Unspoken Cinema

"What some people call slow cinema now really isn’t slow. Some films are neither minimalist in style or narrative elements nor are they observational; it’s just that they are building the world before they get to the plot. [..] So when a film doesn’t immediately tell us what the goal is, what the protagonist is meant to achieve, we feel lost in terms of time. And that’s when a film starts to feel slow for some audience members. [..] We should be reading books and watching theater and movies to enrich us and show us things we never thought about before—or even experience emotions we would never normally feel in our regular day-to-day lives. We should be able to immerse ourselves in a different perspective so that we can grow as people. That’s the power and beauty of art. And it should be slow so that we can savor it and really think about it."  Wanggo Gallaga ; Is ‘slow cinema’ the biggest enemy of cinema today? ; 20 Aug 2026

From Tarkovsky to TikTok: The Collapse of Time in Cinema (YouTube) 52'25" (deep kino) 23 March 2026 "This podcast episode explores the philosophical tension between slow cinema and the modern attention economy. The hosts contrast the "sculpted time" of directors like Tarkovsky and Ozu, who used long durations to foster deep human reflection, with the rapid-fire editing of Marvel films and TikTok. They argue that constant digital stimulation has recalibrated our nervous systems, making the patience required for contemplative art feel like a physical struggle. However, the dialogue emphasizes that intentionality matters more than speed, defending both the "gift" of time in arthouse classics and the "energy" of well-crafted fast media. Ultimately, the podcast presents attentive viewing as a modern discipline that must be actively practiced to keep cinematic traditions alive."

Latest article addition to the Library page at Unspoken Cinema: Abstract: "The subject of the research is the critical reflection of the 2000s regarding the concept of "slow cinema." The aim of the work is to reconstruct the initial premises that subsequently laid the foundation for academic interpretative models of "slow cinema." In the absence of comprehensive knowledge about this cinematic phenomenon, it seems necessary to reconstruct the genealogy of its formation at an early stage. The analysis of disparate texts within the discursive field allows for tracing the origins of the concept of "slow cinema," the process of its transformation, and its subsequent institutionalization. Special attention is paid to identifying the object-forming positions within the logic of early critical texts dedicated to the phenomenon of "slow cinema." This approach allows for the dis-embedding of propositions at the prenominative level, where initial repr...

SPÉCULATIONS : DRY LEAF (Alexandre Koberidze) (YouTube) 53'12" (SPÉCULATIONS) 23 juillet 2026 "A l'occasion de la sortie en salles le 8 juillet de Dry Leaf, dernière réalisation du géorgien Alexandre Koberidze (que l'on avait pu découvrir avec Sous le ciel de Koutaïssi en 2021), Matthias, Théodora, Charles et Aubry reviennent sur cette sortie pas comme les autres. Filmé à l'aide d'un Sony Ericsson W595, le film impose l'étrangeté de son image pixelisée basse-définition autant que sa ritournelle contemplative sur plus de trois heures durant, suivant la recherche décousue d'un père. Intriguant, déroutant, ce dispositif singulier aux antipodes des courses à la technologie menées par Hollywood ne serait-il pas pour nous un moyen de déconstruire notre regard, de réinterroger et peut-être de retrouver, qui sait, un autre rapport au monde. Intervenant.es : Matthias Chouquer Théodora Olivi Charles Mérienne Aubry Piffault" * * * Et aussi un article ch...

  JEANNE DIELMAN (1975): A Hiper-realidade do Cotidiano (YouTube) 34'46" (Arthur Tuoto) 13 Feb 2026 "Jeanne Dielman acompanha três dias da rotina rigorosa de uma viúva em Bruxelas, cuja vida é sustentada por um duplo trabalho doméstico e sexual. Aos poucos, pequenas falhas nesse cotidiano começam a corroer essa ordem e revelam como o tempo, o espaço e os objetos passam a agir contra ela. A aula destaca como Chantal Akerman transforma tarefas banais em matéria dramática, hipervisibiliza o trabalho invisível das mulheres e subverte o naturalismo clássico ao dilatar planos e construir uma “hiper-realidade” formal."

Hamvas Béla út 11. (YouTube) 55'36" (Kis ZenFilms) 15 Jan 2026 * * * Hamvas Béla út 11. / Hamvas Béla street 11. (2025/Janos KIS/Hungary) a review by Benoit Rouilly Living the weight of an hour, a man takes us through the mundanity of unfettered existence. How much does an hour of human life weigh? Eight moments, eight plans-séquence tell the tale of a daily routine. The slightest gesture is well-rehearsed by life-long habits, not even conscious or calculated. A prosaic choreography of solitude takes place before our eyes. Not a single word is uttered as the unnamed protagonist undertakes repetitive chores. This individual is all of us when nobody’s watching. The muscle memory of his alienation draws lonely circles throughout his apartment. It is as much a chronicle of his life than it is a document of his living space. A modest home on the 13th floor in a Budapest social project from the 60ies. A socialist-era prefab apartment block. The washed-out facade is a vertiginous p...

