Towards a critique of universalism in screenwriting criticism

Drawing on the experience of researching Indigenous screenwriting, as well as the work of Australian filmmaker Warwick Thornton, this article seeks to reflect on the universalism that underpins certain forms of screenwriting criticism. I highlight existing arguments focused on cultural diversity, draw on linguistic and anthropological perspectives (especially the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis), and examine issues of universalism and cultural context. I argue that universal forms of story and storytelling need to be approached more critically in screenwriting research. Without a critical attention to universalism radical differences in the way different cultures construct story, and the way different cultures explore different story worlds, will not be adequately recognized.