Kick-off: Let’s Praise the Act of Writing

In a world filled with sights and sounds, we, filmmakers, “the great artists”, might neglect introspection if we ignore the power of words. You know, human thought doesn’t develop only through audio-visual elements, it actually finds its wings in written expressions. Reading invites us to contemplate thoughts and engage in dialogues to absorb wisdom. It allows us to connect with authors, explore the depths of their minds, interact with ideas, and create personal reflections. Surely, there are filmmakers who desire to create cinematic experiences similar to this. Some audiences too, seek a similar connection.

However, films have the capacity to achieve this only to a small extent. The cinema has a different effect. Most of the time, it distracts us from contemplation by leading us into the lives of others and showing us a slice of their existence. Of course, films can boost our creativity, and give us enough space to think to fill in the gaps and make personal interpretations. But they can’t really drive us to an intellectual experience the way a book does.

Here is my experience: Over time, I have gathered many thoughts and insights that deserve expression, and I have noticed that not all of them could find a place in my films. Think of Van Gogh’s letters to his brother Theo, they have brought us closer to his inner world. Could exploring Van Gogh’s mind devalue how we perceive his art? I believe the opposite; revealing thoughts of an artist can cause great literary works. Gratitude fills me for filmmakers such as Cassavetes, Kiarostami, Bunuel, Bergman, Bresson, Tarkovsky, Godard, and Rohmer for leaving written pieces beside cinematic ones.

Besides that, I always remember a simple point from Umberto Eco, who claimed that we can’t escape the act of writing and reading: Screens, from computers to phones, connect us visually and auditorily to the world, but reading and writing remain, again through them. So, if these acts are inescapable, if we can’t shake them, then let’s master them.

In this corner, I will do my part. I aim to share a stream of thoughts on the subjects that caught my interest. Consider this as a personal archive, a persona, a self-promotion, and a space where I gather thoughts both for myself and anyone who cares to join.