À travers l’histoire de la Chine et celle du cinéma, BI Gan signe ici, à 36 ans, avec une maturité surprenante (son 3ème long métrage seulement), un opus magnus : la plus somptueuse des élégies rétrospectives portant un regard mouillé de nostalgie sur le premier siècle de cinéma. Des origines (1896) au passage à l’an 2000 et au delà, toute l’histoire de notre XXème siècle en six segments baroques, sorte d’omnibus hétéroclite lié en son cœur par des acteurs (Shu QI et Jackson YEE) et une fable rétro-futuriste ancrée par les 5 sens (+ la conscience). La fable s’énonce par une voix off de l’au-delà : un pays d’un futur parallèle où les humains ont conquis l’immortalité au mépris des rêves. Ces fantasmagories étranges qui peuplent notre cerveau la nuit, seraient-elles l’artéfact de notre décrépitude ? Il pose là le postulat que les rêves (et le cinéma a fortiori) sont le mystère qui nous séparent de l’éternité. Comme si le cinéma avait sur nous un effet inhibiteur, mais nous montrant cepen...

  How Perfect Days Made Slow Cinema Important Again (YouTube) 5'16" (Prime Cinephile) 24 Nov 2025 "Perfect Days is a film that feels simple on the surface, but emotionally deep once you sit with it. In this video, we take a closer look at how Wim Wenders uses slow cinema to tell a quiet and meaningful story about routine, purpose and being present in life. We’ll explore Hirayama’s character, his daily rituals and how the film reveals who he is without heavy dialogue or dramatic events. We’ll also look at the cinematography, pacing, sound design and the emotional meaning behind the ending."

  Béla Tarr explored: The Turin Horse (2011) / Final Years (YouTube) 4'02" (Film Directors Explored) 2 Nov 2025 "In this documentary-style video essay analysis, we explore and review the film: The Turin Horse (2011), Béla Tarr’s apocalyptic, haunting, philosophical, and minimalist farewell to cinema. Inspired by Friedrich Nietzsche’s final moments of compassion toward a beaten horse, and working with his long-time collaborators (László Krasznahorkai, Mihály Vig, Ágnes Hranitzky, Fred Kelemen, Erika Bók), Tarr delivers a powerful ending to one of the most uncompromising careers in slow cinema."

164. Slow Cinema as Democratic Cinema -- Paul Schrader (YouTube) 46'05"  (Graham Culbertson) 25 august 2025 "In normal cinema, the goal of the director is to control the audience, to direct their gaze, to dictate their emotions. What does it mean when directors make movies where the audience is allowed to decide what the film means to them? Legendary filmmaker Paul Schrader (screenwriter of Taxi Driver and Raging Bull; director of Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters and First Reformed) ,  joins me to discuss his book Transcendental Style in Film: Ozu, Bresson, Dreyer and the democratic nature of slow cinema."

  visual essay: Bi Gan's Lucid Dream (YouTube) 5'22" (Olivia) 14 jan 2022

  Why a Perfect Day Looks Nothing Like You Imagine - Perfect Days (2023) (YouTube) 12'06" (Cinevision) 10 August 2025 "In today's video we'll be exploring Wim Wenders' "Perfect Days," a film that completely shifts how we think about finding meaning in ordinary life. We follow Hirayama, a man living alone in Tokyo who spends his days cleaning public restrooms, driving through the city, and listening to classic rock on cassette tapes, yet there's something incredibly profound about his simple existence that makes you question what we're actually missing in our own lives. Wenders doesn't give us dramatic chase scenes or epic heroes. Instead, he invites us to witness the beauty of everyday moments through that intimate 4:3 aspect ratio that makes you feel like you're right there with Hirayama as he pauses to notice a tree through a window or finds connection in the smallest details. His work isn't just a task, it's an act of pres...

"We continue our series on Akerman with a double-bill of personal documentaries about her mother, and of home. News from Home immediately follows her seminal Jeanne Dielman, and No Home Movie is the final film of Akerman’s filmography. In this episode, we thread the throughline across Akerman’s career in comparing both films, see the influence of structural and slow cinema, and marvel at her capacity for personal artmaking." Chantal Akerman: News From Home / No Home Movie ( Deep Cut podcast ) 24 August 2025 Spotify 54'44" Deep Cut: A Film Podcast is a director-focused film podcast featuring deep-dive discussions about international, art-house, and independent cinema. Each episode we discuss either a director's most popular film or a "Deep Cut Pick": a personal favorite chosen by one of us: Wilson Lai, Benjamin Yap, and Eli Sands.

