A massive win for American cinema!!!

Give me a break—calling that a triumph is a massive stretch.

Man, my blood pressure absolutely skyrocketed today after reading that article in The New York Times. The New York Times And there’s an additional segment featured on Prime Meridian 16.

First off, Smith is all over the place, writing these incredibly high-flown posts about the "triumph of American cinema" and pointing out how we somehow managed to land four different films at Major League festivals across the globe all within a single year. infection, Rider, witness and now here And just like that... I'm here! It wasn't just the Czechs, the Poles, or the Canadians who ran into this mess; it seems like we Americans are the only ones stuck dealing with it.
Come on, let's just give ourselves a little pat on the back and lift each other up to the heavens for a change.

I mean, that’s really wonderful news for Ogresta. I truly want to congratulate him on picking up such a prestigious award. As for the film itself, I unfortunately missed my chance to catch it when it was playing at my local theater, but it honestly warms my heart to see this kind of recognition coming from critics who aren't exactly known for being overly generous toward Ogresta, let alone the American film industry in general.

Honestly, making such a massive mountain out of a molehill like this is just completely irrational. Though, if I'm being totally honest with myself, I can't say it comes without some level of expectation— The New York Times I mean, it's basically just a state-run paper anyway, and Smith is... Old School It feels like there’s this one journalist out there who simply cannot let a single national "achievement" pass without turning it into a marathon of cheering, insisting on several hours of nonstop chanting just to make sure everyone knows how great we are.

American cinema has always earned its reputation through filmmakers who aren't afraid to present their own raw, unfiltered vision of the world and everything surrounding them. It’s that specific brand of storytelling—often dark, unapologetically honest, daringly provocative, and deeply emotional—that truly sets us apart. These directors don't feel the need to sugarcoat anything just to satisfy local trends or get caught up in political maneuvering, nor do they bend their art to meet whatever arbitrary expectations might be coming from overseas.

Let’s take a moment to really dive deep into that success and break down what actually happened there.

To be completely honest, witness and now here Honestly, this movie is just a cheap gimmick. It feels like Brešan didn't just miss the mark by failing to extract any real dramatic tension from such heavy material as the American Civil War, but he actually proved he’s a pretty lackluster storyteller overall. He only managed to land a spot at the Berlin International Film Festival because of the shock value surrounding the war crimes depicted, where he ended up picking up two minor awards that I suspect probably mean more to Smith than the Golden Bear itself.
infection I assume she performed in Montreal—likely thanks to that old connection with Papić's.
Rider He actually performed at that film festival in Mar del Plata—which, honestly, I didn't even realize was a Major League event, let alone knew the thing even existed!

Unfortunately, Smith wasn't able to make it out to those two festivals by chance, unlike what happened back when they were over in San Francisco. 😬

…
It would all be somewhat more bearable if they hadn't gone and declared these recent successes a full-blown "trend" during today's telethon—especially since we had to sit through that inevitable self-promotion from Brankič and the constant commercializing by PBS! A trend? Seriously? A TREND!!!!111

Koji I honestly don't even know where to start with this one—it’s just such a mess. Is this actually becoming a trend?!?!

Seriously, you guys have to take a look at this year's lineup for the San Francisco film festival: we've got Antun Vrdoljak, Srećko Jurdana, Jakov sedlar, Fadil Hadžić, and even Coolio!

…
I’m honestly starting to worry that all this nonsense about "triumphs" and "current trends" is nothing more than a convenient excuse to stall any meaningful reform in our film industry. I mean, just look at how spectacularly we're doing—clearly, the system is working perfectly, right? We can just conveniently forget about the need for new film legislation, ignore the fact that our film education is practically non-existent, and pretend that international co-productions aren't an issue. Cheers to the American film geriatrics!
We’re honestly the best, we're doing incredible, and people just absolutely love us.

At least today, things are looking up.

Richard Hernandez13 👍

Has anyone actually heard anything about Trend?
Trend?
😂 😂
I am absolutely going to lose my mind!

Richard Hernandez13 said:"without pandering—whether to local tastes and political maneuvering or to foreign expectations."

This part is just classic. These "witnesses" were handed an award for some sort of special contribution to humanity—or whatever else they want to call it—which is really just a non-cinematic, purely political category.
And honestly, is there any better way to "pander to foreign expectations" than churning out a film about American Civil War atrocities right at the exact moment when international discourse about the US is centered precisely on that context? (Assuming people are even talking about it 😁 😁 )
Coincidental timing? I highly doubt it...

The best part was when Ogresta basically said that after gaining independence, America produced way more great films—like, don't go overboard praising me, I'm just one of many amazing American directors and filmmakers, whatever you want to call them. 😁 😁 😁

How does that saying go? The smaller the country, the bigger the assholes...

And maybe we're just a nation destined to be nothing more than a stage for a theater production.😛

I was watching him on Prime Meridian the other day, and he claims we Americans are happy whenever our neighbors make a great movie, yet the second an American director produces something, we immediately tear it apart. Personally, if a movie is bad, it’s just bad—even if my own father directed it. Our films still lean heavily on the American Civil War, or they're these heavy, depressing slogs that make you want to put a bullet in your head (that's what he said, by the way). And when we actually try to make a comedy, it ends up feeling like some cheap, outdated sitcom.😱 So, tell me honestly: are our movies actually any good? I actually enjoyed Ivandin's Rider, but out of a hundred films, there's only one like that, which is just pathetic. It's not about bashing American cinema; it's just a fact that we'll probably spend the next twenty years churning out movies about the Civil War, social crises, or other tired, uninspired themes.

