--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I categorically resist this idea that…" description: "\"I categorically resist this idea that films are supposed to be autobiographical and the only stories you tell are about your own life.\" — Stephen Daldry" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f91/stephen-daldry-16978_autobiographical_i-categorically-resist-this-idea-that-fi_2413869.jpg" --- # I categorically resist this idea that films are supposed… ![“I categorically resist this idea that films are supposed to be autobiographical and the only stories you tell are about your own life.” quote by Stephen Daldry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f91/stephen-daldry-16978_autobiographical_i-categorically-resist-this-idea-that-fi_2413869.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f91/stephen-daldry-16978_autobiographical_i-categorically-resist-this-idea-that-fi_2413869.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f91/stephen-daldry-16978_autobiographical_i-categorically-resist-this-idea-that-fi_2413869.jpg) > “I categorically resist this idea that films are supposed to be autobiographical and the only stories you tell are about your own life.” [Stephen Daldry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-daldry/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Filmmakers can explore stories beyond personal experience, rejecting autobiographical limits. **In simple terms:** Directors need not only tell their own life stories. Key Takeaway Explore diverse narratives beyond self. Themes creativity storytelling authenticity autobiography Mood inspirational critical Type artistic educational When to use this quote - screenwriting - directing - teaching Key Concepts film theory creative freedom Questions to Reflect On - How do you ensure authenticity? - What boundaries define personal vs universal stories? A Different Perspective Personal bias can still shape narratives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Autobiographical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/autobiographical/) [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) ## Related quotes > [It's actually easier to do autobiographical stories. The story is already there. It's a matter of carving away what doesn't fit rather than building…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-thompson/it-s-actually-easier-to-do-autobiographical-stories-the-story-is/) [Craig Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-thompson/) > [I read a lot of autobiographical stories, and I write plays and prose. And I play piano and cello. A lot of my downtime…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-dziena/i-read-a-lot-of-autobiographical-stories-and-i-write-plays-and-prose/) Alexis Dziena > [Cinema is a territory. It exists outside of movies. It's a place I live in. It's a way of seeing things, of experiencing life.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leos-carax/cinema-is-a-territory-it-exists-outside-of-movies-it-s-a-place-i-live/) [Leos Carax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leos-carax/) > [True stories, autobiographical stories, like some novels, begin long ago, before the acts in the account, before the birth of some of the people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-brodkey/true-stories-autobiographical-stories-like-some-novels-begin-long-ago/) [Harold Brodkey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-brodkey/) > [Because of the wonderfully positive response to 'Life's That Way,' I am considering writing some more autobiographical stuff - maybe another book. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-beaver/because-of-the-wonderfully-positive-response-to-life-s-that-way-i-am/) [Jim Beaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-beaver/) > [I'm always saying that my books are not autobiographical because they're not. I can't choose any one scene and say, 'Oh, this is exactly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecily-von-ziegesar/i-m-always-saying-that-my-books-are-not-autobiographical-because-they/) [Cecily von Ziegesar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecily-von-ziegesar/) > [Race as a subject only comes about because of what I look like. If I say something truthfully, people say "Oh, she's so angry."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamaica-kincaid/race-as-a-subject-only-comes-about-because-of-what-i-look-like-if-i/) [Jamaica Kincaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamaica-kincaid/) > [I'm not an autobiographical writer, but I am a writer who deals with human emotion on all levels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-not-an-autobiographical-writer-but-i-am-a-writer-who-deals-with/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Memoir is actually the most egoless genre, even though it might seem ostensibly so much ego-driven. In order for it to succeed, you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-flynn/memoir-is-actually-the-most-egoless-genre-even-though-it-might-seem/) [Nick Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-flynn/) > [“Attempting to express a person’s objective reality and subjective state of mind with the written word is an endless task because writing alters our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kilroy-j-oldster/attempting-to-express-a-person-s-objective-reality-and-subjective/) [Kilroy J. Oldster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kilroy-j-oldster/) > [My books aren't autobiographical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/my-books-aren-t-autobiographical/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [Of necessity, the autobiographical self is not just about one individual but about all the others that an individual interacts with. Of necessity, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-damasio/of-necessity-the-autobiographical-self-is-not-just-about-one/) [Antonio Damasio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-damasio/) > [Autobiographical comics, I love them. I love them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-bechdel/autobiographical-comics-i-love-them-i-love-them/) [Alison