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Watch these 5 “Slow Cinema” masterpieces to reclaim your attention
Farah K
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If you’re unfamiliar with Slow Cinema, it’s a genre of film that uses quiet, slow-moving scenes, sparse dialogue, and lingering shots of sometimes mundane details of life — versus high-energy films with fast-paced plots and loads of sensory stimulation.
Slow Cinema films often evoke an introspective, sometimes even melancholy mood.
This week, we have 5 recommendations for Slow Cinema masterpieces from around the world. They each have a lot to teach us about slowing down, being more intentional with our routines and relationships, and making sure to catch the micro-moments of peace or joy that remind our nervous system that we’re okay.
Perfect Days
Perfect Days is a 2023 film directed by Wim Wenders, and is a co-production between Japan and Germany.
The film follows the daily life of Hirayama, a middle-aged public toilet cleaner in Tokyo, as he delightfully listens to cassette tapes on his commute, and takes pride in his meticulous, small-gestured work.
He snaps photos of the sunlight peaking through trees in his free time, and overall, embraces enjoyment of solitude.
Watching Hirayama immerse himself in the tangible surroundings and sounds of his city, is a tender reminder that there is beauty in everything if we take time to notice it — and, reminds us that where we place our attention can greatly shape the kind of day we end up having.
💛 Quote from the film: “Now is now. Next time is next time.”
🚲🌳 Perfect Days trailer: Watch here
🍃 Today’s challenge: pay attention to an ordinary moment you might usually overlook. Some ideas: the bubbles accumulating as you wash the dishes, a soft breeze moving through the trees, the sounds of your neighborhood on your regular walk
The Lunchbox
The Lunchbox is a 2013 film written and directed by Indian filmmaker, Ritesh Batra.
The film, which draws on visual storytelling and an understated gentle ambiance, takes place in Mumbai, where a mistaken lunchbox delivery results in connecting a young housewife, longing to be seen and valued by her spouse, and an older widower who lives a highly predictable, solitary life.
This mistake sparks an unlikely pen-pal relationship via notes in the lunchbox, as both characters begin to share parts of their lives and dreams that they rarely voice aloud - breaking through their feelings of isolation and finding unexpected healing.
There are many great lessons from The Lunchbox, but one of the prominent ones is about how loneliness is often invisible - someone who seems fine on the outside may be living with deep isolation.
And, the film shows how small acts of kindness - sharing a meal, a note, paying attention - can interrupt that isolation and go a long way in restoring hope for someone who is struggling.
💛 Quote from the film: “I think we forget things if there is nobody to tell them.”
💼 The Lunchbox trailer: Watch here
💌 Today’s challenge: think of one person you’d like to thank right now. Send them a quick text or an email (or say it in person)!
Paterson
Paterson is a 2016 film written and directed by Jim Jarmusch.
The main character is a bus driver and poet named Paterson, who coincidentally drives for the public transport system in Paterson, New Jersey.
His wife Laura dreams of being a country music star and opening a cupcake business. The film follows a week in their lives as Paterson finds inspiration for his poems in everyday, simple things (like water and matches) and you see the two characters express light-heartedness, and amusement in their creative expression.
One of the brightest takeaways from the film is about creating authentic art - not for public consumption or monetary value, but simply because it’s enjoyable and fulfilling.
Paterson writes poetry each morning before his bus route because he enjoys writing poems, and his partner - armed with a paintbrush- sees their home as a creative playground.
In a world that increasingly asks us to monetize our passions, Paterson makes a case for making art simply because it brings us joy and contentment.
💛 Quote from the film: "When you're a child, you learn there are three dimensions: height, width, and depth. Like a shoebox. Then later, you hear there's a fourth dimension: time."
🚌 Paterson trailer: Watch here
🖼️ Today’s challenge: What's one tiny act of art or creativity you can do in your own home? If you don't know overwhelmed, start with your desk or workspace
Taste of Cherry
Taste of Cherry is a 1997 Iranian film written and directed by Abbas Kiarostami.
The film’s protagonist, Mr. Badii, is a middle-aged man from Tehran who’s driving through the outskirts of the city in search of someone willing to help with a strange task after his death.
As Mr. Badii drives through barren hills, picking up various passengers - a young soldier, a university student, an old taxidermist - each person reacts differently to Mr. Badii’s request, prompting reflections on life, death, despair and optimism.
