25 Inspiring Filmmakers To Spark Cinematic Passion...

TO ME CINEMA IS THE ART OF HAVING EACH THING IN ITS PLACE. IN THIS IT RESEMBLES ALL THE OTHER ARTS. LIKE THE ANECDOTE ABOUT JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH PLAYING FOR A STUDENT, THE STUDENT GUSHES WITH ADMIRATION, BUT BACH SAYS, “THERE’S NOTHING TO ADMIRE. YOU JUST HAVE TO HIT THE NOTE AT THE RIGHT TIME, AND THE ORGAN DOES THE REST.”

ROBERT BRESSON

MASTERPIECES ARE BORN OF THE ARTIST’S STRUGGLE TO EXPRESS HIS ETHICAL IDEALS. INDEED, HIS CONCEPTS AND HIS SENSIBILITIES ARE INFORMED BY THOSE IDEALS. IF HE LOVES LIFE, HAS AN OVERWHELMING NEED TO KNOW IT, CHANGE IT, TRY TO MAKE IT BETTER—IN SHORT, IF HE AIMS TO COOPERATE IN ENHANCING THE VALUE OF LIFE, THEN THERE IS NO DANGER IN THE FACT THAT THE PICTURE OF REALITY WILL HAVE PASSED THROUGH A FILTER OF HIS SUBJECTIVE CONCEPTS, THROUGH HIS STATES OF MIND. FOR HIS WORK WILL ALWAYS BE A SPIRITUAL ENDEAVOR WHICH ASPIRES TO MAKE MAN MORE PERFECT: AN IMAGE OF THE WORLD THAT CAPTIVATES US BY ITS HARMONY OF FEELING AND THOUGHT, ITS NOBILITY AND RESTRAINT.

ANDREI TARKOVSKY

I’M NOT INTERESTED IN REALISM. ALL MY FILMS HINGE ON THE FANTASTIC. I’M NOT A DOCUMENTARIAN; A FILM IS FIRST AND FOREMOST A DREAM, AND IT’S ABSURD TO COPY LIFE IN AN ATTEMPT TO PRODUCE AN EXACT RE-CREATION OF IT. TRANSPOSITION IS MORE OR LESS A REFLEX WITH ME: I MOVE FROM REALISM TO FANTASY WITHOUT THE SPECTATOR EVER NOTICING.

JEAN-PIERRE MELVILLE

WE DIRECTORS HAVE A VERY LARGE RESPONSIBILITY. WE HAVE IT IN OUR HANDS TO LIFT THE FILM FROM INDUSTRY TO ART, AND, THEREFORE, WE MUST GO TO OUR WORK WITH SERIOUSNESS, WE MUST WANT SOMETHING, WE MUST DARE SOMETHING, AND WE MUST NOT JUMP OVER WHERE THE FENCE IS LOWEST. IF FILM AS AN ART IS NOT TO COME TO A STANDSTILL, WE MUST WORK TO CREATE A MARK OF STYLE, A MARK OF PERSONALITY IN THE FILM. ONLY FROM THIS CAN WE EXPECT RENEWAL.

CARL THEODOR DREYER

THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF YOUR EQUIPMENT IS YOURSELF: YOUR MOBILE BODY, YOUR IMAGINATIVE MIND, AND YOUR FREEDOM TO USE BOTH. MAKE SURE YOU DO USE THEM.

MAYA DEREN

WHEN WE EXPERIENCE A FILM, WE CONSCIOUSLY PRIME OURSELVES FOR ILLUSION. PUTTING ASIDE WILL AND INTELLECT, WE MAKE WAY FOR IT IN OUR IMAGINATION. THE SEQUENCE OF PICTURES PLAYS DIRECTLY ON OUR FEELINGS. MUSIC WORKS IN THE SAME FASHION; I WOULD SAY THAT THERE IS NO ART FORM THAT HAS SO MUCH IN COMMON WITH FILM AS MUSIC. BOTH AFFECT OUR EMOTIONS DIRECTLY, NOT VIA THE INTELLECT. AND FILM IS MAINLY RHYTHM; IT IS INHALATION AND EXHALATION IN CONTINUOUS SEQUENCE.

