Exploring the Visual Aspect of Asian Cinema Diaspora

Diaspora, the term derived from the Greek word diasperien denoting the diffusion of the population from their native to other settlements, often driven by socioeconomic and political reasons, is a concept that fundamentally deals with the effects of globalization, migration, and cultural fusion. In Asian cinema, it has led to an increase in perceptions of certain immigrant communities originating from southeast Asia, allowing filmmakers to fabricate films from their unique interpretations and experiences. This article will discuss how the visual aspects play a crucial role in diasporic films of Asian cinema.

To truly understand this aspect, one must look at the ways in which filmmakers used these elements to portray diaspora. One such way is through landscapes to portray the emotions experienced in migration, as used in the films “The Lunchbox” (2013) and “Tokyo Sonata” (2008), where the cities of Mumbai and Tokyo are represented as alienating places to the characters of the movies with visual elements such as colour, lighting, and composition. Each of these cities is portrayed with more vivid colours and commotion caused by people in the city, stimulating in the characters a sense of detachment with this new environment they must live in and battle these challenges as they proceed.

Another such way is through cultural fusion, as observed in the film “Monsoon Wedding (2001),” where this fusion is simultaneously seen to be the point of conflict as well as creativity through elements such as clothing attire, music, and dance styles. This also brings about the idea of how the fusion of two existing cultures and traditions could bring about something completely new, if not electrifying and never seen before.

Diaspora in Asian Cinema also is closely associated with the need to represent identity by incorporating their culture and community in the film itself. This can be seen in the film “Parasite” (2019), where the economic divide between the poor and rich becomes apparent in the scenes showing the houses of both the Kim family and the Park family. These also suggest the themes of privilege and exploitation when it came to the Kim family piggybacking off of the wealth of the Park family. These elements also give the audience a sense of connection with the characters and allow filmmakers to express ideas and questions of identity in a relatable manner.

The visual aspect of diaspora doesn’t just stop at the film level; the distribution worldwide also plays a major aspect in this. With the growth of streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Hotstar, it has become easier to watch films from around the world, anywhere. Hence, this led to a rise in interest in Asian cinema.

To conclude, the visual aspect of Asian cinema allows viewers to effectively grasp the emotions and messages the filmmaker tried to portray through the abovementioned ways. It, therefore, becomes a necessity for us as the audience to identify the cultures represented in these movies to appreciate Diaspora in Asian cinema fully.