--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you create something that is…" description: "\"If you create something that is essentially alien to you - as a man - and make a film about woman, the more I can surround myself with woman and combin..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e4/nicolas-winding-refn-1480_aliens_if-you-create-something-that-is-essentia_1968737.jpg" --- # If you create something that is essentially alien to you… ![“If you create something that is essentially alien to you - as a man - and make a film about woman, the more I can surround myself with woman and combine it with my soul's point of view, the more I become a stranger in a strange land.” quote by Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e4/nicolas-winding-refn-1480_aliens_if-you-create-something-that-is-essentia_1968737.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e4/nicolas-winding-refn-1480_aliens_if-you-create-something-that-is-essentia_1968737.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e4/nicolas-winding-refn-1480_aliens_if-you-create-something-that-is-essentia_1968737.jpg) > “If you create something that is essentially alien to you - as a man - and make a film about woman, the more I can surround myself with woman and combine it with my soul's point of view, the more I become a stranger in a strange land.” [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Creating a film about women while feeling alien to that perspective makes the director feel like an outsider in his own work. **In simple terms:** He feels estranged making portraying a gender different from his own. Key Takeaway Respect authentic voices; collaborate across perspectives. Themes identity gender artistic alienation collaboration Mood introspective concerned Type creative ethical When to use this quote - script development - casting - director‑actor workshops - cultural consulting - marketing strategy Key Concepts subjectivity empathy cultural representation Questions to Reflect On - How can creators bridge personal distance and subject matter? - What responsibilities do artists have when depicting other identities? A Different Perspective Authenticity may be questioned by audiences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aliens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aliens/) [Creativity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity/) [Essentially Alien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/essentially-alien-574190/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Film Woman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film-woman-1623577/) [I can](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-can/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/land/) [Make Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-film-248921/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [My soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-soul/) [Point of view](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/point-of-view/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) [Strange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strange/) [Stranger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stranger/) [Stranger in a strange land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stranger-in-a-strange-land/) [Stranger Strange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stranger-strange-469398/) [Surround](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surround/) [Views](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/views/) ## Related quotes > [There's been a long lineage of a stranger in a strange land, whether it's 'E.T.,' 'Starman,' or other movies about trying to connect with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/there-s-been-a-long-lineage-of-a-stranger-in-a-strange-land-whether/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [Heinlein never had a best-seller. Even, I think, with Stranger in a Strange Land, I don't think it was actually on the New York…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-pournelle/heinlein-never-had-a-best-seller-even-i-think-with-stranger-in-a/) [Jerry Pournelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-pournelle/) > [I try so hard not to think that I am a stranger in a strange land. 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Paul stared at him, recognizing the quotation from the O.C. 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If you weren't the hottest kid in town, men stayed away from you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-bacall/film-is-not-a-woman-s-medium-if-you-weren-t-the-hottest-kid-in-town/) [Lauren Bacall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-bacall/) > [ \[The film Woman Walks Ahead\] is from a long time ago. I wrote that ages ago. It looks gorgeous and Jessica \[Chastain\] is so… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-knight/the-film-woman-walks-ahead-is-from-a-long-time-ago-i-wrote-that-ages/) [Steven Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-knight/) ## More by Nicolas Winding Refn > [L.A. is, on one hand, very mysterious; it's very modern. It's a mysterious place - it's a haunting place - and everything in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/l-a-is-on-one-hand-very-mysterious-it-s-very-modern-it-s-a-mysterious/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) > [The digital revolution is forever. They put importance on that option as well. With Amazon, you're getting the best of both worlds, with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/the-digital-revolution-is-forever-they-put-importance-on-that-option/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) > [I think the Internet is the greatest invention since women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/i-think-the-internet-is-the-greatest-invention-since-women/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) > [I've always felt that I was from the future because the future is really not about what you make but what you stand for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/i-ve-always-felt-that-i-was-from-the-future-because-the-future-is/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) > [Art thrives on obstacles. The bigger the obstacle, the better the drama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/art-thrives-on-obstacles-the-bigger-the-obstacle-the-better-the-drama/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) > [ Elle Fanning was fifteen when we started \[The Neon Demon\]. She turned seventeen during the shoot. Four weeks before Cannes, she turned eighteen. She… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/elle-fanning-was-fifteen-when-we-started-the-neon-demon-she-turned/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) > [The casting of any film is around 60% of the film, but it's also about the right casting insight. It's a bit like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/the-casting-of-any-film-is-around-60-of-the-film-but-it-s-also-about/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) > [How can creativity be bad? You can have, "I liked it" or "I didn't like it," but, in the end, it's an individual experience.