Explain how interculturality (as it is portrayed in the film) impacts communication, and illustrate with one specific scene from the film.

Assignment Brief

Describe how the film shows interculturality affecting communication, and give an example by focusing on one particular scene.

What This Assignment Is About

This assignment asks you to watch a film that includes characters from different cultures, then explain how their cultural differences affect the way they communicate. This topic is called interculturality, which means how people from different cultural backgrounds interact with each other.

You also need to choose one specific scene from the film and describe how communication is affected in that moment because of cultural differences.

Key Points to Cover in the Assignment

1. What is Interculturality?

Start by explaining that interculturality means:

• Communication between people from different countries, languages, or traditions

• People may have different values, behaviours, or ways of speaking

• Sometimes this can lead to misunderstandings or conflicts, but it can also lead to learning and stronger connections

2. Communication and Culture

Show how culture can affect communication through:

• Language (words or phrases may have different meanings)

• Body language (e.g. eye contact or gestures)

• Tone of voice

• Levels of directness or politeness

• Expectations or assumptions

Explain that when people from different cultures don’t understand each other’s style, communication may break down.

3. Example from a Film (Use a Scene)

Choose one scene from a film that clearly shows intercultural communication. For example, in a scene where:

• A character misunderstands another person’s words or actions

• There is conflict because of cultural values

• One character struggles to fit in or express themselves

• Two characters must learn from each other’s culture

Describe the scene clearly and explain:

• What is happening

• Which cultures are involved

• What the misunderstanding or issue is

• How this affects the communication between them

Then explain what this scene shows us about intercultural communication.

Conclusion

End by saying what you learned from the scene:

• How culture shapes how people talk and listen

• Why intercultural awareness is important

• What we can do to improve communication between cultures (e.g. listening more, being respectful, asking questions)

Sample Answer

How Interculturality Impacts Communication in Film

Introduction

In many films, characters come from different cultural backgrounds. These differences can cause misunderstandings in how they talk to each other. This is called interculturality. It affects the way people speak, listen, and understand one another. In this report, I will explain how interculturality impacts communication. I will also give an example from the film Lost in Translation (2003), where two characters from different cultures struggle to communicate clearly.

What is Interculturality?

Interculturality means people from different cultures coming together and sharing ideas, thoughts, or feelings. These people may speak different languages, follow different customs, or have different beliefs. Because of this, they may not always understand each other easily. This can lead to confusion, frustration, or even conflict.

However, interculturality is not always negative. If people try to understand and respect each other’s cultures, it can also lead to friendship, learning, and stronger communication.

How Interculturality Affects Communication

Culture can affect how people:

• Speak (tone, words, volume)

• Use body language (eye contact, hand movements)

• Show emotions (smiling, nodding, silence)

• Handle disagreements or polite speech

When people from different cultures communicate, they may not understand these signals in the same way. This is where intercultural problems can begin.

Example from the Film: Lost in Translation

Scene: Bob Harris at the TV commercial shoot in Japan

In this scene, Bob Harris, an American actor, is in Tokyo to film a whisky advert. The Japanese director speaks for a long time in Japanese, giving Bob very detailed instructions. But the translator tells Bob only a short sentence like, “He wants you to be more intense.” Bob is confused and frustrated.

Why This is a Good Example of Interculturality:

• Bob and the director come from different cultures.

• The language barrier causes misunderstanding.

• The translator doesn’t fully explain what the director says.

• The director expects Bob to understand Japanese acting style, which Bob does not know.

• Bob expects clear instructions, which he doesn’t receive.

This scene shows how cultural differences and poor translation can lead to miscommunication.

What This Scene Teaches Us

This scene teaches us that:

• Language is not the only problem, culture plays a big role.

• In Japan, people may speak in a polite and indirect way.

• In the US, people may expect direct and clear instructions.

• When people do not understand each other’s styles, confusion happens.

If the translator had explained more clearly or if Bob had known more about Japanese culture, the communication might have been better.

Continued...