As The Cannes Film Festival Nears, Global Cinema’s Influence On Hollywood Has Never Been Stronger

For a very long time, Hollywood was considered the biggest juggernaut in the world for producing entertainment. Even other countries like Europe or Bollywood were lagging behind and couldn’t match the output and success of the American studio system. It is where the best movies are made, all the greatest movie stars live, and the backlot exists for many movies and TV shows to get created. Recently, the cinematic landscape has evolved and taken a step further into the world outside of Hollywood. We’ve seen this reflected in which films the Academy Of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences recognized at the Academy Awards each year ever since the membership became more international. Global cinema has impacted audiences in the U.S., and appreciation for them has grown increasingly. Academy Award-winning films like “Roma,” “Parasite,” “Drive My Car,” and “I’m Still Here” have shown the world that there’s so much to be gained from exposing yourself to other cultures and forms of storytelling. They earned critical acclaim at their film festival premieres, and word-of-mouth quickly spread, leading to awards recognition and a broader audience. This used to be the exception, but it is now becoming the norm. With the announcement of a new crop of films that will premiere at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival next month, interest in international cinema is higher than ever. Many international filmmakers have proven that it doesn’t matter where the film is made; art is art, and now…Hollywood might finally be starting to notice.

STORYTELLINGOne of the most recent changes we’re seeing reflected in Hollywood as a result of international influence is how the stories are told. International films often have to take risks in how they tell the story–they shift in tone and usually cast unknown actors to showcase that there’s more power in discovering a new talent rather than a well-known one. The dynamics in international films are well-established because they dive deep into human psychology and even touch on the soul; they explore themes that Hollywood simply doesn’t want to discuss. When Hollywood wants to take a script and erase the bumps and mistakes, sometimes international films embrace those mistakes and turn them into something more. The stories feel more personally grounded and leave you with something meaningful when you walk out of the theater. Examples include Hirokazu Kore-eda’s “Monster.” How that story is structured to take a big twist and present a grand message in the middle of its story, and you carry that heavy burden throughout the rest of the film along with the characters. Or how “Cold War” uses its storytelling to leave the audience with a somber, breathtaking ending that goes against conventional, feel-good standards. Or how “Anatomy Of A Fall” uses its screenplay’s structure to shift audience allegiance and present different sides to a story, peeling back psychological layers in the process.

THEMESInternational movies aren’t afraid to take risks and address controversial subjects that Hollywood often avoids—political controversies, gender identity, migration, grief, social politics, and depression. You’re not going to see these issues touched upon so overtly by one of the major Hollywood studios. Bong Joon-ho’s Oscar-winning “Parasite” is a movie that took a lot of risks in its storytelling and the results were unpredictable and vastly entertaining. “Roma” may tell a simple story, but it did so against an epic backdrop with many bold decisions in its filmmaking, as evidenced by its decision to shoot in black and white and have the pacing be deliberately slow. “The Zone Of Interest” challenged audience’s complicity in the horrors surrounding them as they go about their daily lives. But, sometimes, studios in Hollywood don’t believe in quality; they think if their movies make money, they are deemed a success and, therefore, great. That’s not always the case. International movies are not often the biggest successes at the box office, either domestically where they are made or even internationally from it makes in the states and elsewhere. Still, the cultural footprint it leaves behind, which typically comes from being passed on from generation to generation through festival programming, film studies, or general conversation, can be even more powerful than dollars for creating an everlasting impact.

TALENTHollywood often recycles the same stars in every project it takes on. Once someone is deemed a box office draw, they tend to stay in that position until their drawing power wanes. However, international filmmakers often search for the next big star on the horizon as they spotlight up-and-coming actors looking for a shot. Sean Baker is one of the few American filmmakers who does this, but he does so because he works within the independent space. International films don’t have as many investors to satisfy, so they’re not bogged down by a star’s drawing potential or social media followers. It helps, but more often, it’s about whether that actor is the right person for the story.

STREAMING WORLDThe effect of streaming, from services such as Netflix, Prime Video, HBO Max, Apple TV, and Mubi, has brought many new stories, talent, and new filmmakers with bold ideas to a global audience, making international films more popular than ever before for American audiences. Thanks to streaming, it’s easier to discover new films from other parts of the world. As Bong Joon-ho once said famously at the Golden Globe Awards, “Once you overcome the one-inch-tall barrier of subtitles, you will be introduced to so many more amazing films.” One prominent example recently was “Squid Game,” a South Korean production that became a cultural phenomenon. Now, Hollywood wants to replicate its success with an American remake with David Fincher directing. However, streaming companies are not only showing these international pictures but financing them as well. For as much criticism as streaming receives for being the “death of movie theaters,” in many cases, they’ve been a powerful and positive tool for international filmmakers to get their stories out to the rest of the world.

AFTERMATHInternational cinema and its growing influence on the Hollywood system is not slowing down. As is always the case with the Cannes Film Festival lineup, there are more international movies than films produced by Hollywood, and yet, interest from American audiences is higher than ever before. People are hungry for original stories, new stars, and exciting filmmakers who are not bound to the constraints of the Hollywood studio system. Most international films are not interested in creating a prequel, sequel, or remake of a film; they are more engaged in telling the most impactful stories and building an enduring value that will live on for future generations to discover, whether that’s at a film festival retrospective, physical media, or on streaming. Hollywood used to be the only and largest source of entertainment in the film world. Lately, however, as the ever-evolving taste of Academy voters suggests (as they slowly become more and more diversified and international in their makeup), that paradigm has and will continue to shift.

Let’s take some risks, shall we?

What are some of your favorite international films from the last several years? Do you think they’re having an impact on how Hollywood makes movies? Will you be attending the Cannes Film Festival this year? Which international film in the lineup do you believe will breakout and be a global success? Please let us know in the comments section below and on Next Best Picture’s X account.

You can follow Alex and hear more of his thoughts on the Oscars & Film on X @alexkokz