Chronology

Tentative Chronology for (BROAD) Contemplative Cinema

Maybe the term "Contemplative Cinema" is a little nebulous and confusing, but hopefully the following films give a better idea of what is this sort of trend, opposed to conventional narration. This tentative list doesn't cover all territories and aspects yet, so please edit/correct/add any complementary information to the list.
(in red : strict model, see the minimum profile here, and the genealogy map here)


quickscroll : 1960 - 1970 - 1980 - 1990 - 2000 - 2010

7 sub-families of C.C.C. (Contemporary Contemplative Cinema) with their figureheads :
  • [A] Contemplative Documentary (Lumière-Sokurov-Benning)
  • [B] Non-Actors (Flaherty-Costa)
  • [C] Contemplative Mundanity (Tsai-Bartas)
  • [D] Laconic Conversation (Tarkovsky-Jancso-Tarr)
  • [E] Mainstream Contemplation (Angelopoulos-Wong Kar wai)
  • [F] Stylized Contemplation (Kaurismaki-Andersson)
  • [G] Fantasized Contemplation (Barney)

1895
L'Arrivée d'un train à La Ciotat (1895/LUMIERE/France) DOC [A]
La Sortie des usines Lumière (1895/LUMIERE/France) DOC [A]
1911
La bolle di sapone (1911/OMEGNA/Italy) DOC [A]
1914
The Wishing Ring: An Idyll of Old England (1914/Maurice TOURNEUR/USA)
1921
Manhatta (1921/SHEELER/STRAND/USA) DOC [A]
1922
Nanook of the North (1922/FLAHERTY/USA) DOC [B]
1926
Rien que les heures (1926/CAVALCANTI/Brazil) DOC [A]
1927
Berlin, Symphony of a Big City (1927/RUTTMAN/Germany) DOC [A]
1928
Etude sur Paris (1928/SAUVAGE/France) DOC [A]
La Passion de Jeanne d'Arc (1928/DREYER/France) [C]
1929
Finis terrae (1929/EPSTEIN/France) DOC [B]
H2O (1929/Ralph STEINER/USA) [A] 
The Line General (1929/EISENSTEIN/Russia) [B]
The Man with a Movie Camera (1929/VERTOV/Russia) DOC [A]
1930
À propos de Nice (1930/VIGO/France) DOC [A]
People on Sunday (1930/SIODMAK/ULMER/ZINNEMANN/Germany) [C]
The Salt of Svanetia (1930/KALATAZOV/Russia) DOC [B]
1931
Autumn Fire (1931/Herman G. WEINBERG/USA) [A] 
Mor vran (1931/EPSTEIN/France) DOC [A]
Douro, Faina fluvial (1931/OLIVEIRA/Portugal) [F]

1934
Man of Aran (1934/FLAHERTY/USA) DOC [B]
1936
Arigato-san (1936/SHIMIZU/Japan)
1937
A Star Athlete (1937/SHIMIZU/Japan)
1942
Four Men On A Raft (1942/WELLES/USA) DOC [B]
1947
Le Tempestaire (1947/EPSTEIN/France) DOC [B]
Spring Awakens (1947/NARUSE/Japan)
1948
The Bicycle Thieves (1948/DE SICA/Italy) [E]
Germany Year Zero (1948/ROSSELLINI/Italy) [E]
Terra Trema (1948/VISCONTI/Italy) [B]
1951
Journal d'un curé de campagne (1951/BRESSON/France)
1952
A Portrait of Ga (1952/TAIT/UK) [A]
Umberto D. (1952/DE SICA/Italy) [D]
1953
Crin Blanc (1953/LAMORISSE/France) [C]
Tokyo Story (1953/OZU/Japan) [E]

1956
Le Ballon Rouge (1956/LAMORISSE/France) [G]
1960

L'Avventura (1960/ANTONIONI/Italy) [E]
Naked Island (1960/SHINDO/Japan) [B]
1961
Accattone (1961/PASOLINI/Italy)
Last Year in Marienbad (1961/RESNAIS/France) [G]
1963
Sleep (1963/WARHOL/USA) DOC [A]
1964
A Boring Afternoon (1964/PASSER/Czech) [B]
Il Deserto Rosso (1964/ANTONIONI/Italy) [E]
Empire (1964/WARHOL/USA) DOC [A]
Peter and Pavla (1964/FORMAN/Czech) [D]
1966

Castro Street (1966/BAILLIE/USA)
The Round-Up (1966/JANCSO/Hungary)

1967
Mouchette (1967/BRESSON/France) [D]
Playtime (1967/TATI/France) [F]
The Red And The White (1967/JANCSO/Hungary) [D]
Silence and Cry (1967/JANCSO/Hungary)
Wavelength (1967/SNOW/Canada) [G]
1968
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968/KUBRICK/UK) [G]
Palo y Hueso (1968/Sarquis/Argentina) [C]
Sayat Nova / Color of Pomegranates (1968/PARAJANOV/Russia) [G]
1969
Andrei Rublev (1969/TARKOVSKY/Russia) [D]
Dillinger è morto (1969/FERRERI/Italy) [D]

1970
Le Cochon (1970/EUSTACHE/BARJOL/FR) [A]
El Topo (1970/JODOROWSKI/Mexico) [G]
Zabriskie Point (1970/ANTONIONI/USA) [D]
1971
Duel (1971/SPIELBERG/USA) [C]
Le Moindre Geste (1971/DELIGNY/MANENTI/France) [B]
La région centrale (1971/SNOW/Canada)
1972
Aguirre, der Zorn Gottes (1972/HERZOG/Germany) [D]
Breaktime (1972/KIAROSTAMI/Iran) [B]
La Cicatrice Intérieure (1972/GARREL/France) [G]
The Goalkeeper's Fear of the Penalty (1972/WENDERS/Germany)
Hôtel Monterey (1972/AKERMAN/Belgium) [A]
Solyaris (1972/TARKOVSKY/Russia) [G]

1973
El Espíritu de la colmena (1973/ERICE/Spain) [C]
The Experience (1973/KIAROSTAMI/Iran) [C]

1974
Ali: Fear Eats the Soul (1974/FASSBINDER/Germany) [D]
Les Hautes solitudes (1974/GARREL/France) [B]
Je, tu, il, elle (1974/AKERMAN/FR/Belgium) [D]
Tabiate bijan / Still Life (1974/Sohrab Shahid Saless/Iran)

