Introduction

Film is not a passive medium that merely reflects the societies in which it is made. It is also a powerful cultural force, capable of shaping ideologies, inspiring social change, and creating shared values that transcend borders. As Benedict Anderson (1983) described nations as “imagined communities” constructed through shared narratives, so too does cinema provide the stories, symbols, and images that help bind societies together. This essay explores the ways in which film creates culture—through fashion, language, propaganda, ideology, and social awareness—demonstrating that cinema is as much an agent of cultural construction as it is a mirror of cultural realities.

Shaping Popular Trends and Everyday Life

Cinema has long been a trendsetter, influencing fashion, behavior, and language. When Flashdance (1983) popularized off-the-shoulder sweatshirts and leg warmers, millions of viewers adopted the style, demonstrating the film’s ability to set global fashion trends (Church Gibson, 2000). Similarly, James Dean’s rebellious persona in Rebel Without a Cause (1955) defined a cultural archetype of the teenager that extended well beyond the screen into everyday life, transforming generational identity itself.

Catchphrases from films often enter common speech, reshaping language in ways that outlast the movies themselves. Lines such as “Here’s looking at you, kid” (Casablanca, 1942) or “May the Force be with you” (Star Wars, 1977) function as cultural shorthand, not only reflecting but actively embedding themselves into collective identity and everyday communication.

Cinema as Ideological Instrument

Film has often been deployed deliberately to shape cultural and political ideologies. During the Second World War, both Allied and Axis powers recognized cinema’s potential as propaganda. Leni Riefenstahl’s Triumph of the Will (1935) constructed a vision of Nazi unity and power, while Frank Capra’s Why We Fight series (1942–1945) was designed to instill patriotism among American soldiers and civilians (Taylor, 1998).

In the United States, Cold War science fiction films such as The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951) and Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) did not simply reflect fears of nuclear war or communism—they actively shaped the way audiences conceptualized ideological threats, embedding the imagery of invasion and paranoia into the cultural consciousness (Booker, 2006).

Inspiring Social Awareness and Change

Film also has the power to transform culture by raising awareness and inspiring collective action. Documentaries, in particular, have catalyzed social and political shifts. Morgan Spurlock’s Super Size Me (2004) exposed the health dangers of fast food, leading McDonald’s to eliminate its “Super Size” option, illustrating cinema’s capacity to provoke corporate and policy change.

In India, Chak De! India (2007) not only entertained but also revitalized national interest in field hockey, sparking institutional reforms in the sport (Gokulsing & Dissanayake, 2004). Similarly, Philadelphia (1993) was one of the first mainstream Hollywood films to address HIV/AIDS and homophobia directly, creating cultural space for dialogue and empathy during a period of widespread fear and misunderstanding.

Expanding Representation and Imagining Futures

Film also shapes culture by expanding representation and offering new possibilities for identity. Black Panther (2018) was not simply a superhero movie—it became a cultural event that redefined Black representation in Hollywood, popularized Afrofuturism, and created new imaginaries of empowerment for global audiences (Nama, 2020).

Science fiction films, too, create culture by shaping how societies imagine the future. The Matrix (1999) did more than reflect anxieties about digital technology; it created a cultural lexicon of “red pills” and “blue pills” that continues to influence philosophical, political, and technological discourse (Kaes, 2010). By presenting diverse stories and characters, film fosters empathy across cultural boundaries. Films today create global awareness, extending far beyond a particular society to spark conversations worldwide about health and wealth disparities.

The Continuous Cycle of Cultural Creation

Film’s ability to create culture is inseparable from its reflective function. What begins as a reflection can quickly transform into creation. For example, disco existed before Saturday Night Fever (1977), but the film amplified and globalized the phenomenon, creating a lasting cultural movement. Likewise, the rebellious spirit of 1950s youth culture was already present, but films like Rebel Without a Cause solidified and popularized it.

This cycle—society provides raw material, filmmakers shaping it, audiences adopting it, and culture evolving as a result—demonstrates cinema’s role as both participant in and architect of culture.

Final Thoughts

Film’s cultural power lies not only in its capacity to mirror social realities but also in its ability to shape them. By influencing fashion, language, ideology, political thought, and social awareness, cinema actively constructs cultural identities and values. Historical examples—from propaganda films to socially conscious documentaries and global blockbusters—demonstrate that movies can leave legacies that reshape collective imagination and behavior.

Therefore, to ask whether film reflects or creates culture is to pose a false dichotomy. Cinema does both, simultaneously and continuously. It is both a cultural mirror and a cultural molder, a repository of memory and a laboratory of invention. Understanding this reciprocal relationship is key to appreciating film not merely as entertainment but as one of the most powerful cultural forces of the modern age.

Sources / Further Reading

• Anderson, Benedict. Imagined Communities. Verso, 1983.
• Booker, M. Keith. Alternate Americas: Science Fiction Film and American Culture. Praeger, 2006.
• Church Gibson, Pamela. Fashion and Celebrity Culture. Berg, 2000.
• Gokulsing, K. Moti, and Wimal Dissanayake. Popular Culture in a Globalized India. Routledge, 2004.
• Kaes, Anton. Shell Shock Cinema: Weimar Culture and the Wounds of War. Princeton University Press, 2010.
• Nama, Adilifu. Race on the QT: Blackness and the Films of Quentin Tarantino. University of Texas Press, 2020.
• Taylor, Richard. Film Propaganda: Soviet Russia and Nazi Germany. I.B. Tauris, 1998.