--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Making films is about having absolute and…" description: "\"Making films is about having absolute and foolish confidence; the challenge for all of us is to have the heart of a poet and the skin of an elephant.\" ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f6/mira-nair-8463_challenges_making-films-is-about-having-absolute-an_198127.jpg" --- # Making films is about having absolute and foolish… ![“Making films is about having absolute and foolish confidence; the challenge for all of us is to have the heart of a poet and the skin of an elephant.” quote by Mira Nair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f6/mira-nair-8463_challenges_making-films-is-about-having-absolute-an_198127.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f6/mira-nair-8463_challenges_making-films-is-about-having-absolute-an_198127.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f6/mira-nair-8463_challenges_making-films-is-about-having-absolute-an_198127.jpg) > “Making films is about having absolute and foolish confidence; the challenge for all of us is to have the heart of a poet and the skin of an elephant.” [Mira Nair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-nair/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Creating cinema demands bold, naïve confidence paired with poetic sensitivity and tough resilience. **In simple terms:** Filmmakers need daring, heart, and toughness. Key Takeaway Blend courage with compassion. Themes creativity confidence resilience Mood determined inspired Type artistic motivational When to use this quote - film directing - scriptwriting - budget constraints - team leadership Key Concepts artistic vision emotional intelligence Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance daring with humility? - What does poetic heart mean in your work? A Different Perspective Confidence can become reckless without humility. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Challenges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenges/) [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Confidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidence/) [Elephant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elephant/) [Elephants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elephants/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Poet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poet/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) ## Related quotes > [In my view, it's irreverence, foolish confidence and naivety combined with persistence, open mindedness and a continual ability to learn that created Facebook, Google,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinod-khosla/in-my-view-it-s-irreverence-foolish-confidence-and-naivety-combined/) [Vinod Khosla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinod-khosla/) > [I'm used to my films having little effect on making the world a better place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/i-m-used-to-my-films-having-little-effect-on-making-the-world-a/) [Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) > [I think films are about having a good time, so I don't know that there's a message. The message of a film is always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/i-think-films-are-about-having-a-good-time-so-i-don-t-know-that-there/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [Having grown up watching my father direct films and having worked with him and my brother, I know how films are made, how shots…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uday-chopra/having-grown-up-watching-my-father-direct-films-and-having-worked/) [Uday Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uday-chopra/) > [I've so got my plate full with Resident Evil and then The Three Musketeers, I'm just not involved with Castlevania. I'm not personally involved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-w-s-anderson/i-ve-so-got-my-plate-full-with-resident-evil-and-then-the-three/) [Paul W. S. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-w-s-anderson/) > [When you hear the elephant music you're hearing what they mean to make.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-soldier/when-you-hear-the-elephant-music-you-re-hearing-what-they-mean-to-make/) Dave Soldier > [I feel as if I go to Africa, I may never come back. I'm just going to live with the animals and adopt an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianna-agron/i-feel-as-if-i-go-to-africa-i-may-never-come-back-i-m-just-going-to/) [Dianna Agron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianna-agron/) > [Now he saw another elephant emerge from the place where it had stood hidden in the trees. Very slowly it walked to the mutilated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-lowry/now-he-saw-another-elephant-emerge-from-the-place-where-it-had-stood/) [Lois Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-lowry/) > [when there's an elephant in the room, you can't pretend it isn't there and just discuss the ants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-wittlinger/when-there-s-an-elephant-in-the-room-you-can-t-pretend-it-isn-t-there/) [Ellen Wittlinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-wittlinger/) > [The elephant is never won by anger; nor must that man who would reclaim a lion take him by the teeth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/the-elephant-is-never-won-by-anger-nor-must-that-man-who-would/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [No Child Left Behind ... is a giraffe with an elephant's body. ... You can't take the vision of Ted Kennedy and merge it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-rauschenberger/no-child-left-behind-is-a-giraffe-with-an-elephant-s-body-you-can-t/) Steve Rauschenberger > [And that is how Goodwin problems were always fixed. Fix them on the surface but don't go to