Where does worldwide cinema go and why aren’t any more famous film movements and original storytelling? A question no one seems to be truly interested in, let alone answer it.
The film industry has never generated more money. Simultaneously, there has never been less originality in storytelling, style, filming techniques, etc.
There are several reasons this downfall is happening. In essence, the main difference between before and now is the lack of original storytelling, experimental moviemaking, inventive filming techniques, etc. Moreover, there almost aren’t any experimental films or such that use, at least, previous revolutionary techniques. At the same time, we aren’t returning to the basics. The entire industry is… nowhere?
Join me on a journey of discovering the root of the issue.
The Producer’s Propaganda Affect on Worldwide Cinema
Producers are undoubtedly very important. They are supposed to be the ‘mother’ of the movie, but some act like they’re not. Not that this hasn’t been an issue since the beginning of filmmaking but now it’s arguably at the pinnacle.
To be fair, there are many fantastic producers. However, most are focused only on making money, which leads us to two aspects. First, the motivation for making money triggers them to focus mainly on blockbusters and commercial films. Second, there is an illusion that other films don’t make a profit. Of course, no one is denying the big studios’ influences, which makes it even more difficult for producers to pitch anything else than commercial stories.
Nevertheless, it’s still a problem largely constructed by film producers. Global cinema was leaning toward mainstream stories before but there were still new wave movements, unconventional films, etc. It’s not like every producer was excited about the French New Wave, however, there were still those who could sense the significance.
Previously, some film producers could sense a piece of potential art. Today, it seems like most don’t have the quality to do so. Or maybe they don’t bother to care?
Why Is This Happening to Worldwide Cinema Now?
One of the main reasons is that the power of neoliberalism makes it easier for a producer to sell a story that’s mainstream. It’s more and more challenging to sell something deep and meaningful. I’m not defending these producers, quite the contrary, they are also part of the problem.
Meaningful and unconventional stories have always been difficult to pitch. The difference is producers used to care more about art. Luckily, there are still exceptions.
Furthermore, some producers focus on trivial instead of essential things. Who wrote the script? Where are they from? Did they finish film school? Why did you write this story? These questions are important but the main thing is – Is the script good or not? If you are an excellent producer, all you need is to read the screenplay and decide whether you can sell it. There’s no need to ask so much about the writer, instead, read the script and see if it’s worth fighting for.
Here’s a question everyone should ask themselves. If Martin Scorsese and Dušan Makavejev were young filmmakers today, do you think they would’ve made a movie with today’s producers?
Film Agencies and the Film Industry in Global Cinema
Another significant problem in this endless chain is the connection between the film industry and film agencies worldwide.
The worldwide film industry dictates the tempo, while film agencies are not brave enough to ‘break the rules.’ Once again, I’m not stating that there aren’t exceptions, which is positive. However, most film agencies don’t have the expertise to predict what the next big thing will be. Some commissions are constructed by people from older generations who can’t understand scripts by young filmmakers, let alone support them. Others are chosen politically and are afraid or don’t bother to support a script that is critical of the government that put them there in the first place.
Nevertheless, even though they had problems with censorship, Sasa Petrovic and Želimir Žilnik still managed to make unconventional or critical movies in repressive systems. Paradoxically, Žilnik is more censored today than before. Another example of the film industry going nowhere.
Where Does International Cinema Stand at the Moment?
Even though in a better spot, international cinema movies also have the same problem. Indeed, avant-garde European movies were always hard to sell in the US. However, because of today’s situation, almost no one has the support even to make avante-garde films, let alone find a producer who would sell them.
We all get the profit math and the importance of this aspect. Let’s take an example from the music industry. It’s true that David Gilmour will never sell as many copies as Taylor Swift. Nevertheless, producers and record labels still support his art since it’s significant. Also, it’s not like he doesn’t sell many copies and money isn’t everything.
The situation is even more bizarre regarding international cinema since government film funds are those who co-produce films. Therefore, isn’t it logical for a government to support something fresh, unique, and unconventional and lift its country’s culture, represent it worldwide, and be proud?
Worldwide Cinema Homogenization and Franchise Dominance
Another massive problem is the major Hollywood studios. They prioritize blockbuster franchises, superhero movies, and mass-accepting comedies and action films. Yes, we need to entertain but not only entertain. The formulaic approach by Hollywood sidelines unique and character-driven stories on a worldwide level.
Hence, independent and international films struggle to compete for funding, attention, and screen time. This approach is a massive problem for known filmmakers, let alone independent ones.
By the way, have you asked yourself why “Babylon” by Chazelle wasn’t accepted by Hollywood unlike “Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood” by Tarantino? Don’t get me wrong, Tarantino is an excellent director, however, regarding these two films, Hollywood decides to boycott “Babylon” because it reveals ‘the other side.’
The Impact of Globalization on Worldwide Cinema
Globalization affected everything, both positively and negatively. Positive aspects of globalization regarding global cinema include having the chance to read about and watch films from all over the world.
However, the two main negative aspects of it are the short audience attention span and streaming services. Now, the streaming services aspect isn’t negative per se. Still, we can’t say it doesn’t influence cinema on a grand scale.
The biggest issue is the short audience attention span. The rise of short-form content from TikTok, YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, and other platforms has made a huge difference. It has changed how people consume media, favoring short videos and quick entertainment, which also affects watching movies. Therefore, deep, slow-burning stories struggle to hold the attention of modern audiences. Can you imagine 20-year-olds watching a movie by Andrey Tarkovsky or Krzysztof Kieślowski? Unfortunately, probably not a lot of them.
Furthermore, Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, and other platforms have shifted audiences to watching movies at home at any time. This had both positive and negative aspects but it undoubtedly influenced worldwide cinema. Hence why traditional theatrical releases, especially mid-budget and indie films face declining box office numbers. People often wait for the movie to be available on a streaming platform and don’t go to cinema theaters.
Do Young Film Artists Do Everything in Their Power?
To be entirely fair, I also have to look at vice versa and address this situation from the filmmaker’s standpoint.
Do young film directors do everything in their power to make, at least, a small change? Are young filmmakers dedicated enough to construct a new wave or film movement that will crush the industry and boost worldwide cinema?
On the one hand, it’s not true that film artists don’t fight against the current situation. For instance, there is the Romanian New Wave that began in 2004. There are young directors and writers from various countries who manage to create authentic, unconventional, and avant-garde films.
On the other hand, there is a lack of motivation or something that will trigger worldwide film artists to fight back. There’s also a lack of film movements that can inspire revolutionary film techniques across the globe. It’s not like Lars von Trier, Thomas Vinterberg, and Nicolas Winding Refn had massive support from the Danish Film Institute. They just dared to make something off and on their own.
It’s difficult to fight against Hollywood, major studios, and film agencies worldwide. However, someone has to step up.
Final Thoughts on the Downfall of Worldwide Cinema
The worldwide cinema box office is rising while we’re witnessing the loss of auteur filmmaking. Auteur directors like Kubrick and Godard, who pushed artistic boundaries, have become much rarer in today’s studio-driven environment. Not to mention it’s almost impossible to make an experimental or unconventional movie in a small country with a small production. For example, making an avant-garde, creative Macedonian movie today is far from a reality.
The focus on committee-made films deconstructs the idea of bold creative visions. Moreover, worldwide cinema struggles to recover to move forward. If you want to learn more about how the act of telling stories via cinema changes from culture to culture, read Storytelling in World Cinemas.
Whether a new film movement by young filmmakers is the solution is difficult to decide. However, something has to change. And fortunately, Dogma 25 may bring that change, finally.
framebyframecritic 
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