Here, you'll find a collection of things that keep me inspired—whether new or old films, music, literature, or theory—whatever stirs something in me. I’ll keep shifting things around, adding what starts to float in my brain water and letting go of what eventually sinks. Since this is a space for inspiration and reflection, expect it to be as passionate and chaotic as it should be.
Welcome to my bothered mind.
I recently discovered the genius work of Eduardo 'Teddy' Williams. The Human Surge melts the distinction between fiction and documentary and gives birth to its own type of storytelling structure while also working with non-professional actors, bringing an insane amount of authenticity. They not only hit their marks and pace, but the way they deliver their lines can't possibly inform of a script—which I later read was actually given. Not only that, but the playful and poetic visual expression of the director hasn't given me a break for a month since I've seen the film. I haven't felt so inspired by cinema in a long time. I'm so happy to be witnessing my generation changing the winds of cinema to such an extent!
Animation is not yet among my strongest skills, but I love Studio Ghibli because of their character and world development. The interpersonal dynamics are so surprising and satisfying—so real that you feel like you've lived what they did, even without that necessarily being true. And I don't mean just the empathy you feel for them, but the nostalgia for something you've never personally experienced. How awesome is that! Whisper of the Heart is among my favorites, and I felt obligated to sneak it in for a moment, even if it's not a new discovery. It's also an opportunity to say that I am currently exploring the art of Kishōtenketsu—a four-act structure originating in China and widely adopted by Korea and Japan.
A Few Stories About a Man is the film I've returned to the most in my library. It is a documentary that observes the everyday life of Jerzy Orłowski, a Polish armless painter who likes sports and lives for living. Bogdan Dziworski, the film’s director, was also a great photographer, and considering Polish cinema at the time, the virtuosity of the cinematographic language is no surprise. But the sound is what truly makes you see. He used sound design with a heavy hand, and without it, the film wouldn’t have worked the same way. Every note, scratch, and whistle in the film adds a layer to Jerzy’s personal experience. David Lynch would have loved it.
To me, this film is a reminder—not only of what I love about cinema but also of how complex and strong, or fragile and gorgeous, people are with their abilities and disabilities. And how great it is that we have cinema to experience as many of them as possible.
Currently reading Hiromi Kawakami's Strange Weather in Tokyo. It makes me think of the significance of silence in movies; those moments in which 'nothing' happens. It happens so loudly that it fills your stomach with love, fear, and anxiety at the same time. Do you remember the scene from Marriage Story in the beginning of the film when Charlie (Adam Driver) and Nicole (Scarlett Johansson) come back from the theater in the subway without saying a word? Or maybe the ants sequence from Eduardo 'Teddy' Williams’ masterpiece The Human Surge I? So simple, human, and profound.