1975
Dersu Uzala (1975/KUROSAWA/Russia/Japan) [E]
Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975/WEIR/Australia) [D]
The Seasons (1975/PELESHIAN/Armenia) [A]
The Travelling Players (1975/ANGELOPOULOS/Greece)
Zerkalo / The Mirror (1975/TARKOVSKY/Russia) [G]

1976
The Ascent (1976/SHEPITKO/Russia)
Im Lauf der Zeit / King of the Road (1976/WENDERS/Germany) [D]
Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1976/AKERMAN/Belgium) [C]

1977
Killer of sheep (1977/Charles Burnett/USA) [D]
1979
Ce répondeur ne prend pas de message (1979/CAVALIER/France) [A]
Estheppan (1979/ARAVINDAN/India)
Stalker (1979/TARKOVSKY/Germany) [G]

1980
The Falls (1980/GREENAWAY/UK)
Permanent Vacation (1980/JARMUSCH/USA) [C]

1981
Il pianeta azzurro (1981/Franco PIAVOLI/Italy) [A] 
Pokkuveyil / Twilight (1981/ARAVINDAN/India) [C]
1982
Koyaanisqatsi (1982/REGGIO/USA) DOC [A]
1983
L'argent (1983/BRESSON/France) [D]
Le bal (1983/SCOLA/IT/FR/Algeria) [B]
Nostalghia (1983/TARKOVSKY/Italy) [D]
The great sadness of Zohara
(1983/MENKES/Israel/Morocco)
Un été à Saint Tropez (1983/HAMILTON/France) [C]
1984
De illusionist (1984/STELLING/Netherlands) [F]
The Legend of the Suram Fortress (1984/PARAJANOV/Georgia) [F]
Paris, Texas (1984/WENDERS/France) [D]
Stranger than Paradise (1984/JARMUSCH/USA) [D]
1985
A Time to Live and a Time to Die (1985/HOU/Taiwan)
Angel's Egg (1985/OSHII/Japan) Anim
Chidambaram (1985/ARAVINDAN/India)
Come and See (1985/Elem KLIMOV/Russia)
Elle a passé tant d'heures sous les sunlights... (1985/GARREL/France)
1986
The Beekeeper (1986/ANGELOPOULOS/Greece) [D]
Magdalena Viraga (1986/MENKES/USA)

Shadows in Paradise (1986/KAURISMAKI/Finland) [F]
De wisselwachter (1986/STELLING/Netherlands) [F]
1987
Kelid / The Key (1987/FOROUZESH/Iran) [B]
The Lonely Human Voice (1987/SOKUROV/Russia) [G]
1988
Ashik Kerib (1988/PARAJANOV/Georgia) [G]
Damnation (1988/TARR/Hungary) [D]
Landscape in the Mist (1988/ANGELOPOULOS/Greece)
Mariya (1988/SOKUROV/Russia) DOC [A]

1989
Aab, baad, khaak (19889/NADERI/Iran)
Elephant (1989/CLARKE/UK) [B]
Freeze, Die, Come to Life! (1989/KANEVSKY/Russia)
Save and Protect (1989/SOKUROV/Russia) [E]
The Seventh Continent (1989/HANEKE/Austria) [C]
Used Innocence (1989/BENNING/USA) DOC [A]
Why has Bodhi-Dharma left for the East? (1989/BAE Yong-kyun/Korea) [C]

1990
A Simple Elegy (1990/SOKUROV/Russia) DOC [A]
The Match Factory Girl (1990/KAURISMAKI/Finland) [C]
Twilight (1990/György FEHER/Hungary)

1991
A scene at the sea (1991/KITANO/Japan) [C]
Days of Being Wild (1991/WONG/HK) [E]
Queen of diamonds (2008/MENKES/USA)
Primer Intonacii (1991/SOKUROV/Russia) DOC [A]

1992
Baraka (1992/FRICKE/USA) [A]
Kairat (1992/OMIRBAYEV/Kazakhstan)
El Sol del membrillo / Quince Tree of the Sun (1992/ERICE/Spain) DOC [B]
Embracing (1992/KAWASE/Japan) DOC
Le silence de l'été (1992/AUBOUY/France)
The Stone (1992/SOKUROV/Russia) [F]
Vacas (1992/MEDEM/Spain)

1993
Abraham's Valley (1993/OLIVEIRA/France/Portugal) [E]
Calendar (1993/EGOYAN/Canada) [E]
D'Est (1993/AKERMAN/Belgium) DOC [A]
The Elegy From Russia (1993/SOKUROV/Russia) DOC [A]
Libera me (1993/CAVALIER/France)

The Scent of the Green Papaya (1993/Anh Dung TRAN/Vietnam) [D]
Whispering Pages (1993/SOKUROV/Russia) [F]
1994
Ashes of Time (1994/WONG/HK) [G]
Chungking Express (1994/WONG/HK) [F]
Clean, Shaven (1994/KERRIGAN/USA) [D]
The Corridor (1994/BARTAS/Lithuania)
Fate / Verhängnis (1994/KELEMEN/Germany)
Like the Relentless Fury of the Pounding Waves (1994/WEERASETHAKUL/Thailand) [A]
Sátántangó (1994/TARR/Hungary) [D]
Through the olive trees (1994/KIAROSTAMI/Iran) [F]
Vive l'Amour (1994/TSAI/Taiwan) [D]
Woyzeck (1994/SZASZ/Hungary)
1995
Dead Man (1995/JARMUSCH/USA) [G]
Good Men, Good Women (1995/HOU/Taiwan) [F]
Institute Benjamenta, or This Dream People Call Human Life (1995/QUAY/UK) [G]
Kardiogramma (1995/OMIRBAYEV/Kazakhstan)
Koza/Coccon (1995/CEYLAN/Turkey) [B]
Maborosi (1995/KORE-EDA/Japan) [D]
[Safe] (1995/HAYNES/USA) [D]
Spiritual Voices (1995/SOKUROV/Russia) DOC [A]
Ulysses' Gaze (1995/ANGELOPOULOS/Germany)
1996
The bloody child (1996/MENKES/UK)
Chronicle of a Disappearance (1996/SULEIMAN/Palestine) [F]
Few of Us (1996/BARTAS/Lithuania) [C]
Goodbye South, Goodbye (1996/HOU/Taiwan) [D]
Nénette et Boni (1996/DENIS/France) [D]
Oriental Elegy (1996/SOKUROV/Russia) DOC [A]
La Rencontre (1996/CAVALIER/France)

