--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: [The director] has to, I feel, be one…" description: "\"[The director] has to, I feel, be one step back, not only from cinema, but also from politics and all these issues in order to tell and depict the situ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4af/sergio-leone-7185_cinema_the-director-has-to-i-feel-be-one-step-b_659270.jpg" --- # \[The director\] has to, I feel, be one step back, not only… ![“[The director] has to, I feel, be one step back, not only from cinema, but also from politics and all these issues in order to tell and depict the situation that spreads to people.” quote by Sergio Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4af/sergio-leone-7185_cinema_the-director-has-to-i-feel-be-one-step-b_659270.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4af/sergio-leone-7185_cinema_the-director-has-to-i-feel-be-one-step-b_659270.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4af/sergio-leone-7185_cinema_the-director-has-to-i-feel-be-one-step-b_659270.jpg) > “\[The director\] has to, I feel, be one step back, not only from cinema, but also from politics and all these issues in order to tell and depict the situation that spreads to people.” [Sergio Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergio-leone/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A director must distance himself from politics and cinema to truthfully portray societal issues for the audience. **In simple terms:** Step back to see clearly and convey truth. Key Takeaway Maintain objectivity to reveal reality. Themes objectivity artistic integrity social commentary Mood reflective serious Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - documentary filmmaking - political analysis - social advocacy Key Concepts filmmaking perspective truth-telling Questions to Reflect On - How does distance affect authenticity? - When is involvement necessary? A Different Perspective A detached view may miss personal nuance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Director](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/director/) [Directors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directors/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Issues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/issues/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) ## Related quotes > [When you're a director you always feel weird with another director watching over your shoulder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fede-alvarez/when-you-re-a-director-you-always-feel-weird-with-another-director/) [Fede Alvarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fede-alvarez/) > [I want to do quality work in both cinema and politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/govinda/i-want-to-do-quality-work-in-both-cinema-and-politics/) [Govinda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/govinda/) > [It didn't even occur to me that I could use my strong image in cinema to propagate my political ideas. To me, cinema was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vijayashanti/it-didn-t-even-occur-to-me-that-i-could-use-my-strong-image-in-cinema/) [Vijayashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vijayashanti/) > [I assure, the door to politics is never closed. Whatever medium is necessary to reach the masses, I will take that - be it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiranjeevi/i-assure-the-door-to-politics-is-never-closed-whatever-medium-is/) [Chiranjeevi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiranjeevi/) > [I request the audience to not mix cinema with politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-charan/i-request-the-audience-to-not-mix-cinema-with-politics/) [Ram Charan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-charan/) > [Everybody in the two Telugu states, especially the residents of Vijayawada, love both cinema and politics. And 'NOTA' is a cinema with a political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vijay-deverakonda/everybody-in-the-two-telugu-states-especially-the-residents-of/) [Vijay Deverakonda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vijay-deverakonda/) > [When it's a good director, you can feel when they trust you when they cast you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/india-eisley/when-it-s-a-good-director-you-can-feel-when-they-trust-you-when-they/) [India Eisley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/india-eisley/) > [As a director, I never feel that I have the answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-paulus/as-a-director-i-never-feel-that-i-have-the-answers/) [Diane Paulus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-paulus/) > [One of my favorite things about Telluride is because it's so small, the directors are really there for each other. You look at another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/one-of-my-favorite-things-about-telluride-is-because-it-s-so-small/) [Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) > [You can't just go in there and open your mouth until the cast and director feel comfortable with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-henley/you-can-t-just-go-in-there-and-open-your-mouth-until-the-cast-and/) [Beth Henley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-henley/) > [I'm like a movie director, so wherever I feel that I need to go over this type of beat, that's what I'm going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ghostface-killah/i-m-like-a-movie-director-so-wherever-i-feel-that-i-need-to-go-over/) [Ghostface Killah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ghostface-killah/) > [To go into more specifics regarding actors, whether they're from Korea or the U.S., all actors know if they are loved by the director.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-jee-woon/to-go-into-more-specifics-regarding-actors-whether-they-re-from-korea/) [Kim Jee-woon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-jee-woon/) > [As a director, I have to feel realism from actors, and they can't be plastic. The words for me are secondary, but the chemistry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-wiseau/as-a-director-i-have-to-feel-realism-from-actors-and-they-can-t-be/) [Tommy Wiseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-wiseau/) > [As a director, I have to feel realism from actors, and they can't be plastic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-wiseau/as-a-director-i-have-to-feel-realism-from-actors-and-they-can-t-be-2/) [Tommy Wiseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-wiseau/) > [With movies, so much of it is, 'Who is the human being that is going to be directing it?' Because it is their medium.