--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Maybe there was a time when you could…" description: "\"“Maybe there was a time when you could make films that mattered, but now?”\" — Hayao Miyazaki" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b34/hayao-miyazaki-3768_cinema_maybe-there-was-a-time-when-you-could-ma_373513.jpg" --- # Maybe there was a time when you could make films that… ![“Maybe there was a time when you could make films that mattered, but now?” quote by Hayao Miyazaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b34/hayao-miyazaki-3768_cinema_maybe-there-was-a-time-when-you-could-ma_373513.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b34/hayao-miyazaki-3768_cinema_maybe-there-was-a-time-when-you-could-ma_373513.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b34/hayao-miyazaki-3768_cinema_maybe-there-was-a-time-when-you-could-ma_373513.jpg) > ““Maybe there was a time when you could make films that mattered, but now?”” [Hayao Miyazaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hayao-miyazaki/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker laments a perceived loss of meaningful cinema over time. **In simple terms:** Films used to matter more than they do now. Key Takeaway Seek to create or support work with purpose. Themes art culture meaning change Mood nostalgic concerned Type reflective critical When to use this quote - film criticism - creative projects - educational curricula Key Concepts cinema authenticity impact Questions to Reflect On - What makes a film matter to you? - How can creators restore depth in mainstream media? A Different Perspective The definition of “meaningful” is subjective and varies across audiences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Films](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/films/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [I think just in general there's a bunch of films that mattered to me that didn't reach their potential, and on some level you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiefer-sutherland/i-think-just-in-general-there-s-a-bunch-of-films-that-mattered-to-me/) [Kiefer Sutherland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiefer-sutherland/) > [I live, therefore I make films. I make film, therefore I live. Life. Movement. I make home movies, therefore I live. I live, therefore…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonas-mekas/i-live-therefore-i-make-films-i-make-film-therefore-i-live-life/) [Jonas Mekas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonas-mekas/) > [I long to make films. I'm dying to be inside the next film. I always hope there will be another film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-denis/i-long-to-make-films-i-m-dying-to-be-inside-the-next-film-i-always/) [Claire Denis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-denis/) > [To make films, you have to have something to say. To have something to say, you have to be a student of life. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-nair/to-make-films-you-have-to-have-something-to-say-to-have-something-to/) [Mira Nair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-nair/) > [I try to make films that move people when they are in the theater and make them think only after they leave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-berri/i-try-to-make-films-that-move-people-when-they-are-in-the-theater-and/) Claude Berri > [Each production has certain circumstances that will bring you to a certain way of making it. It is not intentional, it is not an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wong-kar-wai/each-production-has-certain-circumstances-that-will-bring-you-to-a/) [Wong Kar-wai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wong-kar-wai/) > [I make films as a business, not as a cultural endeavor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hayao-miyazaki/i-make-films-as-a-business-not-as-a-cultural-endeavor/) [Hayao Miyazaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hayao-miyazaki/) > [You always have to appeal to your audience. You always have to consider how well your project will do in terms of admissions. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hayao-miyazaki/you-always-have-to-appeal-to-your-audience-you-always-have-to-2/) [Hayao Miyazaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hayao-miyazaki/) > [Ever since I was a kid, I wanted to make films. That's really all I ever wanted to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-o-connor/ever-since-i-was-a-kid-i-wanted-to-make-films-that-s-really-all-i/) [Gavin O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-o-connor/) > [We make films because cinemas exhibit it, and they exhibit as we make films.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shoojit-sircar/we-make-films-because-cinemas-exhibit-it-and-they-exhibit-as-we-make/) [Shoojit Sircar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shoojit-sircar/) > [I'm not very good at knowing what people want. I don't have that talent. 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However, even in… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hayao-miyazaki/pitching-the-proposal-for-mononoke-hime-1997-there-cannot-be-a-happy/) [Hayao Miyazaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hayao-miyazaki/) > [Maybe that's what these films are doing. They are my way of blessing the child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hayao-miyazaki/maybe-that-s-what-these-films-are-doing-they-are-my-way-of-blessing/) [Hayao Miyazaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hayao-miyazaki/) > [I do believe in the power of story. I believe that stories have an important role to play in the formation of human beings,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hayao-miyazaki/i-do-believe-in-the-power-of-story-i-believe-that-stories-have-an/) [Hayao Miyazaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hayao-miyazaki/) > [I like underwater life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hayao-miyazaki/i-like-underwater-life/) [Hayao Miyazaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hayao-miyazaki/) > [Prizes do not mean anything to me. I think it is more important to make a child aware of the existence of a weird…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hayao-miyazaki/prizes-do-not-mean-anything-to-me-i-think-it-is-more-important-to/) [Hayao Miyazaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hayao-miyazaki/) > [No matter how many WEAPONS you have, no matter how great your TECHNOLOGY might be, the world cannot live without LOVE.