--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't make films to reproduce reality." description: "\"I don't make films to reproduce reality.\" — Michel Hazanavicius" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3dd/michel-hazanavicius-7804_cinema_i-don-t-make-films-to-reproduce-reality_1026575.png" --- # I don't make films to reproduce reality. ![“I don't make films to reproduce reality.” quote by Michel Hazanavicius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3dd/michel-hazanavicius-7804_cinema_i-don-t-make-films-to-reproduce-reality_1026575.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3dd/michel-hazanavicius-7804_cinema_i-don-t-make-films-to-reproduce-reality_1026575.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3dd/michel-hazanavicius-7804_cinema_i-don-t-make-films-to-reproduce-reality_1026575.png) > “I don't make films to reproduce reality.” [Michel Hazanavicius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-hazanavicius/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He creates movies as artistic expression, not as literal mirrors of life. **In simple terms:** Films are art, not reality. Key Takeaway Embrace creative interpretation. Themes art creativity illusion Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical artistic When to use this quote - directing - screenwriting - visual storytelling Key Concepts cinema subjectivity representation Questions to Reflect On - How does imagination shape your work? - What truth do you aim to reveal? A Different Perspective Artistic license may alienate audiences seeking realism. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Films](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/films/) [Films Reproduce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/films-reproduce-2320804/) [Make](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make/) [Make Films](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-films/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Reproduce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reproduce/) [Reproduce Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reproduce-reality-1611692/) ## Related quotes > [The object of art is not to reproduce reality, but to create a reality of the same intensity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alberto-giacometti/the-object-of-art-is-not-to-reproduce-reality-but-to-create-a-reality/) [Alberto Giacometti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alberto-giacometti/) > [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/) > [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/) > [My life is OK. I live in France. It's a very cool country to make films.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-hazanavicius/my-life-is-ok-i-live-in-france-it-s-a-very-cool-country-to-make-films/) [Michel Hazanavicius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-hazanavicius/) > [I've always been against the idea of dividing films between festival titles and popular movies. I think you can make films that are both.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-hazanavicius/i-ve-always-been-against-the-idea-of-dividing-films-between-festival/) [Michel Hazanavicius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-hazanavicius/) > [I like to make films, but the only reason I do is because I'm a very bad musician.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/i-like-to-make-films-but-the-only-reason-i-do-is-because-i-m-a-very/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [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/) > [My parents used to rent old movies - my whole childhood is in black and white - and it was my dream to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rachman/my-parents-used-to-rent-old-movies-my-whole-childhood-is-in-black-and/) [Tom Rachman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rachman/) > [I'm not very good at knowing what people want. I don't have that talent. The best I can do is make films that resonate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-gosling/i-m-not-very-good-at-knowing-what-people-want-i-don-t-have-that/) [Ryan Gosling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-gosling/) > [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/) > [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/) > [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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-berri/) > [There's very few people who want to just make beautiful films that make money, when they can make films that make huge money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-selick/there-s-very-few-people-who-want-to-just-make-beautiful-films-that/) [Henry Selick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-selick/) > [In my perfect world, I go off and make films, and then come home to my farm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arielle-kebbel/in-my-perfect-world-i-go-off-and-make-films-and-then-come-home-to-my/) [Arielle Kebbel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arielle-kebbel/) ## More by Michel Hazanavicius > [I am unusual for a Frenchman - I have absolutely nothing against the United States.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-hazanavicius/i-am-unusual-for-a-frenchman-i-have-absolutely-nothing-against-the/) [Michel Hazanavicius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-hazanavicius/) > [Usually, when you do a period movie, you just recreate what you are shooting. You don't recreate the way you shoot it. I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-hazanavicius/usually-when-you-do-a-period-movie-you-just-recreate-what-you-are/) [Michel Hazanavicius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-hazanavicius/) > [In France, it's really different the way you live. It's a non-religious country. The public space is not religious; religion is a private thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-hazanavicius/in-france-it-s-really-different-the-way-you-live-it-s-a-non-religious/) [Michel Hazanavicius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-hazanavicius/) > [I make almost all the decisions on set and have to deal with all the financial aspects.