INGMAR BERGMAN

DOVZHENKO TRIED TO TEACH US TO SEE THE WORLD. MOST OF ALL HE WARNED US AGAINST ACQUIRING ONLY THE TECHNICAL SKILLS OF THE CRAFT. HE DID NOT LIKE “FOLLOWERS” WHO JUST TRIED TO APE HIS APPROACH. HE URGED US TO BE FAITHFUL TO OURSELVES, TO TRUST OUR OWN FEELINGS AND TO STAND UP FOR OUR VIEWS. I DID NOT REALIZE AT THE TIME HOW DIFFICULT THIS IS. YOU COME TO UNDERSTAND SUCH THINGS AS YOU GROW OLDER…HE USED TO TELL US THAT WHEN STARTING ON A NEW FILM WE SHOULD KNOW WHAT NEW THINGS IT WOULD TELL THE AUDIENCES, AND WHETHER IT WOULD FOSTER THEIR BETTER HUMAN QUALITIES. I THINK THIS IS THE GOAL OF ART.

LARISA SHEPITKO

SHADOW IS MYSTERY AND LIGHT IS CLARITY. SHADOW CONCEALS, LIGHT REVEALS. TO KNOW WHAT TO REVEAL AND WHAT TO CONCEAL, AND IN WHAT DEGREES TO DO THIS, IS ALL THERE IS TO ART.

JOSEF VON STERNBERG

ART—AUTHENTIC ART—IS SIMPLE. BUT SIMPLICITY DEMANDS THE MAXIMUM OF ARTISTRY. THE CAMERA IS THE DIRECTOR’S PENCIL. IT SHOULD HAVE THE GREATEST POSSIBLE MOBILITY IN ORDER TO RECORD THE MOST FLEETING HARMONY OF ATMOSPHERE. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THE MECHANICAL FACTOR SHOULD NOT STAND BETWEEN THE SPECTATOR AND THE FILM.

F.W. MURNAU

FOR ME, IT’S SO BEAUTIFUL TO THINK ABOUT THESE PICTURES AND SOUNDS FLOWING TOGETHER IN TIME AND IN SEQUENCE, MAKING SOMETHING THAT CAN BE DONE ONLY THROUGH CINEMA. ITS NOT JUST WORDS OR MUSIC—IT’S A WHOLE RANGE OF ELEMENTS COMING TOGETHER AND MAKING SOMETHING THAT DIDN’T EXIST BEFORE. IT’S TELLING STORIES. IT’S DEVISING A WORLD, AN EXPERIENCE, THAT PEOPLE CAN NOT HAVE UNLESS THEY SEE THAT FILM.

DAVID LYNCH

CHANGES BEFORE YOUR EYES, THINGS YOU CAN DO AND THINGS YOU CAN’T. MY ATTITUDE IS ALWAYS LET IT KEEP ROLLING.

TERRENCE MALICK

I DON’T THINK THAT WRITERS OR PAINTERS OR FILMMAKERS FUNCTION BECAUSE THEY HAVE SOMETHING THEY PARTICULARLY WANT TO SAY. THEY HAVE SOMETHING THAT THEY FEEL. AND THEY LIKE THE ART FORM: THEY LIKE WORDS, OR THE SMELL OF PAINT, OR CELLULOID AND PHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGES AND WORKING WITH ACTORS. I DON’T THINK THAT ANY GENUINE ARTIST HAS EVER BEEN ORIENTED BY SOME DIDACTIC POINT OF VIEW, EVEN IF HE THOUGHT HE WAS.

STANLEY KUBRICK

BE YOURSELF. FIND YOUR STYLE, YOUR WAY; FIND THE BORDER AND CROSS IT, OR ELSE YOU MAY BE LOST OR, EVEN WORSE, BORING. DON’T FORGET WHAT YOU REALLY WANT TO SAY. THERE IS NO RECIPE. THE RECIPE IS YOU.

BÉLA TARR

ART FILMS AREN’T NECESSARILY PHOTOGRAPHY. IT’S FEELING. IF WE CAN CAPTURE A FEELING OF A PEOPLE, OF A WAY OF LIFE, THEN WE MADE A GOOD PICTURE.

JOHN CASSAVETES

WHAT DRIVES A FILMMAKER TO DO HIS BEST? HE MUST HAVE THIS KIND OF PASSION, THIS ALMOST LIKE AN ADDICTION, HE WANTS TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS RIGHT, HE IS SO CURIOUS ABOUT THIS WORLD. I THINK THAT’S THE DRIVING FORCE.

