B7FDE5A22B394D810DA99A95EFCDECB&gwt=pay|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180805152511/https://www.nytimes.com/1996/02/19/business/will-dubbing-fly-in-the-us-read-my-lips.html?gwh=5B7FDE5A22B394D810DA99A95EFCDECB&gwt=pay|url-status=dead|archive-date=5 August 2018|title=Will Dubbing Fly in the U.S.? Read My Lips - The New York Times| website=[[The New York Times]] |date=5 August 2018|access-date=10 August 2018}}</ref> Later on, English-dubbed versions of international hits like ''[[Un indien dans la ville]]'', ''[[Godzilla 2000]]'', ''[[Anatomy (film)|Anatomy]]'', ''[[Pinocchio (2002 film)|Pinocchio]]'' and ''[[High Tension]]'' flopped at United States box office.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1996/04/02/little-indian-big-mistake/be40c0e7-fbb7-42ba-aa35-8481c485f29a/?noredirect=on|title=LITTLE INDIAN': BIG MISTAKE - The Washington Post|date=18 July 2018|website=Archive.today|access-date=10 August 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.boxofficeguru.com/082100.htm|title=Weekend Box Office|first=Gitesh|last=Pandya|website=Boxofficeguru.com|access-date=10 August 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-feb-07-et-horn7-story.html|title='Pinocchio' will try again, in Italian|first=John|last=Horn|date=7 February 2003|website=Articles.latimes.com|access-date=10 August 2018}}</ref><ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=https://www.indiewire.com/2009/10/girl-with-dragon-tattoo-gets-u-s-release-239436/|title=Girl with Dragon Tattoo Gets U.S. Release|first=Anne|last=Thompson|date=11 October 2009|website=Indiewire.com|access-date=10 August 2018}}</ref> When Miramax planned to release the English-dubbed versions of ''[[Shaolin Soccer]]'' and ''[[Hero (2002 film)|Hero]]'' in the United States cinemas, their English-dubbed versions scored badly in test screenings in the United States, so Miramax finally released the films in United States cinemas with their original language.<ref name="auto"/><ref>{{cite book|last=Xu|first=Gary G.|title=Sinascape: Contemporary Chinese Cinema|publisher=[[Rowman & Littlefield]]|year=2007|page=44|isbn=978-0742554504}}</ref>

===Pioneering film-making on camera phones===
{{See also|List of films shot on mobile phones}}
[[File:Jalachhayam Camera.jpg|right|120px|thumb|The [[Nokia N95]] mobile phone on tripod which was used to shoot ''Jalachhayam'' mobile phone film]]
After the launching of high pixel [[Camera phone|camera phones]], these are being widely used for filmmaking. The early films, made with camera phones are: [[New Love Meetings]], a documentary film shot on [[Nokia N90]], directed by Barbara Seghezzi and Marcello Mencarini in 2005 from [[Italy]]; [[Why Didn't Anybody Tell Me It Would Become This Bad in Afghanistan]], the first narrative feature shot with a camera phone; a [[Samsung]], directed by [[Cyrus Frisch]] in 2007 from [[Netherlands]]; [[SMS Sugar Man]], a narrative film shot on [[Sony Ericsson W900i]], directed by [[Aryan Kaganof]] in 2008 from [[South Africa]]; Veenavaadanam a documentary film shot on [[Nokia N70]], directed by [[Sathish Kalathil]] in 2008 from [[India]]; Jalachhayam a narrative film shot on [[Nokia N95]], directed by [[Sathish Kalathil]] in 2010 from [[India]]. These are among the first noted experimental works with the first generation camera phones, which paved the way for other filmmakers across the globe.

[[Hooked Up (film)|Hooked Up]], [[To Jennifer]], [[Tangerine (film)|Tangerine]], [[9 Rides]], [[Unsane]], [[High Flying Bird]], [[Ghost (2020 film)|Ghost]], [[Pondicherry (film)|Pondicherry]] [[I WeirDo]], [[Banger (film)|Banger]] are some examples shot on [[iPhone]]s.

==See also==
* [[Why Didn't Anybody Tell Me It Would Become This Bad in Afghanistan]]
* [[List of films shot on mobile phones]]
* [[Art cinema]]
* [[Film industry]]
* [[Independent film]]
* [[International co-production]]
* [[List of cinema of the world]]
* [[Transnational cinema]]
* [[World Cinema Foundation]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{World cinema|state=collapsed}}
{{Film lists by country|state=collapsed}}
[[Category:Cinema by location|World]]
[[Category:Ethnocentrism]]
[[Category:Film theory]]

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World cinema