Photo Credit: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9561862/

Love, Death, and Robots

This is an anthology of short-films that can be watched in any order and covers a vast range of genres and topics. Some of the short-films provide new perspectives by demonstrating different cultural expressions. Even in films that take place beyond our world, the cultures shown are wide ranging and reveal new understandings of the separate societies.

Additional Information:

Release Date: Series One (2019), Series Two (2021), Series Three (2022)

Director(s): Various

Content/Age Warning: 17+, sexual references, blood and gore, horror.

Genre(s): Horror/Fiction/Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Photo Credit: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060028/

Star Trek: The Original Series

This is a prime example of creating a culturally diverse universe within the framework of digital media. Over the course of three seasons the characters in this show interact with a variety of different 'fictional' cultures and their understanding of their universe is only enhanced by the interactions. In some episodes, the solution to the crew's problems only comes by accepting and integrating different cultural perspectives.

Additional Information:

Release Date: 8 September 1966 – 3 June 1969

Program Creator: Gene Roddenberry

Content/Age Warning: 7+, mild suggestions of violence.

Genre: Science-Fiction

Photo Credit: https://dailyutahchronicle.com/2021/11/27/midnight-mass-horror/

Midnight Mass

This is a thrilling show that discusses, among other things, the overarching influence of religion and the way its misuse can hurt cultural diversity. The show itself includes mentions of multiple religions, but it is clear throughout that there is a hierarchy of importance. The characters all operate with their own traditional values and there are discussions of other cultural expressions and religious practices, which only creates a dynamic atmosphere for discussion and disagreement.

Additional Information:

Release Date: 24 September 2021

Program Creator: Mike Flanagan

Content/Age Warning: 13+, language, depictions of alcohol abuse, and suggestive language.

Genre: Fiction/Horror

Photo Credit: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2403776/

Shadow and Bone

This is a TV series based on a book series and, while both have substantial cultural diversity, the TV series is far more visual about the cultural expressions. (This does not mean the books are not worth reading). The inclusion of multiple cultures – though fictional – allows for a significant number of traditions to be explored and analyzed by the characters. The story lines also incorporate attitudes of racism directed towards the main characters and demonstrates how these views are detrimental to the functionality and cohesion of society.

Additional Information:

Release Date: 23 April 2021

Program Creator: Christina Strain, Thane Watkins, Rand Geiger, Vanya Asher, Craig Forrest, and Becca Edelman.

Content/Age Warning: 13+, mild violence, language, and suggestive content.

Genre: Fantasy

Photo Credit: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5883700/

Fearless

This is a documentary series that follows bull riding champions from Latin America as they strive to enter into the high paying competition found in the United States of America. The central focus of the documentary is on the specific culture of the rodeos and how the participants interact amongst each other. The combination of cultures from South and Latin America as they qualify for U.S. competitions shows how the aspects of showmanship seek to connect cultures and ease differences when there is a common base outside of each participant's mother culture.

Additional Information:

Release Date: 19 August 2016

Program Creator: Andrew Fried

Content/Age Warning: 7+, video of life-threatening activities and injuries, language, and depictions of dangerous situations.

Genre: Documentary