Slow Cinema

There are a few films in the slow cinema genre that I really love.

In particular:

Vive L'amour (1994) Ming-liang Tsai
Uzak (2002) Nuri Bilge Ceylan
Once Upon a Time in Anatolia (2011) Nuri Bilge Ceylan

Aftersun (2022) tries to copy the style and does a decent job too.

Somehow the directors find a way to make almost nothing happening, seem absolutely interesting! In the first of the films mentioned, there's actually no dialogue in the first I think hour, but you barely notice. It seems a real gift to be able to capture the viewer in this way.

This seems quite a late development in cinema from what I can tell, and maybe one of the greatest innovations in cinematic style in the last 30 years or so?

Are there any other great films like these around?

I have tried other entries by those directors and also by the Thai director, and haven't taken to them so much.

Also, I wonder where the genre grew from.

I've noticed that Antonioni's The Passenger (1975) and Blow Up (1968) have long sequences which remind me of this genre, and I wonder whether he was an inspiration for these directors.

I completely agree with you about the mesmerizing quality of slow cinema! Those films you mentioned are indeed masterpieces. I think you might enjoy other films by Apichatpong Weerasethakul, like "Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives" (2010) or "Tropical Malady" (2004). His unique blend of slow pace and mystical elements might resonate with you.

Regarding the genre's roots, you're spot on about Antonioni's influence. His films, especially "L'Avventura" (1960) and "La Notte" (1961), pioneered the use of long takes and contemplative pacing. The French New Wave, particularly directors like Chantal Akerman and Philippe Garrel, also experimented with slow, observational storytelling.

The slow cinema movement as we know it today, however, seems to have emerged in the 1990s and 2000s, particularly in Asia and Eastern Europe. Directors like Béla Tarr, Lav Diaz, and Hou Hsiao-hsien were instrumental in shaping this style.

It's interesting that you mention Aftersun (2022) as a more recent example. I think it's a great sign that this genre is still evolving and influencing new filmmakers.

Great answer, thanks!

Yes La Notte, of course!

I remember now that Orson Welles apparently criticised Antonioni for lingering on shots. I think that this was something that Welles was wrong on, not least because it probably influenced this long take style.

Many of those directors in your penultimate paragraph I don't know by the way. I must still be a beginner! Will look into them, thanks.

Malick's work fits the bill here, as well.

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Los Delincuentes and Skinamarink immediately come to mind.

Solaris 1972 Andrei Tarkovsky
The Pledge 2001 Sean Penn
Solaris 2002 Steven Soderbergh
Memories of Murder 2003 Bong Joon-ho
Burning 2018 Lee Chang-dong

Both of these look interesting, albeit just from the trailers I wouldn't put them in the same bucket as the ones I've mentioned in the OP.

The 2nd one has some similarities in a Blair Witch way, but one of the things about the ones I've mentioned is that what we're watching is just daily life. Just observing normal stuff happening. Not normal as a whole, because then it wouldn't make a movie, but normal day to day behaviour and dialogue, rather than say a horror film or even a heist (although you probably could do a heist in this style). Also, there's no musical score or any similar cinematic aid.

I just thought that the mexican film Roma, may have some of these qualities, for example the scene parking the car in the garage etc, albeit not to the extent of the ones I've mentioned.

Maybe Tree of Life, but I wouldn't think of most of Mallick's stuff in this way.
I quite liked Burning, but it doesn't evoke memories for me of quite the same style of just watching life tick by.
Solaris I just couldn't get into personally. I'm not much of a Tarkovsky fan tbh.

Some examples of slow cinema:
Man Push Cart (2005)
Putty Hill (2010)
Museum Hours (2012)
Gerry (2002)
Half of a Yellow Sun (2013)
Leonie (2010)
The Sensation of Sight (2006)
City of Life and Death (2009)
Somewhere (2010)
Split (1989)

My favorite slow cinema:
Wanda (1970)

I suppose Cassavetes has something of that feel too.

Actually, there's a lot of things I like about The Killing of a Chinese Bookie (including Azizi Johari), but it's just too tragic for me to bear!

Your OP said "slow cinema" so I stand by my opinion. Also, Los Delincuentes is about as far from the typical heist movie as you can possibly imagine.

Having watched Roma in theaters multiple times, including in 70mm, I do not feel it is "slow cinema" at all. Quite the contrary - it is a sweeping film.

One more film I would add is Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell

I'm just saying that it has scenes which are reminiscent of it.
-The maid and the little boy lying down talking about being dead
-the car parking

just jogging my memory from the trailer:
-the scalextric
-the floor sweeping

just watching normal things going on without dialogue, music or any dramatic effects.

I'm sure there are other scenes of silent observation.

These are closer to the style I've mentioned, notwithstanding that this might not be definitive of the film as a whole, than some other films mentioned.

I've just flicked through a couple of scenes of Los Delincuentes, and yes it does seem to have that feel (the complete opposite of the trailer). It has the sound of it as much as anything. It looks great and I definitely hope to watch this. Will look into the other ones you mention too, thanks.

It's a 3-hour movie where a lot of stuff is definitely observational. Enjoy!

Bela Tarr
Hou Hsiao-Hsien
Chantal Akerman
MichaelAngelo Frammartino

What is slow cinema? Never heard that term.

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I’m here only on Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays. That’s why I’m here now.

It's the opposite of fast cinema

Half of the films listed here aren't even Slow Cinema but the term is quite arbitrary like any term in film studies.

I came to post Gerry. I really appreciated that one a lot.

Some people have a faster metabolism

It’s far from arbitrary. There’s sound reasoning for the term.