Entertaining German Culture: Contemporary Transnational Television and Film

Contemporary German film and television are becoming increasingly transnational, with depictions of German cultural history moving beyond the post-war focus on Germany's problematic past. Entertaining German Culture explores this shift through areas of mutually assimilating cultural exchange, such as streaming services, an international film market, and the import and export of Anglo-American media formats.

Format: Hardback
Length: 304 pages
Publication date: 11 August 2023
Publisher: Berghahn Books

Contemporary German film and television audiences are becoming increasingly transnational, with depictions of German cultural history moving beyond the typical post-war focus on Germany's problematic past. Entertaining German Culture explores this radical shift, building on recent research into transnational culture to argue that a new process of internal and external cultural reabsorption is taking place through areas of mutually assimilating cultural exchange such as streaming services, an increasingly international film market, and the import and export of Anglo-American media formats.

Streaming services have become a major platform for the distribution of German cultural content, with platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Hulu offering a wide range of German films, TV shows, and documentaries. These services have expanded the reach of German culture to a global audience, allowing viewers to access content from anywhere in the world. Streaming services have also played a significant role in promoting German culture to a younger audience, with many young people discovering German culture through streaming services.

The international film market has also become a significant source of revenue for German film and television. German films have been nominated for and won numerous awards at international film festivals, including the Academy Awards, the Golden Globe Awards, and the Cannes Film Festival. This has helped to increase the visibility of German culture and has led to increased demand for German films and TV shows.

The import and export of Anglo-American media formats has also played a significant role in the reabsorption of German cultural history. German media companies have been able to export their content to the United States and other English-speaking countries, where it has been adapted and re-imagined for a new audience. This has helped to increase the popularity of German culture in these countries and has led to the development of new German-American cultural collaborations.

However, the reabsorption of German cultural history has also been accompanied by challenges. For example, some German cultural institutions have been criticized for their lack of diversity and their failure to represent the full range of German cultural experiences. Additionally, the import and export of Anglo-American media formats has led to the homogenization of German culture, with some German cultural elements being lost or diluted.

To address these challenges, Entertaining German Culture proposes a number of strategies. One of these strategies is to promote greater diversity and representation in German cultural institutions. This can be done by hiring more diverse staff, by creating more diverse programming, and by partnering with other cultural institutions to promote cross-cultural exchange.

Another strategy is to promote the export of German cultural content to a wider range of countries. This can be done by partnering with international film festivals, by creating new distribution channels, and by promoting German culture through social media and other digital platforms.

Finally, Entertaining German Culture proposes to promote the re-imagining of German cultural history through the use of new technologies. This can be done by creating virtual reality experiences, by creating interactive exhibits, and by using digital media to promote German culture to a younger audience.

In conclusion, contemporary German film and television audiences are becoming increasingly transnational, with depictions of German cultural history moving beyond the typical post-war focus on Germany's problematic past. Entertaining German Culture explores this radical shift, building on recent research into transnational culture to argue that a new process of internal and external cultural reabsorption is taking place through areas of mutually assimilating cultural exchange such as streaming services, an increasingly international film market, and the import and export of Anglo-American media formats. While the reabsorption of German cultural history has also been accompanied by challenges, there are a number of strategies that can be used to address these challenges and promote greater diversity and representation in German cultural institutions.

Weight: 596g
Dimension: 160 x 237 x 25 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781805390558