Bechdel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-bechdel/) > [I occasionally experience the discomfort of people assuming my work is autobiographical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-tropper/i-occasionally-experience-the-discomfort-of-people-assuming-my-work/) [Jonathan Tropper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-tropper/) > [“I am not and autobiographical writer--one can't be without a solid and explicable self--and read all autobiographical writers with the same curiosity. What kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yiyun-li/i-am-not-and-autobiographical-writer-one-can-t-be-without-a-solid-and/) [Yiyun Li](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yiyun-li/) ## More by Stephen Daldry > [In issues of recent ethnic wars and genocides - particularly if you look at Darfur - one of the most remarkable things is our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-daldry/in-issues-of-recent-ethnic-wars-and-genocides-particularly-if-you/) [Stephen Daldry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-daldry/) > [Every now and then I have to teach directing. The thing about the theatre is that the most important thing you can do as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-daldry/every-now-and-then-i-have-to-teach-directing-the-thing-about-the/) [Stephen Daldry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-daldry/) > [When I got married, my mother was very surprised. She said: 'What on earth is going on? I thought you were gay?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-daldry/when-i-got-married-my-mother-was-very-surprised-she-said-what-on/) [Stephen Daldry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-daldry/) > [I've never been to Hollywood. I can count the number of times I've been to Los Angeles on my hands. I've never made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-daldry/i-ve-never-been-to-hollywood-i-can-count-the-number-of-times-i-ve/) [Stephen Daldry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-daldry/) > [Well, there are three different processes of making a film, of course. They're sort of re-written three times. You write it to start with,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-daldry/well-there-are-three-different-processes-of-making-a-film-of-course/) [Stephen Daldry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-daldry/) > [Most theater methodology is predicated on the idea of repeated actions. That's what you work toward. Having the actor repeat the same moment eight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-daldry/most-theater-methodology-is-predicated-on-the-idea-of-repeated/) [Stephen Daldry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-daldry/) > [I never want to make a film. I don't wake up in the morning going, 'Ooh, I'd really love to be on set making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-daldry/i-never-want-to-make-a-film-i-don-t-wake-up-in-the-morning-going-ooh/) [Stephen Daldry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-daldry/) > [I am, in fact, Superman. Every morning I wake up and go into a telephone booth and change my costume, and then go to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-daldry/i-am-in-fact-superman-every-morning-i-wake-up-and-go-into-a-telephone/) [Stephen Daldry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-daldry/) > [Is it appropriate still for a German to have a gun? I only use that as an example of a country that's still deeply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-daldry/is-it-appropriate-still-for-a-german-to-have-a-gun-i-only-use-that-as/) [Stephen Daldry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-daldry/) > [As soon as I know how to do something, I usually get bored with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-daldry/as-soon-as-i-know-how-to-do-something-i-usually-get-bored-with-it/) [Stephen Daldry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-daldry/) > [I'm not really a director for hire. You read these scripts and go, 'This is a really great script, but Paul Greengrass would make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-daldry/i-m-not-really-a-director-for-hire-you-read-these-scripts-and-go-this/) [Stephen Daldry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-daldry/) > [I spent a little time in Germany as a schoolboy learning German, and it's a country I knew very well, spent a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-daldry/i-spent-a-little-time-in-germany-as-a-schoolboy-learning-german-and/) [Stephen Daldry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-daldry/) > [There are a few writers that one has a relationship with that means, basically, you do whatever they say. One is Caryl Churchill, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-daldry/there-are-a-few-writers-that-one-has-a-relationship-with-that-means/) [Stephen Daldry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-daldry/) > [Actually, to be honest, this is a useful time to not be knowing what I'll be doing in 2013 or 2014, because really, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-daldry/actually-to-be-honest-this-is-a-useful-time-to-not-be-knowing-what-i/) [Stephen Daldry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-daldry/) > [With journalism, films always have to be to do with some personal statement of your own. As a general rule, I resist that. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-daldry/with-journalism-films-always-have-to-be-to-do-with-some-personal/) [Stephen Daldry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-daldry/) [Explore all 38 Stephen Daldry quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-daldry/) ## More Autobiographical quotes > [“I am not and autobiographical writer--one can't be without a solid and explicable self--and read all autobiographical writers with the same curiosity. What kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yiyun-li/i-am-not-and-autobiographical-writer-one-can-t-be-without-a-solid-and/) [Yiyun Li](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yiyun-li/) > [I'm always saying that my books are not autobiographical because they're not. I can't choose any one scene and say, 'Oh, this is exactly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecily-von-ziegesar/i-m-always-saying-that-my-books-are-not-autobiographical-because-they/) [Cecily von Ziegesar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecily-von-ziegesar/) > [Race as a subject only comes about because of what I look like. If I say something truthfully, people say "Oh, she's so angry."