Voci nel tempo (1996/Franco PIAVOLI/Italy) [A] 
1997
A Humble Life (1997/SOKUROV/Japan/Russia) DOC [A]
A Taste of Cherry (1997/KIAROSTAMI/Iran) [C]
Frost (1997/KELEMEN/Germany)
Happy Together (1997/WONG/HK) [E]
The House (1997/BARTAS/Lithuania) [C]
Moe no suzaku (1997/KAWASE/Japan) [D]
Mother and Son (1997/SOKUROV/Russia) [C]
Ossos (1997/COSTA/Portugal)
Rag and Bone (1997/PARRIOTT/USA)
The River (1997/TSAI/Taiwan) [C]
Roes' Room / Pokój saren (1997/MAJEWSKI/Poland) [G]
Thirdworld (1997/WEERASETHAKUL/Thailand) [B]
Xiao Wu (1997/JIA/China) [E]
1998
The Adopted Son (1998/ABDYKALYKOV/Kyrgyzstan) [C]
Confession (1998/SOKUROV/Russia) DOC [A]
Eternity and a Day (1998/ANGELOPOULOS/Greece) [D]
The Hole (1998/TSAI/Taiwan) [F]
License to Live (1998/KUROSAWA K./Japan)
Lost in a moment | Shrift (1998/WHEATLEY/McCLEAN/USA) [A]
Mala época (1998/DE ROSA/MORENO/ROSELLI/SAAD/Argentina)
Passion (1998/György FEHER/Hungary)
Tokyo Eyes (1998/LIMOSIN/France)
La vie sur terre (1998/SISSAKO/Mali/Mauritania/FR) 

1999
Abendland (1999/KELEMEN/Germany)
Beau Travail (1999/DENIS/France)
Clouds of May (1999/CEYLAN/Turkey) [C]
Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999/JARMUSCH/USA) [E]
L'Humanité (1999/DUMONT/France) [D]
Juha (1999/KAURISMAKI/Finland) [E]
Kikujiro (1999/KITANO/Japan) [E]
M/Other (1999/SUWA/Japan)
Molock (1999/SOKUROV/Russia) [C]
Mundo grúa (1999/TRAPERO/Argentina) [B]
Nas correntes de luz da ria formosa (1997-99/JOST/Italy)
Rosetta (1999/DARDENNE/Belgium) [C]
The Straight Story (1999/LYNCH/USA) [D]
Su tutte le vette è pace (1999/GIANIKIAN/RICCI LUCCHI/Italy) [A]
The Virgin Suicides (1999/S.COPPOLA/USA) [E]
The Wind Will Carry Us (1999/KIAROSTAMI/Iran) [E]

2000
Breaking the Silence (2000/SUN Zhou/China) [E]
Das Himmler Projekt (2000/KARMAKAR/Germany) DOC
Eureka (2000/AOYAMA/Japan) [C]
Father and Daughter (2000/DUDOK DE WIT/Netherlands) Short Anim [G]
Freedom (2000/BARTAS/Lithuania) [C]
Hotaru (2000/KAWASE/Japan)
In The Mood For Love (2000/WONG/HK) [E]
In Vanda's Room (2000/COSTA/Portugal) [D]
Muri Romani (2000/JOST/Italy)
Mysterious Object at Noon (2000/WEERASETHAKUL/Thailand) [B]
Platform (2000/JIA/China) [D]
Roma - un ritratto improvvisorio (2000/JOST/Italy)
Songs From the Second Floor (2000/ANDERSSON/Sweden) [F]
The Vertical Ray of the Sun (2000/Anh Dung TRAN/Vietnam) [D]
Werckmeister harmóniák (2000/TARR/Hungary) [D]
Yi Yi (2000/YANG/Taiwan) [E]
2001
La Ciénaga (2001/MARTEL/Argentina) [D]
Distance (2001/KORE-EDA/Japan) [D]
L'Emploi du Temps (2001/CANTET/France) [D]
H Story (2001/SUWA/Japan) [C]
In Public (2001/JIA/China) DOC [A]
Jol / The Road (2001/OMIRBAYEV/Kazakhstan)
Kairo / Pulse (2001/K. KUROSAWA/Japan) [G]
La Libertad (2001/ALONSO/Argentina) [B]
Lovely Rita (2001/HAUSNER/Austria) [D]
Millennium Mambo (2001/HOU/Taiwan) [E]
My Brother Silk Road (2001/SARULU/Kyrgyzstan) [D]
The Orphan of Anyang (2001/WANG Chao/China) [C]
Profils paysans: l'approche (2001/DEPARDON/France) DOC [A]
Solitude (2001/SCHLAHT/Canada)
Sky, Wind, Fire, Water, Earth (2001/KAWASE/Japan) DOC [A]
Taurus (2001/SOKUROV/Russia) [C]
Ten Minutes Older (2001/KIAROSTAMI/Iran/FR) [A]
Trouble Every Day (2001/DENIS/France) [G]
What time is it over there? (2001/TSAI/Taiwan) [C]
2002
Al primo soffio di vento (2002/Franco PIAVOLI/Italy) [A] 
Blissfully Yours (2002/WEERASETHAKUL/Thailand) [C]
De l'autre côté (2002/AKERMAN/France) DOC [A]
Divine Intervention (2002/SULEIMAN/Palestine) [G]
Elegy of a Voyage (2002/SOKUROV/Russia)
Gerry (2002/VAN SANT/USA) [D]
Dolls (2002/KITANO/Japan) [D]