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hayao-miyazaki/no-matter-how-many-weapons-you-have-no-matter-how-great-your/) [Hayao Miyazaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hayao-miyazaki/) > [The principle I adhere to when directing, is that I make good use of everything my staff creates. Even if they make foregrounds that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hayao-miyazaki/the-principle-i-adhere-to-when-directing-is-that-i-make-good-use-of/) [Hayao Miyazaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hayao-miyazaki/) > [There are so many ships in the animation sea that are computer driven, that I think we can have at least one that's just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hayao-miyazaki/there-are-so-many-ships-in-the-animation-sea-that-are-computer-driven/) [Hayao Miyazaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hayao-miyazaki/) > [Any woman is just as capable of being a hero as any man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hayao-miyazaki/any-woman-is-just-as-capable-of-being-a-hero-as-any-man/) [Hayao Miyazaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hayao-miyazaki/) > [What you mean by 'peace' is nothing more than the endless repetition of human folly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hayao-miyazaki/what-you-mean-by-peace-is-nothing-more-than-the-endless-repetition-of/) [Hayao Miyazaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hayao-miyazaki/) > [Almost all Japanese animation is produced with hardly any basis taken from observing real people, you know. It's produced by humans who can't stand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hayao-miyazaki/almost-all-japanese-animation-is-produced-with-hardly-any-basis-taken/) [Hayao Miyazaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hayao-miyazaki/) > [Some people spend their lives interested only in themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hayao-miyazaki/some-people-spend-their-lives-interested-only-in-themselves/) [Hayao Miyazaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hayao-miyazaki/) > [Watching John Lasseter's films, I think I can understand better than anyone that what he's doing, is going straight ahead with his vision and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hayao-miyazaki/watching-john-lasseter-s-films-i-think-i-can-understand-better-than/) [Hayao Miyazaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hayao-miyazaki/) > [Cut off a wolf's head and it still has the power to bite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hayao-miyazaki/cut-off-a-wolf-s-head-and-it-still-has-the-power-to-bite/) [Hayao Miyazaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hayao-miyazaki/) > [All my films are all my children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hayao-miyazaki/all-my-films-are-all-my-children/) [Hayao Miyazaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hayao-miyazaki/) [Explore all 122 Hayao Miyazaki quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hayao-miyazaki/) ## More Cinema quotes > [I made, like, five movies while I was in college. I think they just weren't memorable movies. I've taken breaks as the years have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodie-foster/i-made-like-five-movies-while-i-was-in-college-i-think-they-just/) [Jodie Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodie-foster/) > [You have to have a great director to make a great movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thelma-schoonmaker/you-have-to-have-a-great-director-to-make-a-great-movie/) [Thelma Schoonmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thelma-schoonmaker/) > [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) > [I wasn't attracted to American cinema, but I fell in love with Los Angeles the minute I arrived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-varda/i-wasn-t-attracted-to-american-cinema-but-i-fell-in-love-with-los/) [Agnes Varda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-varda/) > [There was a time in the 1980s when I worked in 22 films a year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radha-ravi/there-was-a-time-in-the-1980s-when-i-worked-in-22-films-a-year/) [Radha Ravi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radha-ravi/) > [To an ever greater extent out experience is governed by pictures, pictures in newspapers and magazines, on television and in the cinema. Next to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-crimp/to-an-ever-greater-extent-out-experience-is-governed-by-pictures/) [Douglas Crimp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-crimp/) > [In the future, I would like to do more films with contemporary themes. Perhaps comedy, which is something I have done in theater but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/in-the-future-i-would-like-to-do-more-films-with-contemporary-themes/) [Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [I love film people and actors and I am in the right world because I am one of those people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ewan-mcgregor/i-love-film-people-and-actors-and-i-am-in-the-right-world-because-i/) [Ewan McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ewan-mcgregor/) > [Personally, I prefer contemporary films, but the market calls for more period choices, especially since China opened up a cinema market in Hong Kong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-yen/personally-i-prefer-contemporary-films-but-the-market-calls-for-more/) [Donnie Yen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-yen/) > [I'd love to work in the States; I'd love to work anywhere where you get a good script and a good part to play.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-carmichael/i-d-love-to-work-in-the-states-i-d-love-to-work-anywhere-where-you/) [Laura Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-carmichael/) > [I even see the cinema itself as a woman, with its alternation of light and darkness, of appearing and disappearing images](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/federico-fellini/i-even-see-the-cinema-itself-as-a-woman-with-its-alternation-of-light/) [Federico Fellini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/federico-fellini/) > ['Rear Window' isn't really a horror film, but it is a psychological drama, which I love. It is very tense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-silvers/rear-window-isn-t-really-a-horror-film-but-it-is-a-psychological/) [Diana Silvers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-silvers/) > [What a thrill. You know you've entered new territory when you realise that your outfit cost more than your film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-yu/what-a-thrill-you-know-you-ve-entered-new-territory-when-you-realise/) Jessica Yu > [I am not interested in churning out a certain number of films every year. For me, it's about the quality of work. I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepika-padukone/i-am-not-interested-in-churning-out-a-certain-number-of-films-every/) [Deepika Padukone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepika-padukone/) [Browse all 23,940 Cinema quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Maybe there was a time when you could make films that mattered, but now?”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Hayao Miyazaki" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hayao-miyazaki/maybe-there-was-a-time-when-you-could-make-films-that-mattered-but-now/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cinema" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hayao-miyazaki/maybe-there-was-a-time-when-you-could-make-films-that-mattered-but-now/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b34/hayao-miyazaki-3768_cinema_maybe-there-was-a-time-when-you-could-ma_373513.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b34/hayao-miyazaki-3768_cinema_maybe-there-was-a-time-when-you-could-ma_373513.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b34/hayao-miyazaki-3768_cinema_maybe-there-was-a-time-when-you-could-ma_373513.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Maybe there was a time when you could make films that mattered, but now?” — Hayao Miyazaki", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Hayao Miyazaki", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hayao-miyazaki/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Maybe there was a time when...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hayao-miyazaki/maybe-there-was-a-time-when-you-could-make-films-that-mattered-but-now/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hayao-miyazaki/maybe-there-was-a-time-when-you-could-make-films-that-mattered-but-now/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```