World cinema

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World cinema

African cinema Asian cinema East Asian cinema South Asian cinema Southeast Asian cinema West Asian cinema Australasian cinema European cinema North American cinema Latin American cinema

World cinema is a term used primarily in English language speaking countries to refer to the films and film industries of non-English speaking countries (those outside of the Anglosphere). It is therefore often used interchangeably with the term Foreign film. However, both World cinema and Foreign film could be taken to refer to the films of all countries other than one's own, regardless of native language.

Sergei Parajanov's The Color of Pomegranates (Armenia)

Ingmar Bergman's The Seventh Seal (Sweden)

Federico Fellini's La Dolce Vita, an example of 60's Italian Cinema

Jean-Luc Godard's Vivre sa vie, a French New Wave film

Satyajit Ray's Charulata (India)

Sergei Parajanov's Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors (Ukraine)

Werner Herzog's Aguirre, the Wrath of God (Germany)

Technically, foreign film does not mean the same as foreign language film, but the inference, particularly in the U.S., is that a foreign film is not only foreign in terms of the country of production, but also in terms of the language used. As such, the use of the term foreign film for films produced in the UK, Australia, Canada or other English speaking countries would be uncommon.

In other English speaking countries, it would be extremely unlikely to class films made in the U.S. as foreign films, or belonging to World cinema, as American films are reasonably dominant in all English-language markets.

World cinema has an un-official implication of films with "artistic value" as opposed to "Hollywood commercialism." Foreign language films are often grouped with "Art House films" and other independent films in DVD stores, cinema listings etc. Unless dubbed into one's native language, foreign language films played in English speaking regions usually have English 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 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.

Foreign language films can be commercial, low brow or B-movies, so to automatically assume that World cinema is "arty" or intellectual is erroneous. 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 ilk are becoming more common, and recent examples such as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Amélie and Brotherhood of the Wolf enjoyed great success in Western cinemas and DVD sales. The first foreign language film to top the North American box office was Hero in the fall of 2004.

1 World cinema successful at the American box office
2 World cinema on DVD
3 World cinema television channels
4 Cinema by continent and country
5 See also
6 External links

This is a list of recent successful world cinema films in United States cinemas.

Foreign language films that are particularly successful in international markets may be taken on by the large film distribution companies for DVD releases. At the other end of the scale, many foreign language films are never given a DVD release outside of their home markets. The majority of those DVDs that are given an international release, come out on specialist labels. These labels include:

Arrow Films Label specialising in foreign language and cult English language films
Artificial Eye (USA and UK)
Axiom Films
British Film Institute
Contender Entertainment Group - Label that owns the sub-labels Hong Kong Legends (specialising in films from Hong Kong) and Premier Asia (specialising in films from the rest of East Asia, particularly Japan, South Korea and Thailand). CEG bought out the label Medusa in 2005.
The Criterion Collection
Dragon Dynasty (USA) - label specialising in films from East Asia.
Eastern Heroes - European label specialising in films from East Asia. Eastern Heroes sold off many of their titles to Medusa (before it was bought out by Contender Entertainment Group) and Soulblade in the early 2000s.
Facets Multimedia (USA)
Kino International (USA) - Label distributing foreign language, arthouse and silent films.
Manga Entertainment (USA and UK) - Label specialising in anime.
Masters of Cinema
Optimum Releasing (UK) - Distributor of foreign and English language films in the UK.
Palador Pictures (India) - Distributors of highly awarded foreign language films from across the world.
Second Run (UK)
Soda Pictures
Soulblade (UK)
Studio Canal (France)
Tartan Films (USA and UK) - Label distributing a variety of foreign and English language films, though primarily East Asian films. The company consists of Tartan Video in the UK and Tartan Films USA, as well as the Tartan Asia Extreme and Tartan Terror horror labels.

World Cinema HD (USA)
World Movies (Australia)
Cinemundi (UK, launching 2008)

v • d • e World cinema
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Asia (list)	Afghanistan • Bahrain • Bangladesh • Bhutan • Burma • Cambodia • China (Hong Kong) • India: Assamese • Bengali • Bollywood (Hindi) • Karnataka • Marathi • Tamil • Malayalam • Tollywood (Telugu) — Indonesia • Iran • Iraq • Israel • Japan • Jordan • Kazakhstan • Korea • Kuwait • Kyrgyzstan • Laos • Lebanon • Macau • Malaysia • Mongolia • Nepal — Pakistan: (Urdu) • (Pastho) — Palestine • Philippines • Qatar • Saudi Arabia • Singapore • Sri Lanka • Syria • Taiwan • Tajikistan • Thailand • Turkey • Turkmenistan • U.A.E. • Uzbekistan • Vietnam • Yemen
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Australasia	Australia • Fiji • New Zealand • Tonga
Africa (list)	Algeria • Angola • Benin • Botswana • Burkina Faso • Burundi • Cameroon • Cape Verde • Central African Republic • Chad • Congo • Egypt • Eritrea • Ethiopia • Gabon • Guinea • Guinea-Bissau • Kenya • Ivory Coast • Libya • Madagascar • Mali • Mauritania • Mauritius • Morocco • Mozambique • Niger • Nigeria • Rwanda • Senegal • Somalia • South Africa • Tanzania • Togo • Tunisia • Uganda • Zaire • Zambia • Zimbabwe