Heremakono / En attendant le bonheur (2002/SISSAKO/Mauritania/FR) [B]
Hukkle (2002/PALFI/Hungary) [B]
Japon (2002/REYGADAS/Mexico) [C]
Jukeodo joha / Too young to die (2002/PARK Jinpyo/Korea) [B]
The Man Without a Past (2002/KAURISMAKI/Finland) [E]
Oasis (2002/LEE Chang-Dong/Korea) [C]
Russian Ark (2002/SOKUROV/Russia) [G]
Unknown Pleasures (2002/JIA/China)
Uzak /Distant (2002/CEYLAN/Turkey) [D]
La Vie Nouvelle (2002/GRANDRIEUX/France) [F]
WTC the first 24 Hours (2002/SAURET/USA) [A]
2003
A Talking Picture (2003/OLIVEIRA/Portugal)
All Tomorrow's Parties (2003/Nelson YU Lik-wai/China) [G]
Blind Shaft (2003/LI Yang/China) [D]
Bright Future (2003/K. KUROSAWA/Japan) [E]
The Brown Bunny (2003/GALLO/USA) [C]
Café Lumière (2003/HOU/Taiwan) [C]
Crimson Gold (2003/PANAHI/Iran) [D]
Demi-Tarif (2003/Isild LE BESCO/France)
Doppleganger (2003/Kiyoshi KUROSAWA/Japan) [E]
Elephant (2003/VAN SANT/USA) [D]
Father and Son (2003/SOKUROV/Russia) [D]
Five Dedicated to Ozu (2003/KIAROSTAMI/Iran) [B]
The Forest (2003/FLIEGAUF/Hungary)
Goodbye, Dragon Inn (2003/TSAI/Taiwan) [C]
Las Horas del dia (2003/ROSALES/Spain) [D]

Koktebel (2003/KHLEBNIKOV/POPOGREBSKY/Russia) [D]
Last Life in the Universe (2003/RATANARUANG/Thailand) [D]
Letter from a Yellow Cherry Blossom (2003/KAWASE/Japan) DOC
Nobody Knows (2003/KORE-EDA/Japan) [B]
The Return (2003/ZVYAGINTSEV/Russia) [D]
Shara (2003/KAWASE/Japan) [C]
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter ... and Spring (2003/KIM ki-duk/Korea) [D]
Struggle (2003/MADER/Austria) [C]

Twintynine Palms (20003/DUMONT/France) [C]
Tie Xi Qu: West of the Tracks (2003/WANG Bing/China) DOC [A]
2004
3-iron (2004/KIM Ki-duk/Korea) [C]
13 Lakes (2004/BENNING/USA) DOC [A]
2046 (2004/WONG/HK) [G]
La Blessure (2004/KLOTZ/Belgium) [B]
Dealer (2004/
FLIEGAUF/Hungary)
The Hand (2004/WONG/HK) Short [D]
Hotel (2004/HAUSNER/Austria) [D]
Keane (2004/KERRIGAN/USA) [E]
Lu Cheng/Passages (2004/CHAO Yang/China) [D]
Marseille (2004/SCHANELEC/Germany)
Los Muertos (2004/ALONSO/Argentina) [B]
La Niña Santa (2004/MARTEL/Argentina) [D]
La Peau Trouée (2004/SAMANI/France) DOC [A]
Ten Skies (2004/BENNING/USA) DOC [A]
Tickets (2004/KIAROSTAMI/Italy) [E]
Tropical Malady (2004/WEERASETHAKUL/Thailand) [C]
Vergessensfuge (2004/JOST/USA)
The Weeping Meadow (2004/ANGELOPOULOS/Germany) [D]
Whisky (2004/REBELLA/STOLL/Uruguay) [D]
The World (2004/JIA/China) [C]
2005
4h30 (2005/TAN/Singapore) [D]
Afternoon Time (2005/BOONSINSUKH/Thailand) [C]
April Snow (2005/HUR Jin-ho/Korea) [E]
Batalla en el cielo (2005/REYGADAS/Mexico) [C]
Be With Me (2005/KHOO/Singapore) [E]
The Bow (2005/KIM Ki-duk/Korea) [D]
Un Couple Parfait (2005/SUWA/Japan) [D]
Drawing Restraint 9 (2005/BARNEY/USA) [G]
Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani? (2005/AOYAMA/Japan) [E]
The Forsaken Land (2005/JAYASUNDRA/Sri Lanka) [D]
Grain in Ear (2005/Zhang Lu/China) [D]
Last Days (2005/VAN SANT/USA) [C]
Our Daily Bread (2005/GEYRHALTER/Germany) DOC [A]
Oxhide (2005/LIU/China) [A]

Profils paysans: le quotidien (2005/DEPARDON/France) DOC [A]
Roads of Kiarostami (2005/KIAROSTAMI/Korea/Iran) [B]
Sangre (2005/ESCALANTE/Mexico) [C]
Seven Invisible Men (2005/BARTAS/Lithuania) [C]
The Sun (2005/SOKUROV/Russia) [C]
Three Times (2005/HOU/Taiwan)
The Wayward Cloud (2005/TSAI/Taiwan) [F]

Un été silencieux (2005/BRETON/France) DOC  
2006
The Amber Sexalogy (2006/RUBIN/Malaysia) [D]
The Anthem (2006/WEERASETHAKUL/Thailand) [B]
Aphrodite (2006/Kilasme WU/Taiwan) [D]
Aus der Ferne (2006/ARSLAN/Germany) DOC
Avida (2006/KERVEN/DELEPINE/France) [G]
Climates (2006/CEYLAN/Turkey) [E]
Colossal Youth (2006/COSTA/Portugal) [B]
Daratt (2006/HAROUN/Chad) [D]
Day Night Day Night (2006/LOKTEV/USA) [C]
Du Levande/You, the living (2006/ANDERSSON/Sweden) [F]
Dong (2006/JIA/China) DOC [B]
El Violon (2006/VARGAS/mexico) [E]
Fantasma (2006/ALONSO/Argentina) [B]
Flandres (2006/DUMONT/France) [C]
Hamaca Paraguaya (2006/ENCINA/Paraguay) [B]
Heremias (2006/Lav DIAZ/Thailand)
Les Hommes (2006/MICHEL/France) [A]
Honor de Cavalleria / Quixotic (2006/SERRA/Spain) [C]
Huling balyan ng buhi, Ang (2006/SANCHEZ/Philippines)
I don't want to sleep alone (2006/TSAI/Taiwan) [C]
La Influencia (2006/AGUILERA/Spain) [C]
Into Great Silence (2006/GRONING/Germany) DOC [A]
Invisible Waves (2006/RATANARUANG/Thailand) [D]
It Happened Just Before (2006/SALOMONOWITZ/Austria)
Jour Après Jour (2006/POLLET/FARGIER/France) [A]

