IELTS Essay: Why do people watch foreign films first, before local films?

The following essay question was asked on an IELTS test recently held in India.

Most people watch foreign films first, before locally produced films. Why is that so? If the government in your country decides to invest in the film industry, will you support them to do so and why?

You can spend 40 minutes on this task. You must write at least 250 words.

Model Answer

The fact that a film produced in one country gets released in another country is an indication that it is a good film which is likely to interest people from all over the world. When I think of foreign films what come to my mind are Hollywood films.

I think the popularity of Hollywood films and foreign films in general can be attributed to the fact that they use the most modern technology. What is more, these films are produced by big companies that have the money and the means to generate huge publicity for them. Today, we all know that marketing is what decides the fate of a product – be it a film, a book or a gadget. So I am not surprised that these films tend to do well overseas.

Locally produced films, on the other hand, are usually produced by small production houses that can’t generate a great deal of hype. What’s more, these films often have familiar storylines and backdrops that may not interest some people. That probably explains why most people watch foreign films before locally produced ones.

As for the government investment in the film industry, well, I think that is a fine idea. I don’t think that the government should produce commercial films with the sole objective of making money. Instead, it can produce films that carry a message. You can’t expect big or small production houses to make such films because they are not always commercially viable. Because the government doesn’t lack money or means it can produce such films for the welfare of the society.