After seeing Nomadland, I am obsessed with Chloe Zhao. I told my friends and family that she made a perfect American film and that her outsider perspective (not a nomad, not born in the United States) helped her to do this. I think of the moments in the film with that huge dinosaur landmark. I think most American directors would have used the dinosaur to make fun of the tacky landmarks in the American west. Zhao did not. I think she is a uniquely open minded and empathetic director. I cannot wait to see her other works.
I completely support any moves being made to have more representation in Hollywood. It is about time. The representation that we are doing seeing in film, tv, even in children's books is unlike anything the United States has ever seen before. It is so wonderful.
But let's not throw out the baby with the bathwater. A white director should not have to tell only white stories. That would be so weird and wouldn't it be racist as well? Lulu Wang is wrong. I will look forward to seeing Ron Howard's movie.
"...critics are questioning the legitimacy of filmmakers telling stories as community outsiders. "
I think the first (and possibly the last) question we have to ask ourselves is: "Why should we care?" Unless one is obsessed with lambasting strangers over their "oppressor" identities -- that is, if one is a relatively sane, normal person -- one's interest in a movie is confined to how good it is, not whether the people who made it had a right to. Stop paying attention to people like Lulu Wang and they'll go away.
Unfortunately Michael they are not going away. I, and many other artists, are up against and increasingly restrictive industry which aims to impose such standards.
Two thoughts. Firstly the vast majority of tv/movies Shown are produced by Hollywood (with the odd BBC show thrown his means that foreign language films were for the sophisticated types (meaning nobody watched them) now thanks to Netflix a whole new world have been non Hollywood films/shows has opened up.
Second regarding when critics are questioning the legitimacy of filmmakers telling stories as community outsiders. Well taking that to it's logical conclusion would mean that Hollywood would only produce films/shows featuring white people and white storylines.
After seeing Nomadland, I am obsessed with Chloe Zhao. I told my friends and family that she made a perfect American film and that her outsider perspective (not a nomad, not born in the United States) helped her to do this. I think of the moments in the film with that huge dinosaur landmark. I think most American directors would have used the dinosaur to make fun of the tacky landmarks in the American west. Zhao did not. I think she is a uniquely open minded and empathetic director. I cannot wait to see her other works.
I completely support any moves being made to have more representation in Hollywood. It is about time. The representation that we are doing seeing in film, tv, even in children's books is unlike anything the United States has ever seen before. It is so wonderful.
But let's not throw out the baby with the bathwater. A white director should not have to tell only white stories. That would be so weird and wouldn't it be racist as well? Lulu Wang is wrong. I will look forward to seeing Ron Howard's movie.
"...critics are questioning the legitimacy of filmmakers telling stories as community outsiders. "
I think the first (and possibly the last) question we have to ask ourselves is: "Why should we care?" Unless one is obsessed with lambasting strangers over their "oppressor" identities -- that is, if one is a relatively sane, normal person -- one's interest in a movie is confined to how good it is, not whether the people who made it had a right to. Stop paying attention to people like Lulu Wang and they'll go away.
Unfortunately Michael they are not going away. I, and many other artists, are up against and increasingly restrictive industry which aims to impose such standards.
I suppose that's why the Oscar numbers are collapsing
Two thoughts. Firstly the vast majority of tv/movies Shown are produced by Hollywood (with the odd BBC show thrown his means that foreign language films were for the sophisticated types (meaning nobody watched them) now thanks to Netflix a whole new world have been non Hollywood films/shows has opened up.
Second regarding when critics are questioning the legitimacy of filmmakers telling stories as community outsiders. Well taking that to it's logical conclusion would mean that Hollywood would only produce films/shows featuring white people and white storylines.
On the opposite side of the coin, how can you fully appreciate the story if you haven’t lived the experience? No storytellers and no audiences ...
Thanks Roland. I think more people agree just don’t use their voice loud enough. I wish we spent more time thinking about our common humanity.