Nothing in Film (Website of Nothing)

 Slow Cinema and the Aesthetics of Duration

"A significant manifestation of cinematic minimalism appears in what critics call "slow cinema"—films characterized by long takes, minimal action, and contemplative pacing. These works use temporal extension and event reduction to create distinctive relationships with nothingness:

• Extended duration: Long takes without cuts create sustained empty time
• Minimal action: Everyday activities or stillness replace dramatic events
• Dead time: Periods where "nothing happens" become central rather than eliminated
• Observational stance: Objective distance replaces psychological identification

Directors associated with this approach—Tsai Ming-liang, Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Lav Diaz, Chantal Akerman—create films where conventional "something" recedes, allowing forms of nothing (empty time, minimal action, extended observation) to become the primary experience. Their work invites viewers to discover meaning and beauty in what conventional cinema would eliminate as emptiness."

website of Nothing