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/how-can-creativity-be-bad-you-can-have-i-liked-it-or-i-didn-t-like-it/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) > [I always approach every film I make as if it was going to be the last. So if I'm going to go out, I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/i-always-approach-every-film-i-make-as-if-it-was-going-to-be-the-last/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) > [I can't make a film that I don't feel comfortable with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/i-can-t-make-a-film-that-i-don-t-feel-comfortable-with/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) > [I'm a huge admirer of Keanu. I think he's absolutely extraordinary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/i-m-a-huge-admirer-of-keanu-i-think-he-s-absolutely-extraordinary/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) > [Sometimes I just play the theme from Arthur. It reminds me of my childhood in New York and I just love it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/sometimes-i-just-play-the-theme-from-arthur-it-reminds-me-of-my/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) > [The greatest artists were in a situation where they had to pay their bills. That's a very convenient way to get very creative very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/the-greatest-artists-were-in-a-situation-where-they-had-to-pay-their/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) > [I sometimes play different kinds of music to see where the performers end up. I play one genre. Then something else when I do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/i-sometimes-play-different-kinds-of-music-to-see-where-the-performers/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) > [The greater the darkness, the better the drama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/the-greater-the-darkness-the-better-the-drama/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) [Explore all 237 Nicolas Winding Refn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) ## More Aliens quotes > [My days – the blossom of my youth and the flower of my manhood – have been darkened by the dreariness of servitude. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-o-connell/my-days-the-blossom-of-my-youth-and-the-flower-of-my-manhood-have/) [Daniel O'Connell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-o-connell/) > [Ay-firmative,' Eve said, and tried for a smile. 'Sorry. An Aliens reference always makes me feel better at times like this. Exept I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-caine/ay-firmative-eve-said-and-tried-for-a-smile-sorry-an-aliens-reference/) [Rachel Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-caine/) > [You gonna take the case?" It's not a case. It's a missing person. Sort of." You're gonna have a devil of a time finding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/you-gonna-take-the-case-it-s-not-a-case-it-s-a-missing-person-sort-of/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) > [Ancient eyes had stared at me, filled with ancient grief. And something more. Something so alien and unexpected that I'd almost burst into tears.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/ancient-eyes-had-stared-at-me-filled-with-ancient-grief-and-something/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [Joel Lane documents a life we don’t quite live, in a city we can’t quite find: half glimpsed and half imagined, we know it’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaz-brenchley/joel-lane-documents-a-life-we-don-t-quite-live-in-a-city-we-can-t/) [Chaz Brenchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chaz-brenchley/) > [Emma was a shocking driver, simultaneously sloppy and petrified, and for the first fifty miles had been absent-mindedly driving with her spectacles on top…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/emma-was-a-shocking-driver-simultaneously-sloppy-and-petrified-and/) [David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) > [Humans suffer from self-centred notions as to the nature of life. Humans assume that alien life forms should conform to standards that match our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-perry/humans-suffer-from-self-centred-notions-as-to-the-nature-of-life/) [Steve Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-perry/) > [If you're going to immerse yourself in a project for three years, why not stake out a chunk of the world that is completely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-powers/if-you-re-going-to-immerse-yourself-in-a-project-for-three-years-why/) [Richard Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-powers/) > [I'm not a fan of any genre but am a fan of movies that are intelligent and/or funny. That goes across all genres: a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-not-a-fan-of-any-genre-but-am-a-fan-of-movies-that-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The respect for human rights, essential if we are to use technology wisely, is not something alien that must be grafted onto science. On…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-charles-polanyi/the-respect-for-human-rights-essential-if-we-are-to-use-technology/) [John Charles Polanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-charles-polanyi/) > [“Intellectualism is a poor master over passion”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twe-stephens/intellectualism-is-a-poor-master-over-passion/) [Twe Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twe-stephens/) > [Robin Williams was an airman, a doctor, a genie, a nanny, a president, a professor, a bangarang Peter Pan, and everything in between. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/robin-williams-was-an-airman-a-doctor-a-genie-a-nanny-a-president-a/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Evangelicals are distraught over the state of America because they have not been taught that we're aliens here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/evangelicals-are-distraught-over-the-state-of-america-because-they/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [Even the Supreme Court, back when it used to makes sense, the Supreme Court has never ruled that a baby born to illegal aliens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/even-the-supreme-court-back-when-it-used-to-makes-sense-the-supreme/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Some pundits have proposed that the aliens have come here to breed with us. Apparently, too much bike riding or something similar has rendered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/some-pundits-have-proposed-that-the-aliens-have-come-here-to-breed/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) [Browse all 1,329 Aliens quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aliens/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you create something that is essentially alien to you - as a man - and make a film about woman, the more I can surround myself with woman and combine it with my soul's point of view, the more I become a stranger in a strange land.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nicolas Winding Refn" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/if-you-create-something-that-is-essentially-alien-to-you-as-a-man-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Aliens" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/if-you-create-something-that-is-essentially-alien-to-you-as-a-man-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e4/nicolas-winding-refn-1480_aliens_if-you-create-something-that-is-essentia_1968737.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e4/nicolas-winding-refn-1480_aliens_if-you-create-something-that-is-essentia_1968737.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e4/nicolas-winding-refn-1480_aliens_if-you-create-something-that-is-essentia_1968737.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you create something that is essentially alien to you - as a man - and make a film about woman, the more…” — Nicolas Winding Refn", "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": "Nicolas Winding Refn", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If you create something that is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/if-you-create-something-that-is-essentially-alien-to-you-as-a-man-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/if-you-create-something-that-is-essentially-alien-to-you-as-a-man-and/#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 } } ] } ```