Globalization has turned Hollywood the marketing giant it is today. American movies are watched worldwide, and because of that, most countries around the world are familiar with its culture. However, isn’t it time we start paying attention to movies made elsewhere? These days, many movies are being all over the world, and they show us that the planet is filled with amazing cultures, landscapes, and languages. Ironically, it is thanks to globalization that we can watch a film from the farthest places in the planet. I, for one, am intrigued by countries and cultures I don’t know, and I love comparing them to the culture I come from. What’s so special about foreign movies is that they introduce the audience to new places in the world that we didn’t know existed. So, if you’re not a lazy reader and don’t mind the subtitles, you’ll appreciate this list of movies from places you’ve probably never heard of.
Bad Lucky Goat (2017 )
This is the very first movie produced in San Andrés Providencia, a Caribbean island that belongs to Colombia. The movie is about two siblings who have killed a goat by accident and now believe that bad luck will follow them. Colombian director Samir Oliveros takes us inside this beautiful island that is also English-speaking. The film has gorgeous takes of the island, its surroundings, and its people.
My Happy Family (2017)
This movie from Georgia (the country) doesn’t focus that much on the geographical aspects of the country, but it does tell us a lot about its culture. Manana is a 50-year-old literature teacher, housewife, and daughter. She lives in a three-bedroom apartment with her entire family (aging parents, husband, adult children, and even her daughter’s husband) until one day, she decides to move out. This causes a huge conflict in her family, since it’s not socially acceptable for women to leave the family home. Yet, she is determined to do it anyway to enjoy the silence and solitude that comes with having a place of her own.
Tanna (2015)
From the island of Tanna, a province of Vanuatu in the South Pacific, this is a film about two of the most remote tribes in the world. The story follows two lovers from the same tribe who are forced to run away because one of them is to marry another tribe’s member in order to end a conflict. Dain and Wawa decide to continue their affair, and this causes friction among both tribes. The runaway couple is chased throughout the film, allowing the director to provide us with gorgeous takes of the waterfalls, jungles, and fauna of this faraway island.
Luna Papa (1999)
This movie was shot in the Republic of Tajikistan, and it’s like an alternative, foreign version of La La Land. Mamlakat, 17, loves music and dancing, and she dreams of becoming an actress. When her family finds out she is pregnant, she realizes she doesn’t know who could be the baby’s father, so she sets out on a journey to find him. There’s music, drama, and a flying roof.
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Watching mainstream movies from Hollywood or places we usually associate with movies can be comforting because we know what to expect, but if you really want to see something different, you need to dig deeper and look for movies made in places you would’ve never thought of. This list is a good place to start, but there is truly a whole world of possibilities waiting out there.
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