Quite often those wishing to introduce younger generations to films of a more classic period go one, if not two, routes. Firstly, the classic films tend to be those of the older individual's generation (often this is pure nostalgia for the era, not the art of film). Secondly, the films introduced tend to be those of the ones that introduces their own country.
While it is good to have national pride, the fact is that the world is growing ever smaller and the concept of understanding the similarities and differences of cultures other than one's own is becoming increasingly significant.
The world has been around far, far longer than anyone has currently been living on it and encompasses more than it is virtually able to be experienced by a single individual. One of the profoundly great things about cinema is its ability to easily introduce viewers to so many different eras and locations.