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March 1995, Week 3

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Sender:
Film and TV Studies Discussion List <[log in to unmask]>
Subject:
From:
SHawn Smart <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Fri, 17 Mar 1995 10:20:21 CST
Reply-To:
Film and TV Studies Discussion List <[log in to unmask]>
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----------------------------Original message----------------------------
I, too, have a problem regarding the use of terms such as "foreign" to describe
films that are not made by an American. My beef is that those of us who do not
live in the United states have become accustomed to having our films called
"foreign". As an avid Canadian film-goer, it is not very often that I find a
non-American film grace our Big Screen. Even in Canada, we are less likely to
see a "home-grown" film at one of our theatres - it is far more likely to see
an "American" film. Unless of course you live in a City, where you can seek
out these films in the smaller less well-known theatres off the main drags.
And being Canada, we have the added bonus of not only seeing most big movies
in English, but in French as well.
        Perhaps it is not just an Americanism to call any non-American film
"foreign". Perhaps we have internalized the American film so much that any
 native
film is considered to be "foreign", which seems to be a bad thing for the people
who would otherwise watch them. I'm not sure if many people are aware, but a
larger proportion of American films are being made here in Canada, using local
cast and crew...does that make the film "Canadian".
        IMHO, the people at the CTV have the right idea. There are several shows
on Canadian TV that are being billed as "international" Productions...with
 actors,
crew and writers from as many as six different countries. What is the difference
between that and any American film? We admit it.
 
 
                Shawn Smart
                [log in to unmask]

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