Contested modernities in the mirror of the film industry
Creators: name: Padrutt, Roman
Publisher: name: ZHAW Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften
Year: 2022
Subjects: 338: Produktion
700: Künste und Unterhaltung

description: The United States and the Western world have been leading forces in the world economy and demonstrated significant global cultural impact. This was also exemplified by the worldwide success of the American film studio Hollywood. In the past years, the Western hegemony has been challenged in every way of life by countries like China, India, and others, letting multiple authors believe that a shift towards a world of contested modernities is happening. In the film industry, there have also been numerous emerging film industries gaining global popularity.

The research aims to examine whether there is evidence of the shift to a world of contested modernities happening in the film industry. The focus is on the influence of Hollywood on emerging film industries and measuring their growing global influence. The analysis consists of a literature review on the history of modernity and essential knowledge of four film industries selected for this thesis. Namely, Hollywood (USA), Bollywood (India), Hallyuwood (South Korea), and Nollywood (Nigeria) have been examined. The analysis is conducted on two levels, film consumption, and film content. The first level is mainly analyzed based on quantitative data, complemented with secondary literature. The second level features a larger focus on qualitative data derived from multiple semi-structured interviews with experts in the field.

The findings illustrate that the film industries discussed have been subject to Western influence in the past. Bollywood was heavily influenced by Hollywood in its early stages but has since developed its own style. In South Korean cinema, the West has remained a strong influence on film production and consumption. On the other hand, Nollywood has had little Western influence implemented in its early stages but is experiencing it recently with increasing interest from Netflix. However, the impact of these film industries is mostly local. Bollywood is mainly active in its domestic market while also enjoying popularity in the MENA region and Latin America. Hallyuwood, still being influenced by the West the most, is the film industry exporting its culture more heavily. Nollywood is enjoying its popularity mainly across the African continent and acts as an illustration for other African film industries.

Overall, the study found some evidence towards contested modernities. While all film industries discussed have exemplified increased global influence, its concentration is mainly regional or domestic. Nevertheless, the cultural representation of the emerging film industries has been the key success to their development and increased global popularity.However, the magnitude of their popularity is not as significant as has been the case for Hollywood. The Hollywood influence is slightly decreasing, but not to an alarming degree.

Further research should focus on the implications of economic development, globalization, and streaming services on the developments of film industries and how that may contribute to a world of contested modernities.