Kodak (2006/DEAN/UK) [A]
Là-bas (2006/AKERMAN/Belgium) DOC [A]
Lights in the Dusk (2006/KAURISMAKI/Finland) [F]
Love conquers All (2006/TAN Chui Mui/Malaysia) [C]
Majimak babsang/The last dining table (2006/Gyeong-Tae ROH/Korea) [D]
Nacido y criado (2006/TRAPERO/USA) [C]
Old Joy (2006/REICHARDT/USA) [D]
Passages (2006/JOST/USA)
The Outlaw Son (2006/LOWERY/USA) [C]
Pine Flat (2006/LOCKHART/USA)
Sehnsucht/Longing (2006/GRISEBACH/Germany) [C]
Still Life (2006/JIA/China) [C]
Syndrome and a Century (2006/WEERASETHAKUL/Thailand) [D]

Time between Dog and Wolf (2006/JEONG Soo-Il/Korea) [C]
To Get to Heaven First You Have to Die (2006/USMONOV/Tajikistan) [D]
Todo Todo Teros (2006/TORRES/Philippines) [G]
Transe (2006/VILLAVERDE/Italy) [C]
Zidane, un portrait du 21e siècle (2006/GORDON/PARRENO/France) [A]
2007
Aïnour / Chouga (2007/OMIRBAEV/France/Kasakhstan) [D]
Alexandra (2007/SOKUROV/Russia) [C]
At Sea (2007/HUTTON/USA) [A]
Autohystoria (2007/Raya MARTIN/Philippines)

Breath / Soom (2007/KIM ki-duk/Korea) [E]
Buddha collapsed out of shame (2007/MAKHMALBAF Hana/Iran) [D]
Chacun son cinéma (2007/Omnibus/France)
Charly (2007/Isild LE BESCO/France) [C]

Death in the Land of Encantos (2007/Lav DIAZ/Philippines) [B]
Desert Dream (2007/ZHANG Lu/Mongolia) [D]
Emerald (2007/WEERASETHAKUL/Thailand) [G]
El Asaltante (2007/FENDRIK/Argentina)
Help Me Eros (2007/LEE Kang-sheng/Taiwan)
Izgnanie / The Banishment (2007/ZVYAGINTSEV/Russia)
Luminous People (2007/WEERASETHAKUL/Portugal) [B]
Madonnen (2007/SPETH/Germany)
The Man from London (2007/TARR/Hungary) [D]
Mange, ceci est mon corps (2007/M. QUAY/France/Haiti)
La Marea (2007/MARTINEZ VIGNATTI/Argentina)
Mid Afternoon Barks (2007/ZHANG Yuedong/China)
Milky Way (2007/FLIEGAUF/Hungary) [B/F]
Mogari's Forest (2007/KAWASE/Japan) [C]
Paranoid Park (2007/VAN SANT/FR/USA) [E]

Phantom Love (2007/MENKES/USA)
Observando el Cielo (2007/LIOTTA/?) [A]
RR (2007/BENNING/USA) [A]
Silêncio (2007/OSSANG/France) [B]
Stellet licht (2007/REYGADAS/Mexico) [C]
La Soledad (2007/ROSALES/Spain) [E]
Tombée de nuit sur Shanghai (2007/AKERMAN/Portugal) DOC [A]
Voices, Tilted Screens and Extended Scenes of Loneliness: Filipinos in High Definition (2007/TORRES/Philippines)
Le Voyage du Ballon Rouge (2007/HOU/France) [D]
The Wind Blows Where It Will (2007/MEHRA/USA) [C]
Ye Che / Night Train (2007/DIAO Yinan/China) [D]
Yumurta (2007/KAPLANOGLU/Turkey) [D]
2008
102 minutes that changed America (2007/RITTENMEYER/SKUNDRICK/USA) [A]
L'argent du charbon (2008/WANG bing/France) DOC [A]
Los Bastardos (2008/ESCALANTE/Mexico) [D]

Crude Oil (2008/WANG Bing/China) [A] 
Delta (2008/MUNDRUCZO/Hungary) [C]
El Cant dels ocells (2008/SERRA/Spain) [C]
Day and Night (2008/HONG Sang-soo/Korea) [D]
The Last Season: Shawaks / Demsala Dawî : Şewaxan (2008/OZ/Turkey) [A]
Liverpool (2008/ALONSO/Argentina) [B]
Lunch Break (2008/LOCKHART/USA) [A]
Mobile Men (2008/WEERASETHAKUL/Thailand) [B]
Münster Land (2008/JOUVE/France)
Now Showing (2008/MARTIN/Philippines) [B]

Old Partner (2008/LEE Chung-Ryoul/S.Korea) [A]
Punggok Rindukan Bulan / This Longing (2008/RUDIN/Malaysia) [C]
The Shaft / Dixia de tiankong (2008/ZHANG Chi/China)
Süt / Milk (2008/KAPLANOGLU/Turkey) [C]
Three Monkeys (2008/CEYLAN/Turkey) [D]
Time is working around Rotterdam (2008/JOUVE/France)
Tulpan (2008/DVORTSEVOY/Kazakhstan) [D]
Un Lac (2008/GRANDRIEUX/France) [F]
La Vie Moderne (2008/DEPARDON/France) [A]
Le Voyage Perpétuel (2008/LAPSUI/LEHMUSKALLIO/France) [A]
Wendy and Lucy (2008/REICHARDT/USA) [D]
2009
A Letter to Uncle Boonmee (2009/WEERASETHAKUL/Thailand) [B]
Agrarian Utopia / Sawan baan na (2009/RAKSASAD/Thailand) 
Bergensbanen (2009/NRK/Norway) [A]
Craneway Event (2009/DEAN/UK) [A]
Gagma napiri / The Other Bank (2009/OVASHVILI/Georgia/Kazakhstan) [D]
Gigante (2009/BINIEZ/Uruguay) [C]
Guardini (2009/McQueen/UK)
Himalaya, where the wind dwells (2009/JEON/S.Korea) [C]
Independencia (2009/MARTIN/Philippines) [F]
Las / The Forest (2009/DUMALA/Poland) 
The Limits of Control (2009/JARMUSCH/USA) [D]
The Nymph (2009/RATANARUANG/Thailand)

Oxhide II (2009/LIU/China) [A]
Phantom of Nabua (2009/WEERASETHAKUL/Austria/Thailand) [F]
The Time That Remains (2009/SULEIMAN/Palestine) [F]
Sun Spots (2009/YANG Heng/China) [C]