  Movies Need to Shut Up | Video Essay (youtube) 15'41" (Accented Cinema) 15 August 2025

"It’s about time. We tackle Chantal Akerman’s Sight and Sound topping Jeanne Dielman, and begin our series on her singular career. Ben introduces Akerman’s career, spotlighting her fierce conviction and crystalline vision, Eli loops in a melodramatic reading, and Wilson zeroes in on an ending that explosively caps off a 3.5h opus. And if you’re struggling with how to approach this film, as entertainment or as art, just remember: it’s about time." Jeanne Dielman ( Deep Cut podcast ) 11 August 2025  Spotify  1h32'  Deep Cut: A Film Podcast is a director-focused film podcast featuring deep-dive discussions about international, art-house, and independent cinema. Each episode we discuss either a director's most popular film or a "Deep Cut Pick": a personal favorite chosen by one of us: Wilson Lai, Benjamin Yap, and Eli Sands.

  Adaptation - Robert Mckee vs Charlie Kaufman scene (YouTube) 4'34" (Outstanding Screenplays) 19 May 2021 ADAPTATION. (2002/Jonze/USA) Nicolas Cage (playing Charlie Kaufman) question to screenwriting guru Robert McKee at a seminar Charlie Kaufman : Sir, What if a writer is attempting to write a story where nothing much happens? Where people don’t change, they don’t have any epiphanies. They struggle and are frustrated, and nothing is resolved. More a reflection of the real world. Robert McKee : The real world? Charlie Kaufman : Yes sir. Robert McKee : The real fucking world. First of all, you write a screenplay without a conflict or crisis, you’ll bore your audience to tears. Secondly, nothing happens in the world? are you out of your fucking mind? People are murdered every day. There is genocide, war, corruption. Every fucking day, somewhere in the world someone sacrifice his life to save somebody else. every fucking day, someone somewhere takes a conscious decision to dest...

 I commissioned Claude Sonnet 3.7 to write me a poem with the metaphor of Contemplative Cinema as a broken bowl and the frustrated look of criticism upon it... and 5 secondes later: Photo generated by AI (Firefly) The Broken Bowl The critic sits before the broken bowl of contemplative cinema, tools of analysis scattered uselessly beside it. The bowl refuses to be put back together, refuses to become what criticism demands. Light falls across its jagged edge, illuminating nothing that can be measured, named, dissected with academic precision. What to say of emptiness? How to capture in language the film that withholds, that shows the mountain and not the climber, the room and not the conflict, the face and not the thought behind it? The critic reaches for theory but finds it inadequate before the stubborn materiality of silence, the insistent presence of time unadorned by plot. Hours pass in the darkened theater. A single shot holds: a woman gazing out a window. Nothing happens. ...

  PERFECT DAYS (2024) a Cinematic Ode to the Ordinary | in-depth film review (YouTube) 8'06" (Up in the Air ft. Zürich) March 1st 2024

"In general, when people go to the cinema they say: “Ah, it’s great. I didn’t see the time passing.” But time is all we have in life. And in fact, when we don’t see the time pass it is as if we have 2 hours of our life stolen. So, for me, going to see one of my films is living an experience inside yourself, which is an experience both obviously visual but also of time passing in itself."  – Chantal Akerman "[..]Film, as a medium, has an intrinsic relationship with time. The very act of watching a film unfolds over a predetermined duration, often eliciting a unique psychological experience of time’s passage. When a viewer declares that they “lost track of time,” they express a profound engagement with the filmic narrative that goes beyond mere entertainment. This phenomenon invites questions about the nature of temporality itself: What does it mean to experience time while being absorbed in a story? And how does film manipulate our perception of this elusive conc...

Many texts collected in English and Dutch on the cinema of Weerasethakul at Sabzian... For him, cinema is the artform that can address the mysteries of time and that creates a shared body of memories. Cinema is a time machine to him, in part technical, partly magical. “I am interested in exploring the innards of this time machine. There might be some mysterious forces waiting to be revealed just as certain things that used to be called black magic have been shown to be scientific facts. For me, filmmaking remains a source all of whose energy we haven’t properly utilized. In the same way that we have not thoroughly explained the inner workings of the mind.”   Transmigrating Souls: The Cinema of Apichatpong WEERASETHAKUL (Sabzian)