iParticipate Five

When thinking about the cultural representation of other cultures in movies, one movie comes to mind immediately: Borat (or, the full title: Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan). This mockumentary comedy treats foreigners who are not from the United States as if they are imbeciles or of a lesser cognitive function than Americans. The movie narrative treats Borat as an outsider (or strange curiosity) to the Americans that he annoys and confuses. The foreign environment in this film (his home of Kazakhstan) is seen as very backward and inhospitable, but is presented in a comedic light. His language and difference of appearance set Borat apart from everyone he encounters in America. This movie was made to poke fun at Islamic countries, and it is not a good representation of how those people would see themselves. Borat is viewed through a "white, middle-class, American male gaze," and it is not flattering.