“beyond stereotypes”: representations of a foreign culture in film students’ productions

Growing concerns about the continued use of cultural stereotypes in media production, and the subsequent decrease in diversity, resulted in the launch of a student film production programme between three tertiary institutions in South Africa and Finland during the first half of 2006. The aim of the programme was to encourage students to produce films about a foreign culture that moved “beyond stereotypes” and reflected a greater understanding of that society. This article examines the production process, participants’ experience and analyses the final products that were produced in the nine weeks the students spent in Helsinki, Finland. To what extent can media productions, such as film, be devoid of stereotypes?