"Underground"

"Underground" is a film co-produced by a few countries, including Yugoslavia, and directed by internationally recognized film director Emir Kusturica. This film follows the life of two friends in Yugoslavia after World War II. The issue of how a movie appeals to local and global audiences is a common issue when discussing foreign films. Other well know foreign films, such as "Nine Queens", are usually criticized for concealing local traits that might not agree with common Hollywood film traits. Film makers in foreign countries likely do this in order to appeal to global audiences, especially Americans. However, some foreign films are not afraid to show aspects of their local communities. Despite the large amount of local aspects shown in “Underground”, it was still able to make a strong appeal to a global audience. The characters’ actions were drastically different from American culture, meaning the director did not with hold any local traits. The fact that the movie preserves local aspects and is still popular among global audiences speaks to the true strength and universal application of the movie’s message. This is also a good trait for a foreign because it allows global audiences to hear the messages of other cultures through a strong medium. “Underground” was focused on an important issue, the happenings in Yugoslavia after World War II, which means that the success of this movie made a crucial impact on what the world knows about Yugoslavia. Despite Kusturica’s local film, he was able to make a significant affect on a global audience.