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-bening/with-movies-so-much-of-it-is-who-is-the-human-being-that-is-going-to/) [Annette Bening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-bening/) ## More by Sergio Leone > [Virginia Woolf was one example. She was called the "Lover of 100 Gangsters."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-leone/virginia-woolf-was-one-example-she-was-called-the-lover-of-100/) [Sergio Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergio-leone/) > [ I don't enter into particulars with \[Ennio Morricone\]. I give him the feeling and the suggestions of the characters. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-leone/i-don-t-enter-into-particulars-with-ennio-morricone-i-give-him-the/) [Sergio Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergio-leone/) > [It is clear that the vehicle of the western was a very interesting vehicle for me to contraband some of my ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-leone/it-is-clear-that-the-vehicle-of-the-western-was-a-very-interesting/) [Sergio Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergio-leone/) > [Especially in gangster films, with the gangster's moll - she would always be more or less of an object. And I'm not convinced of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-leone/especially-in-gangster-films-with-the-gangster-s-moll-she-would/) [Sergio Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergio-leone/) > [When you manage to express something with a look and the music instead of saying it with words or having the character speak, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-leone/when-you-manage-to-express-something-with-a-look-and-the-music/) [Sergio Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergio-leone/) > [My mother was an actress. My father was an actor and a director. I am the son of filmmakers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-leone/my-mother-was-an-actress-my-father-was-an-actor-and-a-director-i-am/) [Sergio Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergio-leone/) > [It's a little hard to avoid putting both war and politics in, in that they both come into the activity, but on their own.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-leone/it-s-a-little-hard-to-avoid-putting-both-war-and-politics-in-in-that/) [Sergio Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergio-leone/) > [ My films are often characterized by the lack of women present in them, except for this last one \[Once Upon a Time in America\]. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-leone/my-films-are-often-characterized-by-the-lack-of-women-present-in-them/) [Sergio Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergio-leone/) > [I always fish out antique ideas, very old ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-leone/i-always-fish-out-antique-ideas-very-old-ideas/) [Sergio Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergio-leone/) > [I don't want to do a war film per se. Nor do I want to do a political film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-leone/i-don-t-want-to-do-a-war-film-per-se-nor-do-i-want-to-do-a-political/) [Sergio Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergio-leone/) > [I'm not saying that the Americans had the same impact as the Jesuits, but I do see them as a very specialized populace, even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-leone/i-m-not-saying-that-the-americans-had-the-same-impact-as-the-jesuits/) [Sergio Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergio-leone/) > [The world is in America. In Italy is only Italy. France is full of France. Germany is full of Germany. In a continent that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-leone/the-world-is-in-america-in-italy-is-only-italy-france-is-full-of/) [Sergio Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergio-leone/) > [What I do is give Ennio Morricone suggestions and describe to him my characters, and then, quite often, he'll possibly write five themes for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-leone/what-i-do-is-give-ennio-morricone-suggestions-and-describe-to-him-my/) [Sergio Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergio-leone/) > [ I didn't want \[actress\] just to be a woman standing at the window, waving hello and goodbye to men as they came and went… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-leone/i-didn-t-want-actress-just-to-be-a-woman-standing-at-the-window/) [Sergio Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergio-leone/) > [Sometimes, I even recite the role to the actor if it's not clear. And I beg them not to imitate me, because I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-leone/sometimes-i-even-recite-the-role-to-the-actor-if-it-s-not-clear-and-i/) [Sergio Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergio-leone/) [Explore all 94 Sergio Leone quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergio-leone/) ## 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": "[The director] has to, I feel, be one step back, not only from cinema, but also from politics and all these issues in order to tell and depict the situation that spreads to people.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sergio Leone" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-leone/the-director-has-to-i-feel-be-one-step-back-not-only-from-cinema-but/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cinema" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-leone/the-director-has-to-i-feel-be-one-step-back-not-only-from-cinema-but/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4af/sergio-leone-7185_cinema_the-director-has-to-i-feel-be-one-step-b_659270.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4af/sergio-leone-7185_cinema_the-director-has-to-i-feel-be-one-step-b_659270.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4af/sergio-leone-7185_cinema_the-director-has-to-i-feel-be-one-step-b_659270.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“[The director] has to, I feel, be one step back, not only from cinema, but also from politics and all these…” — Sergio Leone", "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": "Sergio Leone", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergio-leone/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "[The director] has to, I feel,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-leone/the-director-has-to-i-feel-be-one-step-back-not-only-from-cinema-but/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-leone/the-director-has-to-i-feel-be-one-step-back-not-only-from-cinema-but/#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 } } ] } ```