Colombia:
With over 20 countries speaking Spanish as their official language, Spanish movies are produced from all over the world and in great numbers. Many students around Creek including Latinos Unidos member senior Alexa Brandwayn Berg, watch and enjoy Spanish-language movies.
Born in Colombia, Brandwayn Berg views Spanish movies as a way to link and think back to her hometown. These movies have always been a part of her life and have been the “normal” language for her to watch them in.
“It’s always been a part of my life and they remind me of home,” Brandwayn Berg said.
Spanish movies are incredibly diverse and popular. They explore a lot of different and interesting genres.
“They have many themes and teachings that connect back to Colombia and its culture,” Brandwayn Berg said.
Her favorite movie is “La Estrategia del Caracol.” This comedic drama movie shows the story of roommates who have to face the challenge of possibly moving out due to renovations within their city.
Nigeria:
For Black Student Union senior Dami Akinrinola, watching movies from his Nigerian culture helps him understand more about the place where he’s from. Nigerian cinema, best known as Nollywood, is known for its high volume of film production.
It is the second largest film industry in the world, outputting almost 2500 films yearly. These movies show the real side of Africa, the rich, poor, the natural, and unnatural.
“Some of them are really comical while some of them aren’t afraid to dive into more serious things,” Akinrinola said.
These movies connect Akinrinola to his culture, despite being born in the United States. Growing up watching these movies with his family, informed him of his culture and bridged the gap between his American upbringing and his Nigerian heritage.
“As a kid I didn’t fully understand and that makes me feel more connected since don’t actually live there,” Akinrinola said.
He recommends the movie “Wedding Party.” The film portrays two people on the day of their wedding when things go wrong and it is filled with unexpected shenanigans.
China:
While most people may think of C-Dramas and other romance movies when they think of Chinese cinema, sophomore Lucy Chen also enjoys watching animated Chinese movies.
While the average production of Chinese movies may be less than that of other film industries, they have very high budgets and are known for being efficient and advanced.
“I feel like Chinese movies are really sophisticated and that makes them so interesting and pleasing to watch,” Chen said.
Chinese movies have always been a part of Chen’s life and they give her a way for her to learn about her culture.
“They have always intrigued me as someone who doesn’t live in China and I think it shows me a lot about my culture,” Chen said. Her favorite Chinese-language movie is “Ne Zha.” This animated movie came out in 2019. It tells the story of Chinese spirits and their reincarnation as human and devil forms.
India:
Chota Bheem was a TV show that was a large part of many Indian children’s lives.
This love for Chota Bheem was what got sophomore Aarushi Hossain into watching more and more Hindi movies as she grew up.
Out of all the film industries in the world, Bollywood is arguably one of the most popular and recognizable. Along with being the biggest film industry in the world, Bollywood specifically refers to the Hindi-language movies typically based in Mumbai, India. Bollywood has been in business for 100 years.
“I actually prefer watching the older movies because they represent how well [people in Bollywood] are at acting, dancing, and singing overall,” Hossain said.
Hossain believes that older Bollywood films had more depth and storytelling. Hossain enjoys watching these movies as they help her learn about people in the Bollywood industry and it also helps her understand cultural objectives.
“It gives you a connection with other people there and what their ideas are like,” Hossain said.
Her favorite movie is “Padosan.” A classic next-door neighbor romance, that incorporates music and mischief into its winding plot.