WONG KAR-WAI

EVERY DIRECTOR OF NOTE, HE OR SHE WHO HAS SOMETHING TO SAY, WHO CAN MOUNT A PICTURE BEAUTIFULLY, MOSTLY HAVE TO TAKE A LOT OF RISKS, AND IN SO DOING CHANGE THE WHOLE WAY IN WHICH FILMS ARE MADE. THEY CHANGE THE PATH. THEY ARE THE PATHFINDERS.

MARTIN SCORSESE

EVERYONE HAS THE CAPACITY TO CREATE AND RECREATE WITHIN THEM. AND A FILM DOESN’T EXIST UNLESS IT IS SEEN—IF THERE ARE NO EYES TO LOOK AT THE IMAGES, THE IMAGES DON’T EXIST. WHEN I’VE FINISHED A FILM, IT’S NO LONGER MINE—IT BELONGS TO THE PEOPLE. I’M NOTHING MORE THAN AN INTERMEDIARY IN THE PROCESS.

VICTOR ERICE

THERE ARE PLENTY OF MOVIES OUT THERE. I WANT TO MAKE REAL FILMS…AS AN ARTIST, YOU WANT TO CHALLENGE YOURSELF BUT ALSO CHALLENGE THE MEDIA, IN THIS CASE NARRATIVE FILMMAKING.

STEVE MCQUEEN

WE HAVE THIS IDEA THAT WE LIVE IN A SOCIETY WHERE THERE’S A PERFECT SCENARIO OF ART. ART IS ALMOST LIKE A MANUAL. IF YOU DO THIS, THIS, AND THIS, YOU ACHIEVE THAT. BUT THAT’S THE CHIEF ENEMY OF CREATIVITY, IS BEING SAFE, IS HAVING GOOD TASTE, IS HAVING ALL THOSE THINGS, BECAUSE ART IS EXPRESSION OF EMOTIONS, AND IT HAS TO GRAB YOU IN A POETIC, BEAUTIFUL, GENTLE WAY AS WELL AS A VIOLENT, AGGRESSIVE, AND FRUSTRATING WAY.

NICOLAS WINDING REFN

CINEMA IS AN EMOTIONAL MEDIUM, AND I BELIEVE THAT TAPPING INTO THE HUMAN SOUL IS ONE OF THE MOST ENRICHING ARTISTIC ENDEAVOURS. I LOVE LEARNING ABOUT MYSELF. EVERY NEW FILM TEACHES ME HOW TO LEAD MY LIFE.

NURI BILGE CEYLAN

MY FILMMAKING EDUCATION CONSISTED OF FINDING OUT WHAT FILMMAKERS I LIKED WERE WATCHING, THEN SEEING THOSE FILMS. I LEARNED THE TECHNICAL STUFF FROM BOOKS AND MAGAZINES, AND WITH THE NEW TECHNOLOGY YOU CAN WATCH ENTIRE MOVIES ACCOMPANIED BY AUDIO COMMENTARY FROM THE DIRECTOR. YOU CAN LEARN MORE FROM JOHN STURGES’ AUDIO TRACK ON THE BAD DAY AT BLACK ROCK LASERDISC THAN YOU CAN IN 20 YEARS OF FILM SCHOOL. FILM SCHOOL IS A COMPLETE CON, BECAUSE THE INFORMATION IS THERE IF YOU WANT IT.

PAUL THOMAS ANDERSON

TO BE ABLE TO BEHOLD THE POWER OF THE REAL, ITS OUTPOURING, ITS HALLUCINATORY VIBRATION; TO BE ABLE TO CONVEY THIS, AND FOR THE DURATION OF A SHOT, TO BECOME THE SKY OR A MOUNTAIN, A RIVER, OR THE TUMULTUOUS MASS OF THE OCEAN. THAT’S WHEN CINEMA IS GREAT. THE RHYTHM, THE WAY BODIES ARE FRAMED AND LIT, THAT’S WHEN WE START TO LOSE OURSELVES, AND CINEMA COMES CLOSEST TO WHAT IT ESSENTIALLY IS: A SENSUAL EXPERIENCE OF THE WORLD.