Through these encounters, Mr. Badii’s mission begins to unravel as passengers share their own stories of hardship and offer him new perspectives on life.
One of the greatest teachings of Taste of Cherry is about suspending judgment and practicing empathy.
Each passenger Mr. Badii picks up listens with compassion and presence, even when they have differing views from him.
The film is also a reminder of the simple pleasures that serve as a bright spot when we’re struggling - the sweet taste of berries, a splash of cool water on one’s face, or watching a sunset - as one character shares, can give life meaning just as much as the big things.
💛 Quote from the film: “If you look at the four seasons, each season brings fruit. In summer, there's fruit, in autumn, too. Winter brings different fruit and spring, too.”
🍒 Taste of Cherry trailer: Watch here
Columbus
Columbus is a 2017 drama written and directed by Kogonada.
The film’s protagonist, Jin, is the son of a renowned architect who gets stranded in Columbus, Indiana while his father falls into a coma.
While there, he befriends a local library worker and architecture enthusiast named Casey. Columbus is a ‘walking and talking narrative’ film that feels like a documentary about nature and architecture, as the two main characters explore local landmarks on foot and open up to each other about their complicated family dynamics.
The film touches on the idea that you don’t have to have your whole future figured out: twenty-something Casey feels trapped by the responsibilities anchoring her to her small town, while Jin is also struggling with making choices amidst family obligations.
It also offers a compelling rejection of the constant connectivity to and distractions made by technology, with Casey demonstrating her preference for flip-phones, spending time in libraries, and trying to remember facts rather than resorting to Google.
💛 Quote from the film: “The problem with being a tour guide is that you stop seeking.”
🏙️ Columbus trailer: Watch here
✧˖°. ⋆｡˚:✧｡
We hope you’ve enjoyed this week’s theme of films that encourage us to form a deeper appreciation and connection with the world beyond the screen - and, at the very least, added a new film to your watch list!
P.S. If you aren't a member of Focused Space, but could use help accomplishing your goals, busting through procrastination, or getting motivated… you are welcome to join us at one of our live guided work sessions, or morning planning sessions!
Take care,
— Farah and the focused space team
If you’re unfamiliar with Slow Cinema, it’s a genre of film that uses quiet, slow-moving scenes, sparse dialogue, and lingering shots of sometimes mundane details of life — versus high-energy films with fast-paced plots and loads of sensory stimulation.
Slow Cinema films often evoke an introspective, sometimes even melancholy mood.
This week, we have 5 recommendations for Slow Cinema masterpieces from around the world. They each have a lot to teach us about slowing down, being more intentional with our routines and relationships, and making sure to catch the micro-moments of peace or joy that remind our nervous system that we’re okay.
Perfect Days
Perfect Days is a 2023 film directed by Wim Wenders, and is a co-production between Japan and Germany.
The film follows the daily life of Hirayama, a middle-aged public toilet cleaner in Tokyo, as he delightfully listens to cassette tapes on his commute, and takes pride in his meticulous, small-gestured work.
He snaps photos of the sunlight peaking through trees in his free time, and overall, embraces enjoyment of solitude.
Watching Hirayama immerse himself in the tangible surroundings and sounds of his city, is a tender reminder that there is beauty in everything if we take time to notice it — and, reminds us that where we place our attention can greatly shape the kind of day we end up having.
💛 Quote from the film: “Now is now. Next time is next time.”
🚲🌳 Perfect Days trailer: Watch here
🍃 Today’s challenge: pay attention to an ordinary moment you might usually overlook. Some ideas: the bubbles accumulating as you wash the dishes, a soft breeze moving through the trees, the sounds of your neighborhood on your regular walk
The Lunchbox
The Lunchbox is a 2013 film written and directed by Indian filmmaker, Ritesh Batra.
The film, which draws on visual storytelling and an understated gentle ambiance, takes place in Mumbai, where a mistaken lunchbox delivery results in connecting a young housewife, longing to be seen and valued by her spouse, and an older widower who lives a highly predictable, solitary life.
This mistake sparks an unlikely pen-pal relationship via notes in the lunchbox, as both characters begin to share parts of their lives and dreams that they rarely voice aloud - breaking through their feelings of isolation and finding unexpected healing.
There are many great lessons from The Lunchbox, but one of the prominent ones is about how loneliness is often invisible - someone who seems fine on the outside may be living with deep isolation.