Sweetgrass (2009/CASTAING-TAYLOR/BARBASH/USA) [A]
Visage (2009/TSAI/France/Taiwan) [G]

2010
Año Bisiesto (2010/ROWE/Mexico) [C]
Archipelago (2010/HOGG/UK) [D]

Aurora (2010/PUIU/Romania) [C]
Bal (2010/KAPLANOGLU/Turkey) [B]
Curling (2010/COTE/Canada) [C]
The Ditch (2010/WANG Bing/HK/BE/FR) [C]
Dooman River (2010/ZHANG Lu/S.Korea) [B]
Empty Space (2010/KHOO Wu Shaun, KWOK Li Chen, LIM De Jun/Singapore) [B]
Hi-So (2010/ASSARAT/Thailand) [C]

How I ended this summer (2010/POPOGREBSKY/Russia)
L'illusioniste (2010/CHOMET/UK/France) [F]
Indigène d'Eurasie (2010/BARTAS/France) [C]

Lo que mas quiero (2010/Castagnino/Argentina) [C]
Lumière du Nord (2010/Loznitsa/Russia) DOC
My Joy (2010/LOZNITSA/Russia) [D]
Nenette (2010/PHILIBERT/France) [A]

Ovsyanki / Le dernier voyage de Tanya (2010/FEDORCHENKO/Russia) [C]
Pig Iron (2010/BENNING/Korea) [A]
Le Quattro Volte (2010/FRAMMARTINO/Italy) [B]

R U There (2010/Verbeek/Netherlands) [B]
Un Homme Qui Crie (2010/HAROUN/Chad) [C]
Uncle Boonmee who can recall his past lives (2010/WEERASETHAKUL/Thailand) [B]

La vida útil (2010/Veiroj/Uruguay) [B]
Winter Vacation (2010/LI Hongqi/China) [C]

2011
Bovines (2011/GRAS/France) [A]
Gelecek uzun sürer / Le temps dure longtemps (2011/Özcan ALPER/Turkey) [C]
Hanezu no tzuki (2011/KAWAZE/Japan) [C]
Historias que so existem quando lembradas (2011/MURAT/BR/ARG/FR)
Hors Satan (2011/DUMONT/France) [B]
Hurtigruten Minutt for minutt (2011/NRK/Norway) [A]
Las Acacias (2011/GIORGELLI/Argentina) [B]
The Loneliest Planet (2011/Lotkev/USA)
Nana (2011/Massadian/France) [B]
Once upon a time in Anatolia (2011/CEYLAN/Turkey) [C]
The Loneliest Planet (2011/Loktev/USA) [B]
The Turin Horse (2011/TARR/Hungary) [B]
Two Years At Sea (2011/RIVERS/UK) [A]
World Cruise 2010 (2011/EIKAWA/Japan) [A]
Z daleka widok jest piękny / It Looks Pretty From a Distance (2011/SASNAL/Poland)  
2012
Bestiaire (2012/CÔTÉ/Canada) [A] 
Despues de Lucia (2012/FRANCO/Mexico) [C]
Dupã Dealuri / Beyond the Hills (2012/MUNGIU/Romania) [C]
Fogo (2012/OLAIZOLA/Mexico/Canada) [B] 
Hiver nomade (2012/Manuel von Stürler/Switzerland) [B]
Holy Motors (2012/CARAX/France) [G]
Just The wind (2012/FLIEGAUF/Hungary) [B] 
Leones (2012/Lopez/Argentina)
Leviathan (2012/CASTAING-TAYLOR, PARAVEL/FR-USA-UK) [A]
Post Tenebras Lux (2012/REYGADAS/FR/Mexico) [G]
La Sirga (2012/VEGA/Colombia) [C] 
Slow Life (2012/MERCHIOT/France)
Student (2012/OMIRBAYEV/Kazakhstan) [C]
Sueño y Silencio (2012/ROSALES/Spain/France) [C]
V Tumane / In the Fog (2012/LOZNITSA/Russia) [C]
Walker - Beautiful 2012 (2012/TSAI Ming-liang/HK) 
2013
All Is Lost (2013/Chandor/USA) [C]
Bends (2013/Flora Lau/HK) [D]
Borgman (2013/VAN WARMERDAM/Netherlands) [D]
Heli (2013/ESCALANTE/Mexico) [C]
La Jaula de Oro (2013/Diego Quemada-Diez/Mexico) [C]
Minuscule (2013/Giraud/Szabo/FR)
Norte, Hangganan Ng Kasatsayan (2013/DIAZ/The Phillipines) [D]
Only Lovers Left Alive (2013/Jarmusch/USA)
People Mountain, People Sea (2013/China)
Stray Dogs (2013/TsaiMingliang/Taiwan)


Disorder (2009/HUANG Weikai/China) DOC
Parsaj / Landscape (2003/Loznitsa/Russia) DOC
L'attente (2000/Loznitsa/Russia)
Palo y Hueso (1968/Sarquis/Argentina)
Lungo il Fiume (1992/Ermanno Olmi/Italy) DOC
[updated: April 2014]


Comments

HarryTuttle said…
I'm surprised by the number of films I could find so far. I had the impression this type of cinema was rather marginal. So now our job is to figure if there is a real aesthetical coherence in this family, or if they only share formal similitudes.
Is it because I've overlooked other key films in my survey so far, or is there really a turning point around 1994, with a growing number of films rejecting plot and dialogues?
Please complete, and share the ideas this preliminary chronology evokes for you.
HarryTuttle said…
I'm not familiar with the following auteurs so I wouldn't know which one of their films suits best our profile : Angelopoulos, Kiarostami, Straub/Huillet, Vardas, Garrel, Souleymane Cissé, Idrissa Ouedraogo, de Oliveira, Monteiro, Malick, Kaurismaki, Pablo Trapero... there is probably more.
Anybody could help?
Marina said…
Well, of Angelopoulos's films I've only seen 'The Weeping Meadow' and it fits the profile quite well. Although it does use music, there's little to no dialogue.
What about the films of Sissako? I haven't seen anything by him, but of what has been written, it seems his films might be...contemplative.
Marina said…
Ok, a suggestion: Medem's "Vacas"?
HarryTuttle said…
I didn't see this last one. But feel free to edit the list yourself, you're an admin (posting doesn't work, but editing still does for everyone i believe).
This is a collective work, I'm not the boss.

