12388 quotes by directors for you to enjoy

The studios aren't lining up to make films about black protagonists, black people being autonomous and independent. Ava DuVernay

People Black Films Independent About Studios Protagonists Make Lining Up Being Autonomous

Art morphs with what's going on in the world. We say 'Ferguson'; we don't say 'Mike Brown.' Just like we say 'Selma,' not 'Jimmie Lee Jackson.' There is something startling about the people in a particular place, a city or a small town, rising up and taking to the streets. Ava DuVernay

Art People World Say City About Brown Something Rising Small Small Town Taking Particular Town Like Ferguson Lee Up Jackson Going Just Place Mike Streets Startling

All black women aren't sassy, loud, difficult, or subservient. We are, in fact, very complex and very diverse, living very complex and diverse lives. That point cannot be made enough. Ava DuVernay

Women Black Made Living Difficult Enough Complex Diverse Fact Point Loud Very Subservient In Fact Cannot Sassy Lives

I'm a filmmaker to my bones. Ava DuVernay

Filmmaker Bones

Art is something that grows and breathes and lives, and it shouldn't be predicated on the success of box office - but it is. But within that, you have to give people a chance to find their voice, to play, to continue to create. Ava DuVernay

Success Art You People Find Give Something Voice Box Box Office Within Continue Office Breathes Create Lives Play Grows Chance

There's been no major motion picture released by a studio, no independent motion picture, in theaters, with King at the center, in the 50 years since these events happened, when we have biopics on all kinds of ridiculous people. And nothing on King? No cinematic representation that's meaningful and centered. Ava DuVernay

People Events King Picture Nothing Cinematic Released Independent Kinds Studio Since Major Motion Motion Picture Been Years Representation Happened Center Centered Theaters Meaningful Ridiculous

We know there needs to be diversity in storytellers telling their own stories. I think there's a beautiful forward movement in that direction with McQueen telling '12 Years A Slave,' with Coogler telling 'Fruitvale,' and with Daniels telling 'The Butler.' Ava DuVernay

Beautiful Needs Diversity Own Think Telling Direction Know Years Movement Stories McQueen Storytellers Forward Butler Slave

Especially when we're dealing with issues of race, culture, identity, and history, the time has passed for the 'white savior' holding the black person's hand through their own history. Ava DuVernay

Time History Culture Black Own Holding White Savior Through Identity Dealing Passed Issues Hand Person Race

I've always been interested in how people think, how they react to challenges in their lives - what makes people tick. I've also always been passionate about social issues and causes, and I wanted to make films that addressed important issues in very human terms. Barbara Kopple

Challenges People Important Think Films About Tick Terms React Also Make Important Issues Makes Always How Passionate Causes Issues Been Very Human Wanted Interested Social Social Issues Lives

Most of my films have been documentaries, but I'm also very interested in narrative filmmaking. Barbara Kopple

Films Most Also Documentaries Narrative Been Very Interested Filmmaking

We never really know what's around the corner when we're filming - what turn a story will take, what a character will do or say to surprise us, how the events in the world will impact our story. Barbara Kopple

Character World Events Will Corner Our Say Impact Take Never Know Around How Surprise Story Turn Us Really Filming

I chose to treat the homosexuality like I would treat any other form of sexuality. Barbet Schroeder

Treat Other Would Sexuality Like Any Form Chose Homosexuality

When you kill somebody in the movies, it matters, whereas in literature it can be allegorical. Barbet Schroeder

You Somebody Matters Allegorical Whereas Literature Movies

If you try to create something that everybody can relate to, you're gonna make something that nobody can relate to. Barry Jenkins

You Try Relate Everybody Something Nobody Make Gonna Create

It's interesting because I think class is a heavy, heavy part of 'Moonlight,' and I think, in a certain way, through the sum of all these parts, it's become a commentary on the black experience in America. Barry Jenkins

Class Experience Black Become Think Sum Way Moonlight Through Part Parts Because Commentary America Heavy Interesting Certain Certain Way

There's nothing in Hollywood that's inherently detrimental to good art. I think that's a fallacy that we've created because we frame the work that way too overtly. 'This is Hollywood.' 'This isn't Hollywood.' It's like, 'No, this is actually all Hollywood.' People are just framing them differently. Barry Jenkins

Work Art Good People Nothing Think Too Frame Framing Way Detrimental Like Because Fallacy Just Them Hollywood Hollywood People Created Good Art Inherently Actually Differently

In hip-hop, sometimes that pace is so fast that you miss things. I don't mean literally miss lyrics; I just think there's an emotion in what these cats are saying that gets by you. When you slow things down, there's this emotion, this yearning. Barry Jenkins

Saying You Cats Sometimes Slow Down Think Lyrics Emotion Miss Hip-Hop Yearning Gets Just Literally Pace Mean Fast Things

Making films. It gave me a voice. Legitimately saved me. Barry Jenkins

Me Films Saved Gave Voice Making

A month alone would make me so happy. Not good for my dating prospects. Barry Jenkins

Alone Good Me Happy Month Would Dating Prospects Make

At school, film-making had been the most beautiful thing that ever happened to me. Then I get to L.A., and it's this whole other thing. I checked out. Barry Jenkins

Beautiful Me School Most Beautiful Other Out Had Checked Most Beautiful Thing Most Beautiful Thing Been Get Happened Then Whole Ever Thing Film-Making

The way I work, things are very nuanced; not everything is explained. Barry Jenkins

Work Everything Way Very Explained Things

I've worked at this film festival in Telluride called the Telluride Film Festival. Been there since 2002. I used to make popcorn. I was an usher. Cleaned toilets, everything. Grew up there as a kid. Barry Jenkins

Toilets Everything Kid Cleaned Since Make Been Up Festival Grew Worked Used Popcorn Usher Film Film Festival

Quotes by Directors