5 Must-Watch Movies to Understand Cross-Cultural Communication
As our world continues to become more globalized, cross-cultural communication has become vital to personal and professional success. Everyone has different cultural backgrounds, and understanding these differences can smooth any misunderstandings and help create better relationships. Luckily, movies offer an excellent platform for exploring and understanding cultural differences. Here are 5 must-watch movies to help you gain some valuable insights.
The Joy Luck Club (1993)
Based on Amy Tan’s best-selling novel, the Joy Luck Club is a poignant exploration of the relationship between Chinese immigrant mothers and their American-born daughters. The movie delves deep into the complex cultural differences and attitudes between Chinese and American cultures, providing great insight into cross-cultural communication. A viewer can learn various themes from the movie, including the importance of family, communication, identity, and heritage.
Lost in Translation (2003)
The movie Lost in Translation is a tale of a fading American actor, Bob Harris, who finds himself in Tokyo to shoot a commercial and painfully disconnected from the city’s fast paced life. Sofia Coppola, the director, beautifully highlights the fish-out-of-water incidents and nuances of communication, making the movie an illuminating study on cross-cultural communication. It brings the viewer’s attention to nonverbal communication, including body language, and highlights how these nuances make communication difficult amongst different cultures.
The Great Debaters (2007)
The Great Debaters focuses on a historically black college where they face numerous obstacles due to racism and cultural differences. But despite the challenges, they succeed in forming a debate team and soon find themselves exchanging ideas with rivaling schools. This movie contains an essential lesson in cross-cultural communication, emphasizing the impact of articulating one’s position through debate and persuasive reasoning. The movie explores the real-world significance of communicating across cultures, imparting valuable insights that will inspire the audience.
Babette’s Feast (1987)
A Danish film, Babette’s Feast, tells the story of a French immigrant who becomes a housekeeper for two pious sisters. After winning the lottery, Babette spent the sisters’ savings on a French luxurious feast, which opened the women’s eyes to various cultures, lifestyles, and ways of preparing food, and eventually embracing it. This movie highlights the power of food to unify people from different cultures and communities.
The Namesake (2006)
The Namesake is a film adaptation of Jhumpa Lahiri’s best-selling novel, The Namesake. The story reveals the struggles of Gogol, a self-searching Indian-American, who seeks to understand and accept his roots in an unfamiliar and culturally diverse world. Cultural identity, acceptance and self-discovery are the themes around which the movie unfolds. It raises several questions on the intricate balance between holding on to one’s cultural roots and assimilating into the mainstream culture without losing individual identity.
In conclusion, movies can be a great medium for exploring and learning about cross-cultural communication. The above movies offer valuable insights, explore complex themes, and illustrate the importance of communication, understanding, and empathy in the ever-evolving global society. Whether it’s understanding and appreciating nonverbal communication, embracing cultural differences, or exploring the intricacies of identity, these films provide the audience with valuable insights that enrich their cross-cultural communication skills.