I've added The Weeping Meadow, and few other Angelopoulos, but I don't know everything.
Are you thinking of Bamako (a bit speechy, but with a contemplative direction maybe)? I haven't seen his others.
Tucker said…
That's a great list. Thanks for putting it together. It makes me want to do a class on contemplative cinema. There are so many geat films.
Anonymous said…
Seeing as how you've already placed Bresson's "Balthasar" on the list, it seems more than fitting that his three prior "Diary of a Country Priest" (which is where his contemplative rigor began, as did his use of non-proffessional actors/models), "A Man Escaped", and "Pickpocket" plus the amazing "Mouchette" which followed "Balthasar". Also, there must be Kiarostami on the list "A Taste of Cherry", etc. Plus, Parajanov is a must on any list of contempaltive cinema. So glad to see this discussion about the cinema I love most.
HarryTuttle said…
Thanks cineboy.
I added your suggestions Aaron (except Pickpocket, maybe more narration-driven than the others).

I also used red to indicate the films that are most representative of a strict model of laconical/plotless/slow "Contemplative Cinema" to help clear up the confusion around the definition.
HarryTuttle said…
DISCLAIMER :
The chronological list was meant to map the terrain before we start and to record all possible directions we could go. So the spirit of this list is of open-mindedness, not to imply a tight and pertinent relation between the films listed. It's a general timeline for landmarks showing the most achieved contemplation in non-experiemental filmmaking at the time. It is not comprehensive either and is updated daily. That's why I wanted to set out the ones corresponding to a "strict model", uncompromising, one that could lead to a coherent family. Although it is not a definite group either. The others are there to give a context to the films we highlight, to aknowledge other forms of contemplation occured by more compromised, more narrative.
Paul Martin said…
I've added Pine Flat (Sharon Lockhart, 2006) to the list, which I'm not ashamed to say is one of the few films I've ever walked out on. It consists of 12 x 10 segments, each segment being a static shot of children and nature. Its IMDB post describes the plot outline as "Set in a small town in the Sierra Nevadas, Pine Flat is a look at youth and a meditation on nature, socialization, and solitude".

I found it a truly boring art film that I was unable to endure beyond 40 or so minutes, by which time over half the small audience at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image had already left. In this time, we had sat through ten minutes each of (1) snow falling, (2) a girl reading a book (the high point was when she scratched her neck, (3) a boy playing a harmonica, (4) a boy sleeping and (5) a boy sitting in the woods.

The director's stated intention is to foster an appreciation for ambience, though I think it's a real challenge for any audience to sit through two hours of what is effectively an art gallery installation.
GEORGE ROBINSON said…
Although I haven't read the entire discussion on 'contemplative cinema' I share your (collective) enthusiasm for it. I'm mildly surprised that the Dardenne Brothers seem to have not made the cut. Also, James Benning has been making films like this for a lot longer than you have him in the chronology. He even made a 'contemplative' documentary on a criminal case in his native Wisconsin, 'Used Innocence' (1989).

That said, the chronology is tremendously useful, and I will making suitable changes to my Netflix queue, etc., as a result.
Many thanks to all concerned
HarryTuttle said…
I agree Paul, this sounds like a conceptual installation rather than a contemplative journey.

George Robinson,
Thanks for good words, you're welcome to join the blog if you like. I thought Rosetta was on the list... I added the last 3 Dardenne bros films, and Used Innocence.
Marina said…
I just saw Angela Schanelec's 'Marseille' and it struck me as a great example of much of what was discussed here.

I found this profile of the director (http://www.german-films.de/en/germanfilmsquaterly/previousissues/seriesgermandirectors/angelaschanelec/index.html) in which she has said that she admired Pialat and Bresson. I've only seen one Pialat movie - 'A nos Amours' - and one Bresson - 'Pickpocket' - but it seems that contemplative imagery is moving from seeking a conceptual to aesthetic value. Pre-contemplative films have almost everything that would make them contemplative except that explicit vision that IS remarkable by itself - in terms of contrast, width of shot, intensity of the colours, etc.

I mean, 'Marseille' is remarkable just for being so...photographically beautiful. Then come all the other layers of cinematic meaning.

Anyone seen other films by the director?
Anonymous said…
I'm thinking about some other Angelopoulos films like Ulysee's Gaze.A brilliant film.
HarryTuttle said…
Sorry for the absence, Marina, I thought you had added the film yourself. Updated now, as well as Ulysses' Gaze.
I haven't seen Marseille but I heard it's great. I need to catch it sometime.

I also added a few 2007 films to the list.
HarryTuttle said…
Added: More 2007 films, and film references noted by David Bordwell in his latest post on Bela Tarr:
The sarcastic laments of Béla Tarr
HarryTuttle said…
Added: new films of 2008
bastelik said…
how come there is not even a single entry for paradzanov? if at least "the color of pomegranates" doesn't make it into the list, then we should be discussing our criteria.
HarryTuttle said…
Hi basetelik,
you're right, Sayat Nova should be on the list. It might have been there at some point actually... but I probably took it out because of its theatrical staging, which gives a contemplation of a different nature (Brechtian theatre, artificial compositions, tableau vivant, sketch) and it makes use of music too. But since I included Roy Andersson films, maybe I should add Parajanov too. It's debatable of course. I'll put it up on the list for you.

I welcome your challenge of our criteria.

You know, this list is only an attempt at being comprehensive. And a work in progress, constantly updated. We can't know every films made, and every omission noted will be fixed. This is meant to be a collaborative project that benefits from the contribution of all.

Thanks for your interest.
Massive list Harry...

Here's some more:

Still Life (1974) by Sohrab Shahid Saless, one of the greatest Iranian films I've seen.
Five (2003) by Kiarostami
Landscape in the Mist and The Travelling Players by Theo Angelopoulos
Films of Ron Flicke

Cheers!
HarryTuttle said…
I'm shocked that Five isn't on the list yet. An unfortunate omission!
Thanks for pointing that out.

I don't know this Iranian film, I hope I can see it some day. Do you know where to read something on it?

Could you name some films by Ron Flicke? Explain a bit what he does...

You're welcome if you would like to write a review on these films, or point to interesting links for our blog.
Hi Harry, I actually wanted to write a review of Still Life some time ago... Will do so some day... There are hardly any reviews of this film on the net, except for a few imdb user comments...

