--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I never control a film. The film controls…" description: "\"I never control a film. The film controls me.\" — Jiang Wen" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/51b/jiang-wen-23000_cinema_i-never-control-a-film-the-film-controls_626471.jpg" --- # I never control a film. The film controls me. ![“I never control a film. The film controls me.” quote by Jiang Wen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/51b/jiang-wen-23000_cinema_i-never-control-a-film-the-film-controls_626471.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/51b/jiang-wen-23000_cinema_i-never-control-a-film-the-film-controls_626471.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/51b/jiang-wen-23000_cinema_i-never-control-a-film-the-film-controls_626471.jpg) > “I never control a film. The film controls me.” [Jiang Wen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiang-wen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The creator can be overwhelmed by his own work, losing agency. **In simple terms:** The film dominates its maker. Key Takeaway Regain control over your art. Themes creativity control artistic struggle Mood reflective melancholic Type cautionary insightful When to use this quote - directing a movie - writing a script - producing a short film Key Concepts ego autonomy process Questions to Reflect On - How do you maintain boundaries with your creations? - When does a project dictate your mood? A Different Perspective Artistic loss of control can hinder expression. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control/) [Control Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control-film-1818054/) [Controls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/controls/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Film Controls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film-controls-5057445/) [Film Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film-film-263431/) [Me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/me/) [Never](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/never/) ## Related quotes > [The problem with feature filmmaking is that it offers you this mirage of being able to achieve perfection, as the theory of it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kapil-sharma/the-problem-with-feature-filmmaking-is-that-it-offers-you-this-mirage/) [Kapil Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kapil-sharma/) > [In the theater, you go from point A to point Z, building your performance as the evening progresses. You have to relinquish that control…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwyneth-paltrow/in-the-theater-you-go-from-point-a-to-point-z-building-your/) [Gwyneth Paltrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwyneth-paltrow/) > [I'm more prone to anarchy than I am to control - even though I'm a film director.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-gilliam/i-m-more-prone-to-anarchy-than-i-am-to-control-even-though-i-m-a-film/) [Terry Gilliam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-gilliam/) > [I have no control over a film. I don't know what will be left on the cutting floor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judi-dench/i-have-no-control-over-a-film-i-don-t-know-what-will-be-left-on-the/) [Judi Dench](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judi-dench/) > [The difference with doing a play is that you are in control. 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At the end of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drake-doremus/i-only-want-to-make-movies-that-i-believe-in-that-i-care-about-and/) [Drake Doremus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drake-doremus/) > [There's something that happens where you go, if you're lucky, goodness me, from film to another film to another film. And you can sort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ewan-mcgregor/there-s-something-that-happens-where-you-go-if-you-re-lucky-goodness/) [Ewan McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ewan-mcgregor/) ## More by Jiang Wen > [I've also shot plenty of films with very small audiences - 'The Sun Also Rises.' I love that film, but I didn't capture the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiang-wen/i-ve-also-shot-plenty-of-films-with-very-small-audiences-the-sun-also/) [Jiang Wen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiang-wen/) > [Changing people's preconceptions is something you have to do in order to search for truth. Of course normally, that's not done because it also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiang-wen/changing-people-s-preconceptions-is-something-you-have-to-do-in-order/) [Jiang Wen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiang-wen/) > [I personally don't distinguish between artistic and commercial films.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiang-wen/i-personally-don-t-distinguish-between-artistic-and-commercial-films/) [Jiang Wen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiang-wen/) > [I turned to historical films because they pass censors more easily.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiang-wen/i-turned-to-historical-films-because-they-pass-censors-more-easily/) [Jiang Wen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiang-wen/) > [I'm especially keen to work with good scriptwriters on stories we have developed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiang-wen/i-m-especially-keen-to-work-with-good-scriptwriters-on-stories-we/) [Jiang Wen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiang-wen/) > [From 1911 to 1928, the country was officially called Republic of China, but in reality, it was actually split between different warlords. 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When I meet a good director, I would like to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiang-wen/when-i-meet-a-good-actor-i-would-like-to-be-a-director-when-i-meet-a/) [Jiang Wen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiang-wen/) > [From now on, I will work with other people's material if it fits where I want to go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiang-wen/from-now-on-i-will-work-with-other-people-s-material-if-it-fits-where/) [Jiang Wen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiang-wen/) > [Painters who do self-portraits are engaging in a form of narcissism. But it doesn't work like that in movies. A truly narcissistic person wouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiang-wen/painters-who-do-self-portraits-are-engaging-in-a-form-of-narcissism/) [Jiang Wen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiang-wen/) > [I think that as a Chinese person, nobody will forget that in China's history, there was a war against the Japanese.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiang-wen/i-think-that-as-a-chinese-person-nobody-will-forget-that-in-china-s/) [Jiang Wen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiang-wen/) > [Other people's films are like a cocktail, a little alcohol with water and juice. My films are like pure vodka.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiang-wen/other-people-s-films-are-like-a-cocktail-a-little-alcohol-with-water/) [Jiang Wen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiang-wen/) > [No matter how lofty a film is, it becomes a product after entering the market. It has a price. I think no matter what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiang-wen/no-matter-how-lofty-a-film-is-it-becomes-a-product-after-entering-the/) [Jiang Wen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiang-wen/) > [It's not easy for a film to tell a story of the experiences of an entire society. However, from an individual's perspective, it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiang-wen/it-s-not-easy-for-a-film-to-tell-a-story-of-the-experiences-of-an/) [Jiang Wen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiang-wen/) [Explore all 26 Jiang Wen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiang-wen/) ## More Cinema quotes > [I made, like, five movies while I was in college. I think they just weren't memorable movies. 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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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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": "I never control a film. 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