The 6 Movies That Made Me Want to Make Films That Impact Culture

By Kathy Berardi, Film Producer & Writer

The lights are dimmed and a story begins. The protagonist is introduced in a fury of lights and dramatic sound effects, and the viewer is pulled into an environment of imagination, emotions and complex issues. For a long time, storytelling has been a means of teaching lessons and giving ideas. Many times as viewers, we don’t see the complex issues unfolding and being challenged in these stories, but we are being influenced on a personal level when we come to care about the protagonist and their journey.

I have been positively influenced by the power of storytelling in filmmaking. Many movies have sparked my creative thought process and challenged the cultural stereotypes that I’ve witnessed in my life. Here are six films that I believe break stereotypes and impact culture. 

Black Panther (2018)

I was marveled by the 2018 Marvel Studios film, Black Panther for its diverse and empowered insight. An African leader saved the world in which the film took place, but more importantly impacted culture from conversations to perspectives in the world that we’re living in today. This film pushed the status quo as a major studio release and portrayed that individuals of any culture, ethnicity and gender are reaching and engaging a massive audience in an aspirational way. 

As The New York Times writer Carvell Wallace published in “Why Black Panther Is a Defining Moment for Black America”: “'Black Panther’ is a Hollywood movie, and Wakanda is a fictional nation. But coming when they do, from a director like Coogler, they must also function as a place for multiple generations of black Americans to store some of our most deeply held aspirations.”

The central conflicts of the story’s characters present incredibly personal challenges with high stakes – a quintessential element of the Hollywood narrative. And, as film critic Aaron Charles writes in his review: “Here is a film that has a definite care for the intentions and obstacles of its characters. As I've said before (with heavy influence from the great Aaron Sorkin by way of Aristotle's Poetics) intention and obstacle provide the basis for all drama.”

As a mother, I saw the powerful influence of this movie on my 8-year-old as she watched equally strong warrior women and warrior men, as well as a diverse set of characters fighting for justice, fighting for good and saving the world. I hope the film taught her to think more boldly and that women, in particular, can be scientifically gifted (as the character Shuri was) and contribute to victory with that as a talent, as well as the strong fighting warriors who were protecting those they love and the values they stand for, as Nakia and Okoye did. A new perspective on an old story empowered me to not search for new stories in my filmmaking, but rather, present the stories we all know, love and have been raised on and give power to a new voice and perspective. I believe this approach will connect and bind us to our similarities and it naturally serves as a way to embrace humanity by embracing a story about what collectively makes us all human.

The social impact of Black Panther wasn’t just subject to me and my child. The revolutionary film has been dubbed “groundbreaking” by media the world over. Its strong themes challenge institutional biases, traditional oppression, perspectives on black lives and tradition.

Crazy Rich Asians (2018)

Boy meets girl, boy and girl fall in love and then there’s the family, who the lead character Nick Young describes in a relatable way as 'there's one half you love and respect and then there's the other half'. Crazy Rich Asians presents an age-old struggle between protective parents and grown children seeking independence, cultural clashes when mutual understanding is lacking and the people who are caught "between" due to differences based on background. The landmark appeal of this 2018 feature is that it carries the banner of being the first major Hollywood studio film with an all Asian cast, and authentically including cultural elements from music to customs and geographies. Despite the fancy houses, crazy parties and private jets, the film presents the thousands year old tale of a family, a mother, a son and the bittersweet moments when a new couple breaks away from their past to start a new beginning.

Erin Brockovich (2000)

Erin Brockovich is a movie that stands the test of time as the story of a single mother, discovering a truth and fighting for justice. Erin juggles the struggle of trying to raise her children while maintaining a full-time job and supporting her family. The movie challenges gender stereotypes in a typically male-dominated law industry, and it gives insight into lower-income classes that often are underrepresented in society and under-respected. Erin becomes a feminist heroine for all women on their walks of life and what path to pursue in one’s life that’s meaningful.

Billy Elliot (2000)

A boy had a dream. He had a passion. He pursued it, then he was told it wasn’t right. Billy Elliot tells the story of a young, male dancer working through the sexual stereotypes of role dominance. Billy Elliot dismantles the stereotypes that dance is for an elite class, that a boy from a working class family has the right to pursue ballet and challenges traditional thinking on gay characters, relationships and spectatorship.

The Theory of Everything (2014)

There’s a class of individuals in society whose journeys and perspectives remain to being widely told as persons with disabilities continue to be underrepresented in film. The movie The Theory of Everything moves to bring voice to the not-so-silent group of disabled individuals struggling with ALS. The movie portrays the struggle of Stephen Hawkings and his slowly deteriorating disorder of ALS and how he works to cope with the struggle.

Pariah (2011)

Pariah is a traditional coming-of-age drama but with the unique perspective of a black LGBTQ character. The protagonist Alike struggles with acceptance from family and friends on her sexual orientation, and the art of discovering who she wants to be in life. Alike turns to creative poetry writing as a vessel of working through the emotions, challenges and heartache of the situation. Pariah is any young person’s struggle of self-discovery and the common growing-up story. From a new perspective, Pariah enlightens viewers to the challenges of a young queer black woman’s experience.

>> What movie encouraged you towards a new perspective?

About the Author: Kathy Berardi is a graduate of the UCLA School of Theater, Film & Television MFA program in Screenwriting. In roles as a producer and writer, Berardi has created numerous award-winning short films, branded content and currently has several projects in development with producing partner Walter Richardson. Her empathy-driven filmmaking style guides her team to bring classic stories to life from new perspectives, empowering underrepresented voices and narratives that encourage audiences to embrace each other by embracing the story of another. Connect with her on LinkedIn and follow her on Twitter and Instagram.