A Year of Foreign Films Week 1 – The Seventh Seal
During an acceptance speech during last year’s Golden Globes, Korean filmmaker Bong Joon-Ho said through his translator, “Once you overcome the one-inch tall barriers of subtitles, you will be introduced to so many more amazing films." Movies can, of course, be a lot of things to different people. To some, they are entertainment, something to pass the time, or a medium to passively take in a story while scrolling through Twitter or Instagram. There are certainly times where I reach for these types of comfort movies, especially in the past year that was 2020. Movies can also be portals into worlds, experiences, lives, and historical moments much different from our own. They can challenge, provoke, question, and change us. In my own experience, these types of viewing experiences are often foreign-language films/international cinema. Some won’t want to touch this realm of the streaming world because they don’t want to read while they watch. That’s perfectly fine. For others, who want to turn their brain on, who desire to appreciate film as art, and who yearn for experiencing something unique and new to them, this list is dedicated. Each week of 2021, I will recommend a foreign film; some will be more difficult for the viewer than others and this is by no means a bad thing. Come with an open mind and a curious soul.
