I came across a quote from highly respect director Bong Joon Ho that I think about every day: “Once you overcome the 1-inch-tall barrier of subtitles, you will be introduced to so many more amazing films.” Over the past two years, I have been able to discover so many foreign films. For a good amount of my life, my film diet was very limited. I only watched very popular and accessible Hollywood films. However, watching foreign films made me realize how narrow my perspective in cinema had been. These films were like gateways into so many different artistic styles of this medium, as well as just windows into an entirely different way of living.

Foreign films allowed me to experience cultures through a first-hand perspective, rather than through Western stereotypes. I was able to see the process of everyday life unfurl naturally: how families interact during dinner, how kids spend their time after school, how people greet each other at gatherings. Whether it was the haunting unraveling of the truth in Denis Villenueve’s Incendies or the isolation hidden underneath the neon-lit cities in Wong Kar-Wai’s Fallen Angels, these films immersed me into these moments that felt as familiar as my own life.

Additionally, these films require more attention from audience members. Films in today’s society are often created with the assumption that people will be going on their phones while the film plays. However, a lot of foreign films force you pay more attention and also rely on the nonverbal social cues like the expressions, body language, and the tone of their voices. They force the viewers read what’s visually put out rather than just relying on captions.

I also love how foreign cinema doesn’t constantly recycle the same ideas. I have yet to see a foreign film that feels just like another one that I watched. Each films feels unique, and they don’t always have the same neat and clean plot. The characters often feel more human this way. A lot of directors like Bong Joon-ho, Wong Kar-wai, and Akira Kurosawa, didn’t shape cinema by following the normal societal trends, they used their own personal visions. Like Oldboy director Park Chanwook said: “I don’t feel enjoyment watching films that evoke passivity. If you need that kind of comfort, I don’t understand why you wouldn’t go to a spa.” Foreign films challenge the viewer to not just think and engage with the story more, rather than provide background entertainment. So many of the films I’ve watched, like Perfect Blue, The Hunt, Kamikaze Girls, In the Mood for Love, Us & Them, Parasite, and Better Days have shown me the diverse storytelling that exists around the world.

For artists in this industry, it is important to watch these films as they allow us to view different forms of artistic expression that aren’t limited to a singular culture or country. As an American, I’ve noticed how easy it is for a lot of people in this country to be consumed by the chaos that occurs in our day to day lives. Foreign films allow us to be more aware of international perspectives and remind us that our world is more complex than we are used to seeing.