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamaica-kincaid/race-as-a-subject-only-comes-about-because-of-what-i-look-like-if-i/) [Jamaica Kincaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamaica-kincaid/) > [Of necessity, the autobiographical self is not just about one individual but about all the others that an individual interacts with. Of necessity, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-damasio/of-necessity-the-autobiographical-self-is-not-just-about-one/) [Antonio Damasio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-damasio/) > [Because of the wonderfully positive response to 'Life's That Way,' I am considering writing some more autobiographical stuff - maybe another book. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-beaver/because-of-the-wonderfully-positive-response-to-life-s-that-way-i-am/) [Jim Beaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-beaver/) > [I occasionally experience the discomfort of people assuming my work is autobiographical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-tropper/i-occasionally-experience-the-discomfort-of-people-assuming-my-work/) [Jonathan Tropper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-tropper/) > [Autobiographical comics, I love them. I love them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-bechdel/autobiographical-comics-i-love-them-i-love-them/) [Alison Bechdel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-bechdel/) > [It's actually easier to do autobiographical stories. The story is already there. It's a matter of carving away what doesn't fit rather than building…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-thompson/it-s-actually-easier-to-do-autobiographical-stories-the-story-is/) [Craig Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-thompson/) > [My books aren't autobiographical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/my-books-aren-t-autobiographical/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [“Attempting to express a person’s objective reality and subjective state of mind with the written word is an endless task because writing alters our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kilroy-j-oldster/attempting-to-express-a-person-s-objective-reality-and-subjective/) [Kilroy J. Oldster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kilroy-j-oldster/) > [Memoir is actually the most egoless genre, even though it might seem ostensibly so much ego-driven. In order for it to succeed, you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-flynn/memoir-is-actually-the-most-egoless-genre-even-though-it-might-seem/) [Nick Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-flynn/) > [I'm not an autobiographical writer, but I am a writer who deals with human emotion on all levels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-not-an-autobiographical-writer-but-i-am-a-writer-who-deals-with/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“is a little remarkable, that—though disinclined to talk overmuch of myself and my affairs at the fireside, and to my personal friends—an autobiographical impulse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/is-a-little-remarkable-that-though-disinclined-to-talk-overmuch-of/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [There certainly is no secret in that there are plenty of people who don't like plenty of my movies. Each one of my films…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reitman/there-certainly-is-no-secret-in-that-there-are-plenty-of-people-who/) [Jason Reitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reitman/) > ['Normal' is not clinical, it's not autobiographical, and I don't claim to be objective. It's strictly my perceptions and thoughts about the people that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-bloom/normal-is-not-clinical-it-s-not-autobiographical-and-i-don-t-claim-to/) [Amy Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-bloom/) [Browse all 202 Autobiographical quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/autobiographical/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I categorically resist this idea that films are supposed to be autobiographical and the only stories you tell are about your own life.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Stephen Daldry" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-daldry/i-categorically-resist-this-idea-that-films-are-supposed-to-be/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Autobiographical" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-daldry/i-categorically-resist-this-idea-that-films-are-supposed-to-be/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f91/stephen-daldry-16978_autobiographical_i-categorically-resist-this-idea-that-fi_2413869.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f91/stephen-daldry-16978_autobiographical_i-categorically-resist-this-idea-that-fi_2413869.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f91/stephen-daldry-16978_autobiographical_i-categorically-resist-this-idea-that-fi_2413869.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I categorically resist this idea that films are supposed to be autobiographical and the only stories you…” — Stephen Daldry", "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": "Stephen Daldry", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-daldry/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I categorically resist this idea that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-daldry/i-categorically-resist-this-idea-that-films-are-supposed-to-be/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-daldry/i-categorically-resist-this-idea-that-films-are-supposed-to-be/#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 } } ] } ```