the root, always ignoring the elephant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecelia-ahern/and-that-is-how-goodwin-problems-were-always-fixed-fix-them-on-the/) [Cecelia Ahern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecelia-ahern/) > [Unlike the primate hand, the elephant's grasping organ is also its nose. Elephants use their trunks not only to reach food but also to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frans-de-waal/unlike-the-primate-hand-the-elephant-s-grasping-organ-is-also-its/) [Frans de Waal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frans-de-waal/) > [If you've never seen an elephant ski, then you've never been on acid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-izzard/if-you-ve-never-seen-an-elephant-ski-then-you-ve-never-been-on-acid/) [Eddie Izzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-izzard/) > [I watched a film called 'Elephant' recently. Its not stylish in the sense of expensive suits and Italian cars, but the styling on every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tinie-tempah/i-watched-a-film-called-elephant-recently-its-not-stylish-in-the/) [Tinie Tempah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tinie-tempah/) ## More by Mira Nair > [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 family is vital to me - just the sense of being surrounded by no pretension.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-nair/my-family-is-vital-to-me-just-the-sense-of-being-surrounded-by-no/) [Mira Nair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-nair/) > [I am Indian, and my home is Kampala. My world is already diverse. But films are financed by those who want to see themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-nair/i-am-indian-and-my-home-is-kampala-my-world-is-already-diverse-but/) [Mira Nair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-nair/) > [I grew up thinking anything was possible simply because of seeing women in power - like, you know, running the country. Which is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-nair/i-grew-up-thinking-anything-was-possible-simply-because-of-seeing/) [Mira Nair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-nair/) > [I've loved 'Vanity Fair' since I was 16 years old. You know, we're all colonial hangovers in India, steeped in English literature. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-nair/i-ve-loved-vanity-fair-since-i-was-16-years-old-you-know-we-re-all/) [Mira Nair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-nair/) > [My films, no one else will do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-nair/my-films-no-one-else-will-do/) [Mira Nair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-nair/) > [I am an independent film-maker first and foremost. I have always cut my own cloth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-nair/i-am-an-independent-film-maker-first-and-foremost-i-have-always-cut/) [Mira Nair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-nair/) > [In America, we have so many movies and so much media about the Islamic world, the sub-continental world, but it's not a conversation, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-nair/in-america-we-have-so-many-movies-and-so-much-media-about-the-islamic/) [Mira Nair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-nair/) > [They say now in America that final cut doesn't mean anything. As Harvey Weinstein said to some film-maker, 'You can have final cut. I'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-nair/they-say-now-in-america-that-final-cut-doesn-t-mean-anything-as/) [Mira Nair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-nair/) > [I grew up in a very small town which is remote even by Indian standards. I always dreamed of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-nair/i-grew-up-in-a-very-small-town-which-is-remote-even-by-indian/) [Mira Nair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-nair/) > [A lot of us feel that we are against the war; we are against profiling and are against what is happening. We are tired…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-nair/a-lot-of-us-feel-that-we-are-against-the-war-we-are-against-profiling/) [Mira Nair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-nair/) > [I look for the humanity in people, however big the politics or oppressive the situation may be, whether it's subsumed within a human being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-nair/i-look-for-the-humanity-in-people-however-big-the-politics-or/) [Mira Nair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-nair/) > [I think, in terms of activism associated with my films, be it 'Salaam Baalak Trust' or 'Maisha,' taking the idea of cinema as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-nair/i-think-in-terms-of-activism-associated-with-my-films-be-it-salaam/) [Mira Nair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-nair/) > [We want the diversity of the world that is around us represented both in front of and behind the camera, and on our screens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-nair/we-want-the-diversity-of-the-world-that-is-around-us-represented-both/) [Mira Nair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-nair/) > [Christmas lights may be the loneliest thing for me, especially if you mix them up with reindeers and sleighs. I feel alone. I feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-nair/christmas-lights-may-be-the-loneliest-thing-for-me-especially-if-you/) [Mira Nair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-nair/) [Explore all 80 Mira Nair quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-nair/) ## More Challenges quotes > [I know for my wife and I, we always loved the idea of being young parents. It is an incredibly inspiring and challenging