--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If I don't fall in love with my…" description: "\"If I don't fall in love with my characters, I cannot shoot.\" — Bernardo Bertolucci" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/afb/bernardo-bertolucci-10823_cannot_if-i-don-t-fall-in-love-with-my-characte_1595897.jpg" --- # If I don't fall in love with my characters, I cannot shoot. ![“If I don't fall in love with my characters, I cannot shoot.” quote by Bernardo Bertolucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/afb/bernardo-bertolucci-10823_cannot_if-i-don-t-fall-in-love-with-my-characte_1595897.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/afb/bernardo-bertolucci-10823_cannot_if-i-don-t-fall-in-love-with-my-characte_1595897.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/afb/bernardo-bertolucci-10823_cannot_if-i-don-t-fall-in-love-with-my-characte_1595897.jpg) > “If I don't fall in love with my characters, I cannot shoot.” [Bernardo Bertolucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernardo-bertolucci/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The director believes genuine connection with characters is essential for authentic storytelling and effective direction. **In simple terms:** Love your characters to make good films. Key Takeaway Invest emotionally in your creations. Themes creativity empathy filmmaking Mood inspirational thoughtful Type professional artistic When to use this quote - directing actors - writing scripts - casting decisions - building ensemble trust Key Concepts character development directorial authenticity Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance empathy with critical direction? - Can you direct without personal attachment? A Different Perspective Emotional involvement may bias objectivity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cannot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cannot/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Characters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/characters/) [Characters Shoot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/characters-shoot-2303095/) [Fall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fall/) [Fall in love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fall-in-love/) [Fall Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fall-love/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Love Characters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-characters-235380/) [Shoot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shoot/) ## Related quotes > [I don't usually direct actors in the classic sense of that word. Instead, I try to remind the characters before the shoot what's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-van-sant/i-don-t-usually-direct-actors-in-the-classic-sense-of-that-word/) [Gus Van Sant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-van-sant/) > [I love characters who are really dedicated to a really bad plan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marti-noxon/i-love-characters-who-are-really-dedicated-to-a-really-bad-plan/) [Marti Noxon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marti-noxon/) > [I just love characters that are complex, that you can dig into and keep itching the scratch and never quite be satisfied because they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-britton/i-just-love-characters-that-are-complex-that-you-can-dig-into-and/) [Cameron Britton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-britton/) > [When you're really young, you tend to fall in love with characters. If you start seeing the same type of character everywhere and realize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-marie-tran/when-you-re-really-young-you-tend-to-fall-in-love-with-characters-if/) [Kelly Marie Tran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-marie-tran/) > [... it is always the men we won't allow to make love to us, who take our characters away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-buckingham-mathews/it-is-always-the-men-we-won-t-allow-to-make-love-to-us-who-take-our/) [Ellen Buckingham Mathews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-buckingham-mathews/) > [I love my characters like family and cannot wait to share more of their story with readers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sabaa-tahir/i-love-my-characters-like-family-and-cannot-wait-to-share-more-of/) [Sabaa Tahir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sabaa-tahir/) > [I knew who Leonard Nimoy was, and that he embodied what Star Trek meant to all the fans. But it wasn't until I started…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-saldana/i-knew-who-leonard-nimoy-was-and-that-he-embodied-what-star-trek/) [Zoe Saldana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-saldana/) > [You start to fall in love with characters as you work with them, and anytime that you care about your characters and you realize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-goddard/you-start-to-fall-in-love-with-characters-as-you-work-with-them-and/) [Drew Goddard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-goddard/) > [“You also need love. Your characters need to love something, otherwise they will be unlovable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-franco/you-also-need-love-your-characters-need-to-love-something-otherwise/) [James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) > [You always hope that people will fall in love with the characters you play, the way you do yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-harris/you-always-hope-that-people-will-fall-in-love-with-the-characters-you/) [Jared Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-harris/) > [You have to love the characters you play, even if no one else does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-close/you-have-to-love-the-characters-you-play-even-if-no-one-else-does/) [Glenn Close](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-close/) > [We never know how much one loves till we know how much he is willing to endure and suffer for us; and it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/we-never-know-how-much-one-loves-till-we-know-how-much-he-is-willing/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [In 'The Prophet' I really fell in love with those characters, there was an emotional connection there that I don't think I've had in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-koryta/in-the-prophet-i-really-fell-in-love-with-those-characters-there-was/) [Michael Koryta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-koryta/) > [I love characters that are going through turmoil. To be honest, I love characters with conflict. I love characters who are really going through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-paul/i-love-characters-that-are-going-through-turmoil-to-be-honest-i-love/) [Aaron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-paul/) > [I