Expanding Nations

It is impossible to cover the full history of world cinema in one 800-page book, let alone the history of cinema in one nation, but it is possible to cover the basis of the cinemas of the world. It is possible to find the root of cinema and the important events that make it what it is today. Like in the beginning, cinema is defined by invention; filmmakers are still creating new ways to film subjects and new technology to do so. Because technology is a key component and therefore money is needed for the technology, the United States has continued to dominate the world cinema market. Although the industries of India and Japan are larger than that of the U.S., they are unable to penetrate western audiences on such a grand scale. In the early stages of cinema, the U.S. even took from other countries, whether it was technology or personnel.

Cinema, especially that of the U.S., has expanded imagined nations. When people around the world can view the same Hollywood Blockbuster, we are sharing an experience and for the span of a few hours the film connects us all. We see the people who have been in our imagined communities and share at least on common interest. When we leave one imagined nation for another, it is easier to find others who have shared the experience as well. For instance, I am from Iowa but go to school in Missouri, when I go back home, I cross an imagined border and enter a new nation of filmgoers. In some ways, I am expanding the imagined nations of those closest to me.

We don’t always see the other people from our ‘nation’ but sometimes we find them when we are outside of our ‘nation’ and in another. For instance, finding another Iowan in Missouri, we have that common interest and share a common ‘nation’. It takes leaving to find more, and then when you return, you are more connected than before and it snowballs. The same can be said on a larger scale, like when traveling outside of the country, finding another American. You have at least one thing in common and that again expands your imagined nation. Our imagined nations are constantly growing in various and exciting ways.