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-hazanavicius/i-make-almost-all-the-decisions-on-set-and-have-to-deal-with-all-the/) [Michel Hazanavicius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-hazanavicius/) > [Silence is a universal language. It's like music or painting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-hazanavicius/silence-is-a-universal-language-it-s-like-music-or-painting/) [Michel Hazanavicius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-hazanavicius/) > [The fact that I made a special movie with an old-fashioned style - even if it's a mix between with modern and old-fashioned things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-hazanavicius/the-fact-that-i-made-a-special-movie-with-an-old-fashioned-style-even/) [Michel Hazanavicius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-hazanavicius/) > [I strongly believe cinema is popular culture. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. That's life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-hazanavicius/i-strongly-believe-cinema-is-popular-culture-sometimes-it-works/) [Michel Hazanavicius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-hazanavicius/) > [Even if I make fun of him, I try to portray him as a human being. Sometimes because he's the great Jean-Luc Godard, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-hazanavicius/even-if-i-make-fun-of-him-i-try-to-portray-him-as-a-human-being/) [Michel Hazanavicius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-hazanavicius/) > [It's not my job. The Weinstein company, it's their job to convince people. My job was to make the movie. That's what I did.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-hazanavicius/it-s-not-my-job-the-weinstein-company-it-s-their-job-to-convince/) [Michel Hazanavicius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-hazanavicius/) > [I always try to make popular films. Even in black-and-white and silent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-hazanavicius/i-always-try-to-make-popular-films-even-in-black-and-white-and-silent/) [Michel Hazanavicius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-hazanavicius/) > [An idea is something you work on to make it work and a desire is much deeper in a way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-hazanavicius/an-idea-is-something-you-work-on-to-make-it-work-and-a-desire-is-much/) [Michel Hazanavicius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-hazanavicius/) > [The Germans were much more graphical. The expressionism is much more than cinema. It was a movement with artists, painters, music and architecture, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-hazanavicius/the-germans-were-much-more-graphical-the-expressionism-is-much-more/) [Michel Hazanavicius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-hazanavicius/) > [I think there's something in common with the OSS 117 movies. The big difference is there's no irony in this one. It's not parody.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-hazanavicius/i-think-there-s-something-in-common-with-the-oss-117-movies-the-big/) [Michel Hazanavicius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-hazanavicius/) > [With silent films, you're better off avoiding irony, because the spectator is your accomplice. It's this pact that leads to emotion being created.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-hazanavicius/with-silent-films-you-re-better-off-avoiding-irony-because-the/) [Michel Hazanavicius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-hazanavicius/) > [I only have one obsession - not to be boring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-hazanavicius/i-only-have-one-obsession-not-to-be-boring/) [Michel Hazanavicius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-hazanavicius/) [Explore all 87 Michel Hazanavicius quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-hazanavicius/) ## 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](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 don't make films to reproduce reality.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michel Hazanavicius" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-hazanavicius/i-don-t-make-films-to-reproduce-reality/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cinema" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-hazanavicius/i-don-t-make-films-to-reproduce-reality/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3dd/michel-hazanavicius-7804_cinema_i-don-t-make-films-to-reproduce-reality_1026575.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3dd/michel-hazanavicius-7804_cinema_i-don-t-make-films-to-reproduce-reality_1026575.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3dd/michel-hazanavicius-7804_cinema_i-don-t-make-films-to-reproduce-reality_1026575.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I don't make films to reproduce reality.” — Michel Hazanavicius", "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": "Michel Hazanavicius", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-hazanavicius/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I don't make films to reproduce...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-hazanavicius/i-don-t-make-films-to-reproduce-reality/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-hazanavicius/i-don-t-make-films-to-reproduce-reality/#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 } } ] } ```