The foreign film industry has been hitting major success around the world, all thanks to major streaming services. As more production companies across the world continue to collaborate with hit streaming services such as Netflix, foreign productions once limited only to their country are now free to stream practically everywhere worldwide. Along with initiating these new deals, streaming services have begun creating new original foreign content, spreading a new kind of cinema all over and landing it big in the US. Netflix’s original foreign content has exceeded even US original series with their ‘overnight’ successes. Shows like Squid Game, Money Heist, Dark, and The Rain all made it to Netflix’s top 10 TV shows, surpassing even the most successful US series.
I know for a lot of Americans, watching foreign cinema can be tough. For one, the language barrier is a real killer, and who can honestly say they’re a true fan of subtitles? They always end up distracting you from crazy or crucial moments happening on screen. And the worst of all is watching the show dubbed horribly in English by bad voice actors. These issues definitely do suck, and for a while, I let them hold me back from truly experiencing the full length of a foreign film. Luckily, I was finally convinced to watch the full pilot episode of the incredible German Netflix original series Dark, and I knew I would never go back to hiding from foreign cinema again.
One night during my freshman year at college, two of my friends and I were hanging in one of the lounges when one of them suggested we watch the series, Dark. I was hesitant after he explained that it was a foreign series. I hated subtitles and dubbing can be torturous, but the plot sounded enticing. I gave it a shot and was surprised by how much I fell in love with the show after watching the first episode. Even after my friends left, I continued watching and finished the season not even two days later. Watching with subtitles or listening to it dubbed no longer mattered to me. It eventually becomes easy to get used to, especially once the show or film has you hooked.