job…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-hanson/i-know-for-my-wife-and-i-we-always-loved-the-idea-of-being-young/) [Taylor Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-hanson/) > [Our biggest challenge is to eliminate the popular perception that economists don't have anything useful to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-zandi/our-biggest-challenge-is-to-eliminate-the-popular-perception-that/) [Mark Zandi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-zandi/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [I think the next 50 years are going to present the human race with challenges that so far exceed the limitations of geopolitical boundaries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zachary-quinto/i-think-the-next-50-years-are-going-to-present-the-human-race-with/) [Zachary Quinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zachary-quinto/) > [“Doing the work to transform your dreams into reality is like walking across the earth. It can be that hard, and it can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dragos-bratasanu/doing-the-work-to-transform-your-dreams-into-reality-is-like-walking/) [Dragos Bratasanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dragos-bratasanu/) > [I want to be perceived as a guy who played his best in all facets, not just scoring. A guy who loved challenges.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/i-want-to-be-perceived-as-a-guy-who-played-his-best-in-all-facets-not/) [Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/) > [People in great groups have blinders on. Their work is all they see. They value failures as learning opportunities. They are optimistic, not realistic,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-g-bennis/people-in-great-groups-have-blinders-on-their-work-is-all-they-see/) [Warren G. Bennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-g-bennis/) > [If, as I anticipate, a wide array of personal, portable information/communication devices becomes increasingly important and widespread for information-intensive users, it will be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-peters/if-as-i-anticipate-a-wide-array-of-personal-portable-information/) [Tom Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-peters/) > [“Two powerful, little words I've learned to use when facing challenges, fears, and doubts— so what? ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/two-powerful-little-words-i-ve-learned-to-use-when-facing-challenges/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [It's a challenge to work a character's arc into a format in which you only have a very limited amount of time to grow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginnifer-goodwin/it-s-a-challenge-to-work-a-character-s-arc-into-a-format-in-which-you/) [Ginnifer Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginnifer-goodwin/) > [I personally think if something's not a challenge, there's no point doing it, because you're not gonna learn much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-personally-think-if-something-s-not-a-challenge-there-s-no-point/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Men want a challenge, but they want a challenge they can win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-gaskell/men-want-a-challenge-but-they-want-a-challenge-they-can-win/) Whitney Gaskell > [Growing up with a parent in the army, I saw firsthand the challenges our service members face when transitioning to new jobs after time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharice-davids/growing-up-with-a-parent-in-the-army-i-saw-firsthand-the-challenges/) [Sharice Davids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharice-davids/) > [Nobody challenges me. I challenge myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakuntala-devi/nobody-challenges-me-i-challenge-myself/) [Shakuntala Devi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakuntala-devi/) > [Challenging is good, like good conversation, yes? Who wants to have dinner with the same old easy listening music sounding friends all the time?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/challenging-is-good-like-good-conversation-yes-who-wants-to-have/) [Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/) [Browse all 8,851 Challenges quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenges/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Making films is about having absolute and foolish confidence; the challenge for all of us is to have the heart of a poet and the skin of an elephant.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mira Nair" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-nair/making-films-is-about-having-absolute-and-foolish-confidence-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Challenges" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-nair/making-films-is-about-having-absolute-and-foolish-confidence-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f6/mira-nair-8463_challenges_making-films-is-about-having-absolute-an_198127.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f6/mira-nair-8463_challenges_making-films-is-about-having-absolute-an_198127.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f6/mira-nair-8463_challenges_making-films-is-about-having-absolute-an_198127.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Making films is about having absolute and foolish confidence; the challenge for all of us is to have the…” — Mira Nair", "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": "Mira Nair", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-nair/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Making films is about having absolute...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-nair/making-films-is-about-having-absolute-and-foolish-confidence-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-nair/making-films-is-about-having-absolute-and-foolish-confidence-the/#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 } } ] } ```