Who Knew A Film Called Parasite Could Change International Filmmaking?
Unless you’ve been living under a rock since the past few years, you’ve most likely seen or at least heard of Parasite, the first non-English film to ever win an Oscar. Directed by Bong Joon-ho, this movie earned a 99% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and grossed over $257 million at the box office when it was released in 2019. What made this film such a massive hit and how was it able to massively captivate audiences around the world?
It’s simple: Parasite hits the viewer right where it hurts. The story is the heart of the movie. If one had to summarize the movie in 7 words, it could be this: “The struggling Kims and the wealthy Parks.” We are introduced to the Kim family, struggling to meet ends and crammed up in a basement that is way too small for them. And just as we start to feel sorry for them, the film flips the script on us as we see the Kim family hustle and manipulate their way to take up jobs at the Park household. It forces the viewer to question: Is this morally correct? Do morals matter in the late-stage capitalism we’re in? In a world that is never black and white and grows darker every day, exactly how grey can we allow our morals to be?
It is worth noting that this film came out in late 2019 and most people were tuning into it at the start of 2020: a year that severely impacted social classes and left us with a stronger-than-ever understanding of class disparity and income inequality. Perhaps the reason why the film is so wildly celebrated is that many of the viewers could see a reflection of their current state of affairs. It painted a visual not too far from reality and audiences vastly resonated with its harsh yet true portrayal of social class dynamics.
Packed with contemporary cinematography that skillfully captures the contrasting worlds of both families and heartbreakingly beautiful performances by the cast, the film shines in every aspect of filmmaking. With a hard-hitting script of thought-provoking social commentary, a masterful blend of dark comedy, drama, thriller, and social commentary, a compelling and unpredictable plot, and a meticulously crafted production design, it was bound to make history. Along with being the first non-English language film to win the Oscar for Best Picture, it also won Oscars for Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best International Feature Film.
Parasite is a movie that is as abstract as it gets. It isn’t supposed to make you feel less or more, its aim isn't to make you feel better or worse about yourself. Its job is to simply exist: what it makes you feel ultimately boils down to what your reality is in this world.
Parasite is a harsh reminder for us to reflect on where we are headed together as a society. For Earth Films, a new and emerging production house, this film is an inspiration on how to captivate audiences and impactfully portray harsh realities. We are a Mumbai-based ad film production house and we offer television commercials, corporate film production, digital films, CG, animation films, and product demo/knowledge videos. We are constantly amazed by films like Parasite and vow to reflect realities in our films as skillfully as Parasite did. To collaborate and create films that speak volumes, contact Earth Films: https://www.earthfilms.in/
