--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I felt like any individual's recovery was…" description: "\"I felt like any individual's recovery was more important than the film I was making. And I actually felt that my presence was a form of witness that co..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/482/brian-lindstrom-24278_felt_i-felt-like-any-individual-s-recovery-wa_2261430.jpg" --- # I felt like any individual's recovery was more important… ![“I felt like any individual's recovery was more important than the film I was making. And I actually felt that my presence was a form of witness that communicated to the people I was following that their lives mattered.” quote by Brian Lindstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/482/brian-lindstrom-24278_felt_i-felt-like-any-individual-s-recovery-wa_2261430.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/482/brian-lindstrom-24278_felt_i-felt-like-any-individual-s-recovery-wa_2261430.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/482/brian-lindstrom-24278_felt_i-felt-like-any-individual-s-recovery-wa_2261430.jpg) > “I felt like any individual's recovery was more important than the film I was making. And I actually felt that my presence was a form of witness that communicated to the people I was following that their lives mattered.” [Brian Lindstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-lindstrom/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The filmmaker prioritizes the well‑being of subjects over the film’s success, seeing presence as a witness to their value. **In simple terms:** Putting people first, not the movie. Key Takeaway Make the subject’s story the focus, not your ego. Themes empathy documentary ethics humanity Mood thoughtful inspirational Type creative ethical When to use this quote - community outreach - mental health support - ethical filmmaking - participatory media Key Concepts witnessing responsible storytelling subject agency Questions to Reflect On - How can filmmakers stay present without influencing subjects? - What responsibilities do creators have to their subjects? A Different Perspective Balancing personal involvement with objective storytelling can be challenging. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Recovery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/recovery/) ## Related quotes > [If black lives mattered, I believe that policing and immigration enforcement would not be the devastating force that it is in our communities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/opal-tometi/if-black-lives-mattered-i-believe-that-policing-and-immigration/) [Opal Tometi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/opal-tometi/) > [Recovery is an important word and a vital concept. It means renewal of life and energy. Knowing how and when to recover may prove…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-e-loehr/recovery-is-an-important-word-and-a-vital-concept-it-means-renewal-of/) James E. Loehr > [When some people rejoin with “All Lives Matter” they misunderstand the problem, but not because their message is untrue. It is true that all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-butler/when-some-people-rejoin-with-all-lives-matter-they-misunderstand-the/) [Judith Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-butler/) > [When you're training every day, recovery is so important. I find that foam rolling helps me to make sure I don't get tight anywhere…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steph-houghton/when-you-re-training-every-day-recovery-is-so-important-i-find-that/) [Steph Houghton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steph-houghton/) > [Sorry, I cant get over you because what I actually felt was REAL.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sorry-i-cant-get-over-you-because-what-i-actually-felt-was-real/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I feel like 2012 was the first year I actually felt like a grown-up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-keenan-bolger/i-feel-like-2012-was-the-first-year-i-actually-felt-like-a-grown-up/) [Andrew Keenan-Bolger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-keenan-bolger/) > [I was always super thin too skinny, actually. I felt like someone could break me in half.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-tisdale/i-was-always-super-thin-too-skinny-actually-i-felt-like-someone-could/) [Ashley Tisdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-tisdale/) > [I'll just have to plaster on a fake smile, and laugh as though I don't feel lifeless. You took my heart, my soul, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-ll-just-have-to-plaster-on-a-fake-smile-and-laugh-as-though-i-don-t/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I believed in your love till the time I actually made it, felt like sex.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pushpa-rana/i-believed-in-your-love-till-the-time-i-actually-made-it-felt-like-sex/) [Pushpa Rana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pushpa-rana/) > [I lived for those moments when we were together, those few times in my life that I actually felt alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-de-la-cruz/i-lived-for-those-moments-when-we-were-together-those-few-times-in-my/) [Melissa de la Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-de-la-cruz/) > [“I actually felt awed by the remote possibilities of the person you liked ever liking you back a corresponding amount.