CCC FAQ #7 : Who are the iconic directors of Contemplative Cinema?
Contemporary Contemplative Cinema Frequently Asked Questions #7:
Lisandro ALONSO, Argentinian filmmaker, is always the first name that comes to mind when evoking Contemplative Cinema, because his œuvre is an exemplary model from beginning to end. Since his debut feature, La Libertad (2001), he films protagonists like his neighbours, daily, caringly, respectfuly. Unaffected body language instead of long discourses. Silences and pauses tell more about their inner turmoil. His urge for dead-times, his patience for the right interval are commandable.
WANG Bing, Chinese independant filmmaker, is an exceptionnal documentarian. He’s made some of the greatest documentaries in cinema history. They are always driven by immersive images in succession, sharing the plight of his subjects. Without voiceover commentary, they build a direct bond between the filmed material and the audience, undeniable reality, unequivocal truth. The touching Three Sisters (2012) might be his most beautiful prowess.
TSAI Ming-liang, Taiwanese filmmaker of Malaysian origin, has produced some of the most memorable imagery of contemplative poetry. Lee Kang-sheng, his muse, has been of his every film and every frame, from 1992 when he was 24, an unprecedented feat in cinema history. Goodbye, Dragon Inn (2003), like all his films, has long and wide stationary shots, deep stillness, and occasionally burlesque interludes. He fears not tackling alienation and concupiscence.
Béla TARR, Hungarian filmmaker, is the pope of Contemplative Cinema, with a monumental œuvre and a passion for mentoring younger directors. Since 1988, only 5 contemplative features and a couple shorts to install his miraculous legacy. Amongst which, Sátántangó (1994), a magnificent 7h19min long opus, where the average shot length breaks world records. He always films in a somptuous black & white, accompanied by Mihály Víg’s languid score of mellow notes.
Roy ANDERSSON, peculiar Swedish filmmaker who comes from the world of TV ads. After a classical debut feature, he’s made unique stylized Contemplative Cinema ever since. His trademarks across all these films are discernible at the glance of a single frame : Endless stationnary takes with wide angles tableaux, desaturated colour grading, pale make up, painstakingly crafted sets with miniature vistas, deadpan actors with slow delivery, bleak satire.
CCC FAQ #7 : Who are the iconic directors of Contemplative Cinema?
Five auteurs, five personalities, five styles, one contemplation...
Lisandro ALONSO, Argentinian filmmaker, is always the first name that comes to mind when evoking Contemplative Cinema, because his œuvre is an exemplary model from beginning to end. Since his debut feature, La Libertad (2001), he films protagonists like his neighbours, daily, caringly, respectfuly. Unaffected body language instead of long discourses. Silences and pauses tell more about their inner turmoil. His urge for dead-times, his patience for the right interval are commandable.
WANG Bing, Chinese independant filmmaker, is an exceptionnal documentarian. He’s made some of the greatest documentaries in cinema history. They are always driven by immersive images in succession, sharing the plight of his subjects. Without voiceover commentary, they build a direct bond between the filmed material and the audience, undeniable reality, unequivocal truth. The touching Three Sisters (2012) might be his most beautiful prowess.
TSAI Ming-liang, Taiwanese filmmaker of Malaysian origin, has produced some of the most memorable imagery of contemplative poetry. Lee Kang-sheng, his muse, has been of his every film and every frame, from 1992 when he was 24, an unprecedented feat in cinema history. Goodbye, Dragon Inn (2003), like all his films, has long and wide stationary shots, deep stillness, and occasionally burlesque interludes. He fears not tackling alienation and concupiscence.
Béla TARR, Hungarian filmmaker, is the pope of Contemplative Cinema, with a monumental œuvre and a passion for mentoring younger directors. Since 1988, only 5 contemplative features and a couple shorts to install his miraculous legacy. Amongst which, Sátántangó (1994), a magnificent 7h19min long opus, where the average shot length breaks world records. He always films in a somptuous black & white, accompanied by Mihály Víg’s languid score of mellow notes.
Roy ANDERSSON, peculiar Swedish filmmaker who comes from the world of TV ads. After a classical debut feature, he’s made unique stylized Contemplative Cinema ever since. His trademarks across all these films are discernible at the glance of a single frame : Endless stationnary takes with wide angles tableaux, desaturated colour grading, pale make up, painstakingly crafted sets with miniature vistas, deadpan actors with slow delivery, bleak satire.
Read also at Unspoken Cinema:
Comments