And, the film shows how small acts of kindness - sharing a meal, a note, paying attention - can interrupt that isolation and go a long way in restoring hope for someone who is struggling.
💛 Quote from the film: “I think we forget things if there is nobody to tell them.”
💼 The Lunchbox trailer: Watch here
💌 Today’s challenge: think of one person you’d like to thank right now. Send them a quick text or an email (or say it in person)!
Paterson
Paterson is a 2016 film written and directed by Jim Jarmusch.
The main character is a bus driver and poet named Paterson, who coincidentally drives for the public transport system in Paterson, New Jersey.
His wife Laura dreams of being a country music star and opening a cupcake business. The film follows a week in their lives as Paterson finds inspiration for his poems in everyday, simple things (like water and matches) and you see the two characters express light-heartedness, and amusement in their creative expression.
One of the brightest takeaways from the film is about creating authentic art - not for public consumption or monetary value, but simply because it’s enjoyable and fulfilling.
Paterson writes poetry each morning before his bus route because he enjoys writing poems, and his partner - armed with a paintbrush- sees their home as a creative playground.
In a world that increasingly asks us to monetize our passions, Paterson makes a case for making art simply because it brings us joy and contentment.
💛 Quote from the film: "When you're a child, you learn there are three dimensions: height, width, and depth. Like a shoebox. Then later, you hear there's a fourth dimension: time."
🚌 Paterson trailer: Watch here
🖼️ Today’s challenge: What's one tiny act of art or creativity you can do in your own home? If you don't know overwhelmed, start with your desk or workspace
Taste of Cherry
Taste of Cherry is a 1997 Iranian film written and directed by Abbas Kiarostami.
The film’s protagonist, Mr. Badii, is a middle-aged man from Tehran who’s driving through the outskirts of the city in search of someone willing to help with a strange task after his death.
As Mr. Badii drives through barren hills, picking up various passengers - a young soldier, a university student, an old taxidermist - each person reacts differently to Mr. Badii’s request, prompting reflections on life, death, despair and optimism.
Through these encounters, Mr. Badii’s mission begins to unravel as passengers share their own stories of hardship and offer him new perspectives on life.
One of the greatest teachings of Taste of Cherry is about suspending judgment and practicing empathy.
Each passenger Mr. Badii picks up listens with compassion and presence, even when they have differing views from him.
The film is also a reminder of the simple pleasures that serve as a bright spot when we’re struggling - the sweet taste of berries, a splash of cool water on one’s face, or watching a sunset - as one character shares, can give life meaning just as much as the big things.
💛 Quote from the film: “If you look at the four seasons, each season brings fruit. In summer, there's fruit, in autumn, too. Winter brings different fruit and spring, too.”
🍒 Taste of Cherry trailer: Watch here
Columbus
Columbus is a 2017 drama written and directed by Kogonada.
The film’s protagonist, Jin, is the son of a renowned architect who gets stranded in Columbus, Indiana while his father falls into a coma.
While there, he befriends a local library worker and architecture enthusiast named Casey. Columbus is a ‘walking and talking narrative’ film that feels like a documentary about nature and architecture, as the two main characters explore local landmarks on foot and open up to each other about their complicated family dynamics.
The film touches on the idea that you don’t have to have your whole future figured out: twenty-something Casey feels trapped by the responsibilities anchoring her to her small town, while Jin is also struggling with making choices amidst family obligations.
It also offers a compelling rejection of the constant connectivity to and distractions made by technology, with Casey demonstrating her preference for flip-phones, spending time in libraries, and trying to remember facts rather than resorting to Google.
💛 Quote from the film: “The problem with being a tour guide is that you stop seeking.”
🏙️ Columbus trailer: Watch here
✧˖°. ⋆｡˚:✧｡
We hope you’ve enjoyed this week’s theme of films that encourage us to form a deeper appreciation and connection with the world beyond the screen - and, at the very least, added a new film to your watch list!
P.S. If you aren't a member of Focused Space, but could use help accomplishing your goals, busting through procrastination, or getting motivated… you are welcome to join us at one of our live guided work sessions, or morning planning sessions!
Take care,
— Farah and the focused space team
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Join our community
✨ Bust through procrastination with our inspiring community ✨
Tap more to learn about focused space
Join our community
✨ Bust through procrastination with our inspiring community ✨