Cultural Representation in Modern Cinema

Since the dawn of time, representation has been an essential part of cinema. The screen has had an impact on real life and had more purposes other than just entertainment, it also has been shaping the audience’s thoughts. Representation was, and still is, a great tool through which audiences can expand their knowledge and learn to shape their perspectives. However, cultural representation in cinema has often been tied to stereotypes and prejudices, or it did not exist at all. Many people from different cultures, races, genders, or sexual orientations have suffered at the hands of Western filmmaking because they were underrepresented or misrepresented, which had a profound impact. Throughout the years, with directors and writers from different genders, colors, and backgrounds having more creative voices in filmmaking, there has been a slow wave of change. Cultural representation has significantly shifted with inclusivity and diversity in modern cinema, giving voice to diverse storytellers and audiences. 

The beginning of cinema in Hollywood, which was between the 1900s and 1920s, was marked by racial prejudices and cultural stereotypes. Characters who were from non-Western backgrounds or non-white races were usually absent, but if they did have a present character, they were usually mocked or written in a way that could have created stereotypes or might have contributed to the existing ones. White and male-centric narratives dominated the industry, and minorities were in the background, usually in supporting roles. For example, black people were usually relegated to subservient roles like nannies and servants, which can be seen as an example in the classic film: Gone with The Wind.

In the late 20th century, things started to change. World War II and the Civil Rights Movement brought profound changes, introducing the ‘’blaxploitation’’ genre, which provided more presence for African Americans on screen even though they were still stereotypical and racially exploitative. More films by filmmakers of color had their time to shine on the big screen and they started to address the issues more directly. Especially in the 1990s, with the Disney Renaissance, animation movies allowed for a broader range of stories to be told and opened doors for diverse characters such as Alaaddin (1992) and Mulan (1998). They were unfortunately misrepresented, of course, but these were little steps towards a bigger change.

For the last decade, social media movements also forced the industry to change. Movements such as #OscarsSoWhite criticized Academy Award ceremonies and how the actors that are nominated are mostly white. Black Lives Matter movement increased pressure on Hollywood to improve representation and inclusivity. And now, in today’s global world, films are increasingly creating diverse stories with diverse casts, adding depth to their characters. 

Media is a mirror of the society and a diverse representation in cinema reflects the reality of the world we are living in. Diversity in filmmaking brings out many different voices that were silenced and results in more complex, real, and interesting stories. It allows the tales from various cultures, races, genders, and backgrounds to share their storytelling with the world. It has the power to break down long-standing stereotypes. It goes beyond what the audience can see. With having characters written as complex and not stereotypical, it helps to change how society sees these groups, while promoting understanding and encouraging acceptance, allowing a richer catalog of stories to be told and seen.