Slumdog Win May Create More Hollywood Diversity
Box Office Success of Oscar Winner May Lead to More Ethnic Films
Apr 22, 2009
While box office success does not necessarily equal critical acclaim, very often the most talked about films (like Slumdog) are anointed with Oscar approval.
Occasionally, non-American themed films have won the Academy Award (The Last Emperor and Ben Hur). However, the bulk of films produced by American studios (Oscar winners or not) have centered around the lives of the people in the U.S. or Western Europe (Mrs. Miniver, Life of Emile Zola, Hamlet, Gigi, Tom Jones, A Man For All Seasons, Out of Africa, Amadeus, Schindler's List, Braveheart, English Patient).
Culturally Diverse Films May Mean More International Revenue
During the annual ShoWest convention last month, Motion Picture Association of America Chairman and CEO Dan Glickman announced that Hollywood provides 50% of all films that play at the international box office. Yet how many of these films explore a non-American experience?
While U.S. films continue to be a strong national export, domestic ticket sales rose only slightly in 2008. According the Hollywood Reporter, U.S. ticket sales jumped from $9.62 billion in 2007 to $9.63 billion in 2008.
International box office figures fared slightly better in 2008. Variety magazine reports that ticket sales rose 5% to reach the $28.1 billion mark last year.
Could the answer to better box office results lie beyond our own backyard?
Domestic Interest In Multi-National Films Is Growing
The most elemental part of a great feature film is a great story. It is arguable, that the color of a character’s skin is much less important than the life choices that are played out on the screen which compel us to follow their journey. However, very often societal and cultural externals that are beyond our norm can often make the most interesting viewing for an audience.
Disney recognized this fact in their animation division. In the 1990’s, the Mouse House jumped on the multicultural bandwagon and featured heroes of color in Aladdin, Hunchback of Notre Dame, Pocahontas, Mulan, and The Emperor's New Groove. It is arguable that from a story standpoint these are not necessarily the best animated films in the Disney collection. However, many ticket buyers were so grateful to see multicultural characters on the screen and they showed their appreciation with dollar signs.
“Foreign” films have been available for years but not necessarily in your suburban multiplex. The Sundance Channel and DVD releases have proven that there is an audience who would like to see beyond their own borders and ingrained understanding of life. For many fans of independent film, here’s hoping that Hollywood notices that venturing outside our borders could be very profitable.