Ron Fricke was teh cinematographer of Koyaanisqatsi. He himself made around half a dozen films. Baraka is a film that's styistically close to Koyaanisqatsi, but it tilts towards nature instead of Industry. I haven't seen Chronos, but I hear it is a similar film that is ABOUT "time".

I would love to do that. In fact, I was just about to mail you asking about the rules for contribution! Presently I only have a review of a few Tarr films, Jeanne Dielman and Five that I wrote a long time ago...Will try to write about Still Life soon...

P.S: I see Wings of Desire (1987) also has been omitted.
And a few Herzog films: Pilgrimage, Lessons of Darkness, Fata Morgana, Where the Green Ants Dream (?)
HarryTuttle said…
Yes send me an email, cause I need your email to send you an invitation to join this blog.
Your reviews of Tarr, Dielman and Five would be all good for our blog.

I don't know all of Angelopoulos, but he's more of a kind of "literary" contemplative filmmaker. He uses a lot of voice-over narrator that adds content that images don't show, which is contrary to the rest of CCC, IMHO.

This is the same thing with Wings of Desire. It's a film that belongs to modernist precursors, when absence of plot/denouement/dialogue was still accompanied by verbal narration (i.e. Tarkovsky)

I don't know about these Herzog films. I've only seen Lessons of Darkness (voice over narration).
Isaac said…
I've just discovered your community here while searching for centres where I could study contemplative approaches to media studies and I'm delighted to find such a nice resource for the film I love most.

I'm not sure if there have already been discussions regarding Amir Naderi, so forgive me if I'm being redundant. I've not seen many of his films but he definitely strikes me as a director creating contemplative work pre-1994. particularly his film Water, Wind, Dust (Aab, baad, khaak / 1989) strikes me as a particularly powerful addition to the discussion. If others have seen more of his films I'd like to know what people think, as I've only seen The Runner as well, which I would have to re-watch before recommending it for the list.

Looking forward to delving deeper into the CCC discussions that have been taking place,
Isaac,

I have only seen The Runner and found it extremely good. But I'm not sure if one can classify that one as CCC because I felt it was quite expressionistic towards the end.

Thanks for the other recco. May be Harry can guide us here...
HarryTuttle said…
Welcome Isaac.

No, I don't know Amir Naderi yet. I hope I can find his films soon. But if you guys want to write about it, or talk about it, you're welcome to submit an article for this blog.
ilich said…
Awesome blog!!!
The list is pretty good tool.
(sorry, i don´t speak english very well) maybe i could include some Tacita Dean´s films.

Regards

Ilich
HarryTuttle said…
I don't know Tacita Dean, thanks for the recommendation.
Please tell us more about his films.

I only add to this list films I personally know belong to CCC, cause I've noticed everyone have their own interpretation of what a "contemplative film" means...
Anonymous said…
Congratulations Harry!!
I've just discovered this page.
This is absolutly necessary to save cinema, the real cinema, (not the filmed theatre).

I'd like to recomend 2 films:
1. "tren de sombras" (train of shadows) by Jose Luis Guerin.
2. "vivre en paix" by Pavel Kostomarov and Antoine Cattin.

I also hearad about an indepenent american film but still did'nt find it: "Talking to strangers" by Rob Tregenza.

Kind Regards!
Saw Schanelec's Afternoon recently. I guess that would fit into CCC definitions...
Tom Barrance said…
I suggest the addition of Sleep Furiously, Gideon Koppel's film about the Welsh village of Trefeurig.
Jared Ashburn said…
I cannot find any references to the work of Nathaniel Dorsky on this site. It seems like you might be interested in his work.

http://www.canyoncinema.com/D/Dorsky.html
Jared Ashburn said…
Would you consider the "Devotional Cinema" of Nathaniel Dorsky?

http://www.canyoncinema.com/D/Dorsky.html
Jared Ashburn said…
I apologize for the double posting. I did not think that the first one went through. OK, I do see the reference to the written work of Dorsky but not his films. Maybe it is because screenings of his work are rare?

I would like to compliment you on this site. This is really a great idea and I cannot help but admire Unspoken Journal I. I stumbled upon this site by accident and am now surprised that I have not read about it anywhere else. The addition of the graphs compiled from Cinemetrics is a huge plus and I might suggest offering a link to them under "menu" on the right-hand column. I have been excited to see what people might do with the information provided by Cinemetrics so thank you for letting us see the CCC timeline & ASL's. What does CCC think of Filmosophy as a method of understanding cinema? It seems like it could be valuable to the CCC enthusiast.

Best,
JA
HarryTuttle said…
Thank you for the kind words.
I personally didn't get the chance to see any of Dorsky's film yet. I don't remember anyone recommending a particular film of his here...
If you think some of his films fit the required profile, you're welcome to recommend them, or even write a piece for us.
As you can see on this list, the so-called "contemplative" films abund. We're trying to focus on the quintessential at this point, rather than expand more broadly.

I'm not familiar with Filmosophy. Thought the main characteristic of CCC is formal (tangential "narration", editing, mise en scène).
Please, develop this angle further, if you think it is pertinent to the work we're trying to accomplish here. However there is not much activity at the moment.
Tom said…
Abderrahmane Sissako's 'Waiting for Happiness' should be on the list!
desertpony said…
Great blog Harry. Just discovered it. Though I feel there is a glaring omission from the enormous list of contemplative cinema, and that is most of the films of Robert Cahen. Or perhaps it's because he is categorized as a "video artist" and most of his works are short films that he has slipped under the radar. I know it's not a definitive list but I'm noticing there are a lot of films on the list that are dripping with narrative, and other formalist trappings . . .
Emre Şarbak said…
Reha Erdem's "Times and Winds" should be on the list too. You can find an extract here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kb-IGebB6Ek
Anonymous said…
Russian film director Bakur Bakuradze is very contemplative.
Anonymous said…
two polish recommendations

Las (The Forest, d. Piotr Dumała, 2009) http://youtu.be/XKf1Tk7MNPo

Z daleka widok jest piękny (It Looks Pretty From a Distance, d. Wilhelm Sasnal & Anka Sasnal, 2011) http://youtu.be/8SCMPMZd3u0
Anonymous said…
I've created for you long list with films of this type. Could you give me mail on tylkodupa@o2.pl, and I will send you this list?