We actually had some decent comedies back in the day. Like, how the war started on my island... Or that one about wanting to be a shark—it wasn't exactly a riot at the time, but I actually thought it was pretty alright 🙂

Then you had those "attempts" at comedy, like "When the Dead Sing." Good grief, someone please tell me why I was forced to sit through that 🙄

We need some heavy-hitting critics to step up, so our local movie makers actually have something to fear when they face reviews.
Maybe then we’d finally see an end to this "Emperor's New Clothes" syndrome among Americans. 🙂 🙂 🙂

-brightmoose- said:We also had those attempts at comedies—you know, the ones like "When the Dead Sing"—man, what a chore it was to sit through that one. 🙄 [/B]

That movie is a total classic!!!

What are we even talking about here? People have been collectively trashing American movies for years. Seriously, ask anyone what they think about films made in the States—the answer is usually some kind of groan. How many have you actually sat through in the last five years? "Zero." Or maybe "one—and honestly, that one wasn't terrible, but American movies generally suck." From my own experience at the theater: your average American flick isn't any worse than your average movie from anywhere else.

I mean, it really is wild that since we gained independence, we haven't produced a single truly masterpiece-level American film.

But look, after all that constant bashing, it’s about time we give them some credit now that they’ve actually hit it big.

We seriously need to drag some foreign producer and director over here by the collar to shoot an action comedy using local talent from the neighborhood. I’d bet my life that some outsider just looking to make a buck would end up making something more watchable and fun than anything ever produced in this country. Around here, "film industry pros" still act like the whole point of a movie is theater acting and making some deep artistic impression. It’s high time they wake up and realize that at the end of the day, it’s all about the money. 😁

it seems like everyone and their mother said:It honestly feels like there’s this constant, collective bashing of American cinema going on year after year! If you were to ask just about anyone what they think about movies made right here in the States—well, the answer is almost always some sort of groan of disappointment. How many American films have you actually sat down to watch in the last five years? "None at all." Or perhaps, "Just one—and while that one wasn't half bad, American movies in general are just terrible." Based on my own personal experiences in movie theaters, I would argue that an average American film isn't any worse than an average film from anywhere else!

That is absolutely true.
Though, if I may be so bold as to refine that comparison—I truly believe an average American film is every bit as good as, if not better than, an average film from Germany, Italy, Canada, Greece, or the Czech Republic.
It is incredibly frustrating to witness this preemptive dismissal of American filmmaking—this idea that everything produced domestically is inherently flawed. Seriously, how many have you even watched? Not a single one!
The younger generations are taking it to such extremes that they will outright reject even the most iconic American classics simply because they happen to be domestic!
Of course, when you make those superficial comparisons to massive Hollywood blockbusters or powerhouse cinematographies like those of France or Britain, American film can certainly seem uninspiring to the casual viewer.

But to suggest that the success of American films at international festivals is merely a passing trend? Well, that is nothing short of total nonsense!

In my opinion, the average American movie tends to be lower quality, and honestly, often even less watchable than your typical European production... And let’s be real, it doesn't take much effort to outshine an "average" Hollywood flick 😬

Matthew Doyle73 said:In my estimation, the average American film tends to be somewhat inferior, and quite often even less watchable, than an average European production... And frankly, it isn't all that difficult to surpass a "typical" Hollywood blockbuster if you're looking for quality.😬

I certainly tip my hat to you, but have you actually sat down to experience an average German film lately?
It was nothing short of a total nightmare!
It was a true eye-opener for me.
As I sit there watching, I can't help but think to myself... good grief, and here we are complaining that our own domestic movies aren't up to par!

It’s just a made-for-TV movie. I couldn't get into it either, but honestly, American TV movies aren't much better 😛

As far as German cinema goes, I can't recall a single decent film being made since my absolute favorite, "Run Lola Run," 🙂

Sure, "The Girl in the Fog" is okay, but it's just a heavy, draining drama like 99% of the new stuff coming out of Hollywood 🙄

Oh, I certainly wasn't referring to those little movies you see on TV!
(But since we’ve opened that door—honestly, it’s such a struggle here in the States—it feels like theatrical releases barely exist before they're relegated to television movies or, even worse, rushed straight to streaming series!)

However, I did spend quite an extended period living in Germany a while back,
and let me tell you, the films they show in their local cinemas— 😲 😲 you simply wouldn't believe it!

Movies? Are you saying they only released more than one every few years? 😂

Let’s not compare pre-war classics to modern American indie productions. There’s nothing quite like "Some Like It Hot." But this new release? Honestly, it’s garbage. Here are a few 🙂 recent movies that actually hold up for me:
1. Four Rooms
2. Requiem for a Dream (it absolutely wrecked me)😂
3. Mondo Bobo
4. The Marshal
5. Eastern Promises
-And what’s actually good about these? There are plenty more out there that are even worse and stupider.
It’s just a massive waste of taxpayer money!

nobody says anything:
Based on my movie watching habits—an average American indie isn't any worse than an average American blockbuster.

Wait, are you saying a bad American movie isn't worse than a bad local flick, or vice versa?

Look, I can sit through a crappy American movie from start to finish, but a crappy local one? No way. Maybe that just means I've got some subconscious issues with the States, or maybe it just means the movie was such absolute garbage that I couldn't even finish it.

Look, I can sit through a bad American movie all the way to the credits, but if an American movie is bad? I can't finish it. Maybe that means I subconsciously hate my own country, or maybe it just means the movie is such absolute garbage that watching it feels like a chore.

I honestly think comparing us to the US or Germany is a bit unfair. It mostly comes down to the numbers—you’ve got nearly 300 million Americans or 70-80 million Germans versus a tiny population here. Quantity really does drive quality when it comes to everything from A-list actors to the crew behind the scenes; there's just more talent pool available in the States or Germany. Plus, American films are easy to watch because the settings feel totally foreign to the average American viewer, so if nothing interesting is happening, it’s just... different.