Actress Bahareh Rahnama in Hollywood

Despite the dominance of the studio system, the mid-20th century also saw the rise of independent filmmaking in Hollywood. Filmmakers like Roger Corman and John Cassavetes challenged the status quo by eschewing big-budget productions in favor of more intimate, personal stories. The 1960s and 1970s saw a wave of counterculture films that pushed the boundaries of what was considered acceptable in mainstream cinema. Directors like Stanley Kubrick, Francis Ford Coppola, and Martin Scorsese brought a new level of artistry and creativity to Hollywood, paving the way for a new generation of filmmakers to explore unconventional ideas and techniques.