CHANGING THE NARRATIVE

Let's hear it for the films that took a left turn in their genre

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There's a saying that there are 'no new stories', and certainly movies seem to serve up familiar tales and tropes. Cinema is such an integral part of us, mirroring what we believe and how we coexist. But every so often, filmmakers deviate from what we're used to seeing on screen - whether it's through casting, characters, narratives or production. They go against the grain, challenging stereotypes and thereby changing the conversation.

1 THE LITTLE MERMAID (2023)

The new version of the beloved fairytale has come under fire for its casting of Ariel. Halle Bailey, an African-American actor, plays the red-haired, blue-eyed mermaid so familiar from the 1989 Disney film. Despite many animated films having challenged the idea that only white girls can be fairytale heroines - Mulan (1998), Aladdin (1992), Pocahontas (1995), The Princess and the Frog (2009), Moana (2016) - it seems a 'live action' version that doesn't fit the mould is harder to swallow for some - leading to #NotMyAriel doing the rounds. Asking "Can there be a black (or Asian or whatever) mermaid?" is a nonsensical question, really. Ariel is a mythical creature, so who's to say existing perceptions of what a mermaid looks like are correct? But if anyone needs more convincing, consider that in African and Caribbean folklore, mermaids are black.

2 AVENGERS: ENDGAME (2019)