love all the characters I write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vijay-krishna-acharya/i-love-all-the-characters-i-write/) [Vijay Krishna Acharya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vijay-krishna-acharya/) ## More by Bernardo Bertolucci > [English dialogues are always just what you need and nothing more - like something out of Hemingway. In Italian and in French, dialogues are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernardo-bertolucci/english-dialogues-are-always-just-what-you-need-and-nothing-more-like/) [Bernardo Bertolucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernardo-bertolucci/) > [The problem in Hollywood is that they try to become the only kind of cinema in the world, okay? The imposition everywhere of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernardo-bertolucci/the-problem-in-hollywood-is-that-they-try-to-become-the-only-kind-of/) [Bernardo Bertolucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernardo-bertolucci/) > [I accept all interpretations of my films. The only reality is before the camera. Each film I make is kind of a return to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernardo-bertolucci/i-accept-all-interpretations-of-my-films-the-only-reality-is-before/) [Bernardo Bertolucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernardo-bertolucci/) > [I started very, very young to make movies - I was 21. And at the age of 27, 28, I'd done already three movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernardo-bertolucci/i-started-very-very-young-to-make-movies-i-was-21-and-at-the-age-of/) [Bernardo Bertolucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernardo-bertolucci/) > [I think that I used to love Hollywood movies. I remember great phases and moments. But, unfortunately, now is not the moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernardo-bertolucci/i-think-that-i-used-to-love-hollywood-movies-i-remember-great-phases/) [Bernardo Bertolucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernardo-bertolucci/) > [I am still against any kind of censorship. It's a subject in my life that has been very important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernardo-bertolucci/i-am-still-against-any-kind-of-censorship-it-s-a-subject-in-my-life/) [Bernardo Bertolucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernardo-bertolucci/) > [The problem in Hollywood is that they try to become the only kind of cinema in the world, okay? The imposition everywhere of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernardo-bertolucci/the-problem-in-hollywood-is-that-they-try-to-become-the-only-kind-of-2/) [Bernardo Bertolucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernardo-bertolucci/) > [I started in '69 to have psychoanalysis, and I realised very soon that I was changing, and that's I think why my movies were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernardo-bertolucci/i-started-in-69-to-have-psychoanalysis-and-i-realised-very-soon-that/) [Bernardo Bertolucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernardo-bertolucci/) > [English dialogue is the best in the world. So dry and direct. The Italian language is beautiful, but it is too literary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernardo-bertolucci/english-dialogue-is-the-best-in-the-world-so-dry-and-direct-the/) [Bernardo Bertolucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernardo-bertolucci/) > [I am in love with the idea of doing a movie in 3D. 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It isn't present in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernardo-bertolucci/i-m-no-longer-interested-in-making-political-films-there-s-something/) [Bernardo Bertolucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernardo-bertolucci/) > [I make movies in order to make things understood, not to be shocking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernardo-bertolucci/i-make-movies-in-order-to-make-things-understood-not-to-be-shocking/) [Bernardo Bertolucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernardo-bertolucci/) > [I wanted to have a reaction from the audience. I wanted to be able to talk to somebody, and not be talking just to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernardo-bertolucci/i-wanted-to-have-a-reaction-from-the-audience-i-wanted-to-be-able-to/) [Bernardo Bertolucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernardo-bertolucci/) [Explore all 63 Bernardo Bertolucci quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernardo-bertolucci/) ## More Cannot quotes > [The United States cannot and should not discriminate on the basis of religion. The free exercise of religion is at the very heart of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/the-united-states-cannot-and-should-not-discriminate-on-the-basis-of/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [Racism is a cancer. You cannot ignore it and it'll go away. 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You cannot dictate how people read it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/once-you-publish-a-book-it-is-out-of-your-control-you-cannot-dictate/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [The Brazilians are amazing in their nature. You cannot describe it; you must feel that warmth when you're around them to understand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrikh-mkhitaryan/the-brazilians-are-amazing-in-their-nature-you-cannot-describe-it-you/) [Henrikh Mkhitaryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrikh-mkhitaryan/) > [The two things you cannot do effectively on stage are pray and copulate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-welles/the-two-things-you-cannot-do-effectively-on-stage-are-pray-and/) [Orson Welles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-welles/) > [Liberty does not exist where rights are on one side and power on the other. To be liberty, rights must be armed with vital…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucius-quintus-cincinnatus-lamar-ii/liberty-does-not-exist-where-rights-are-on-one-side-and-power-on-the/) [Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucius-quintus-cincinnatus-lamar-ii/) > [The reason I fight is to provide for my family, and I cannot risk having that taken away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-whittaker/the-reason-i-fight-is-to-provide-for-my-family-and-i-cannot-risk/) [Robert Whittaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-whittaker/) > [We cannot have players who don't give their soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/we-cannot-have-players-who-don-t-give-their-soul/) [Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/) > [I cannot do confrontation. You know that fight or flight thing? I'm flight. 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