Xlala Film Analysis

Hollywood is the most popular form of cinema and filmmaking; it is the first one that comes to mind when people think of cinema today. But, the world is not limited to just the American and Hollywood perspective as other countries make their own films even compete against the familiar style. Transnational films break through both ‘national’ and ‘international’ forms and can be taken on a global and local scale. Though, it does not limit media to one country, but works across many national cultures and economies.
Films are not limited to just one country; they can be filmed across one or in many. Although, due to the original context of the film, not every country may be able to fully grasp all of the film’s content. Y Tu Mama Tambien is an example that has commentary that may fly over people’s heads. Stafford writes, “The political commentary in the film is not recognized by every audience (in fact, it is probably recognized by a small minority in
“Third Cinema would be international in ideas, sharing with other producers and audiences, but also local in terms of specific issues for investigation” (Stafford, 208). In the film Xala, the issues of corruption, masculinity, and capitalism are at large, but are seen within an African country. Postcolonialism is not to be confused with post-colonialism, the difference being that one is focused of the transition of a culture or a post-colonial state. This changing of culture can be seen as one being ‘modernized’ by another, the influence of a colonizer upon a soon to be colonized place. Even if the affects aren’t immediate, like in How Tasty Was My Little Frenchman, where the natives are being introduced to new weapons and new white people, they are slowly wanting what the colonizers have, whether it be trinkets or cannon