Of course, the precise definition of a foreign film depends on where you live in the world, and for much of the world, which is fed a steady diet of big-budget American studio movies, most of the movies that audiences have access to are foreign movies. For American audiences, however, foreign movies are usually more obscure and harder to find.
As access to movies via the internet has become more widespread, viewers have been exposed to foreign films that they might never have known existed in the days when they had to rely on movie theaters and video rental stores. Some foreign cinema traditions, such as Korean dramas or Indian Bollywood romances, have built strong followings worldwide as a result of this increased exposure, and American audiences in general have become more open to the idea of exploring foreign films.
Occasionally a foreign film will achieve break-out success with mainstream American audiences. In 1997, for example, the Italian-made "Life is Beautiful" managed broad success in America and made star Roberto Benigni a household name. Sometimes foreign films benefit from the involvement of American companies in their production in order to get a foothold in the U.S.; Ang Lee's "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" is an example.