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marisha-pessl/i-actually-felt-awed-by-the-remote-possibilities-of-the-person-you/) [Marisha Pessl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marisha-pessl/) > [Over the last month I had pulled a woman from a blazing inferno. I had called fire and lighting down on assassins and escaped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/over-the-last-month-i-had-pulled-a-woman-from-a-blazing-inferno-i-had/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I actually felt like I was starting a new career as a news reporter while playing in 'Pinocchio.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-shin-hye/i-actually-felt-like-i-was-starting-a-new-career-as-a-news-reporter/) [Park Shin-hye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-shin-hye/) > [“She'd just had the best sex of her life, with an ex-boyfriend she'd spent the last decade pretending didn't exist, in his adorable half-finished,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-york/she-d-just-had-the-best-sex-of-her-life-with-an-ex-boyfriend-she-d/) [Zoe York](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-york/) > [I actually felt calmer and more serene when we got up to the tower that I think I ever have. We had literally done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roseline-filion/i-actually-felt-calmer-and-more-serene-when-we-got-up-to-the-tower/) Roseline Filion ## More by Brian Lindstrom > [My grandpa could go days, weeks, even months without a drink but if he took that first drink, he couldn't stop. Once, when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-lindstrom/my-grandpa-could-go-days-weeks-even-months-without-a-drink-but-if-he/) [Brian Lindstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-lindstrom/) > [We all use dishwashers every day and yet none of us would say that we're experts on dishwashers, but somehow we all think we're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-lindstrom/we-all-use-dishwashers-every-day-and-yet-none-of-us-would-say-that-we/) [Brian Lindstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-lindstrom/) > [I felt that if people understood the struggle of recovery, then some of the stigma of addiction might be reduced because the audience would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-lindstrom/i-felt-that-if-people-understood-the-struggle-of-recovery-then-some/) [Brian Lindstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-lindstrom/) > [I think that every film should have its own structure, and that's the beauty of film language - is that we get to express…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-lindstrom/i-think-that-every-film-should-have-its-own-structure-and-that-s-the/) [Brian Lindstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-lindstrom/) > [It can be difficult to present mental illness in film without resorting to devices that, if not handled well, can seem heavy-handed or cliché.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-lindstrom/it-can-be-difficult-to-present-mental-illness-in-film-without/) [Brian Lindstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-lindstrom/) > [In documentary you sometimes see the tyranny of the linear, but what I've noticed in the last ten years in narrative film is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-lindstrom/in-documentary-you-sometimes-see-the-tyranny-of-the-linear-but-what-i/) [Brian Lindstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-lindstrom/) > [If the subject is no longer living, the immediate question is do you have enough first-person material to really get that story across. 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I know my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-horgan/hackney-gets-a-bit-of-a-bad-rap-but-it-s-the-only-place-i-ve-ever/) [Sharon Horgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-horgan/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [The more I read about feeding times, sleep times and waking-up times, the more inadequate and miserable I felt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-porter/the-more-i-read-about-feeding-times-sleep-times-and-waking-up-times/) [Gail Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-porter/) > [I have touched with a sense of art some people-they felt the love and the life. Can you offer me anything to compare to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-cassatt/i-have-touched-with-a-sense-of-art-some-people-they-felt-the-love-and/) [Mary Cassatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-cassatt/) > [ I went to a mosque in Philadelphia with \[my wife\] in December 24, 1999. And we we went to this mosque in Philly, and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-went-to-a-mosque-in-philadelphia-with-my-wife-in-december-24-1999/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [When I made it, I still didn't wave the flag and say, Yeah go Asian people. I do want people to know that about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chad-hugo/when-i-made-it-i-still-didn-t-wave-the-flag-and-say-yeah-go-asian/) [Chad Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chad-hugo/) > [Most people are sensitized to animals through their cats and dogs, but for me it was a flounder. 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