PHILIPPE GRANDRIEUX

THE CINEMA GIVES PLEASURE, CERTAINLY. BUT MOST OF ALL FOR ME, FILMMAKING IS A JOURNEY INTO THE IMPOSSIBLE. WHEN I MAKE A FILM I HAVE TO BE LIKE A MILITARY COMMANDER, IN CHARGE OF EVERY STRATEGY AND TACTIC, BUT I NEVER REALLY KNOW WHERE WE ARE GOING. BUT, OF COURSE, I CAN NEVER LET ANYONE KNOW THIS.

CLAIRE DENIS

I WANT TO BE SURPRISED AS A FILMMAKER. I WAS AN AUDIENCE MEMBER LONG BEFORE I WAS EVER A DIRECTOR. AND SO AS AN AUDIENCE MEMBER I KNOW WHAT I RESPOND TO: I LIKE BEING SURPRISED, I LIKE BEING RESPECTED, I LIKE BEING CHALLENGED, I LIKE BEING INSTIGATED, I LIKE MOVIES THAT LIVE FOR ME ON THE SCREEN, THAT ARE LIKE FRIENDS OF MINE, AND AS I GO BACK TO THEM OVER THE COURSE OF MY LIFE THEY ACTUALLY SEEM TO CHANGE, AND I KNOW THAT THEY’RE NOT CHANGING, I KNOW I AM CHANGING, BUT THE MOVIES ARE MADE OPEN ENOUGH THAT THEY LET ME PARTICIPATE IN THE IMAGINATION OF THE CHARACTERS IN THE STORY.

DEREK CIANFRANCE

I THINK THAT IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT IN THIS MOMENT IN TIME TO REMEMBER THAT DRAMATURGY AND HOW YOU STRUCTURE A STORY IS SOMETHING VERY PERSONAL, AND IT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN REALLY LEARN FROM A BOOK OR YOU CAN ABIDE TO ANY OF THE RULES THAT YOU HEAR. I THINK THE WAY YOU TELL IT, THE WAY THAT YOU PACE A STORY, THE WAY THAT YOU CHOOSE TO REPRESENT IT THROUGH VERY PARTICULAR SCENES THAT IS A LOT ABOUT YOUR PERSONALITY, AND YOU SHOULD ALLOW IT TO BE RATHER THAN TO MAKE SOMETHING WITH THE CORRECT TURNING POINTS AND THE EXPECTED STRUCTURE. I THINK REALLY WHAT MOVIES NEED TODAY ARE PEOPLE THAT TRY TO DO SOMETHING. IT COULD BE CATCHY, EVEN THOUGH IT’S ORIGINAL. THERE IS NOT A DICHOTOMY WHERE YOU EITHER YOU APPLY THE RIGHT RULES AND IT’S EXCITING OR YOU DON’T AND IT’S BORING AND IT’S DIFFICULT. I THINK THERE IS STUFF TO BE EXPLORED THERE, TO PUSH FILMS FURTHER. AND I ALSO THINK THE MOST PERSONAL THING YOU DO AS A FILMMAKER IS WHERE YOU PUT YOUR CAMERA, HOW YOU PERCEIVE THINGS, HOW YOU SEE THEM. AND I WOULD SAY MISE-EN-SCÈNE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT OF IT. IT’S THE CHOOSING OF THE CHARACTERS IN CASTING, HOW YOU PORTRAY THEM, HOW YOU APPROACH THEM VISUALLY. I HEAR A LOT OF YOUNG FILMMAKERS TALKING ABOUT “I’M ALL ABOUT PERFORMANCE, THE CAMERA CAN JUST BE AROUND THEM.” THAT WORRIES ME. THERE IS A GREAT POSSIBILITY FOR THEMATIC TREATMENT AND EMOTION IN WHERE YOU PLACE THE CAMERA AND WHAT LENS YOU USE, YOUR LIGHTING.  ALL THAT STUFF THAT IS MORE SENSUOUS, MORE TACTILE. I THINK THOSE ARE IMPORTANT THINGS TO SUSTAIN IN FILMMAKING AT THE MOMENT; EVEN THOUGH WE’RE SHOOTING DIGITALLY, THERE ARE WONDERFUL POSSIBILITIES OF DOING SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL STILL.

JOACHIM TRIER

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