The subject of this article is minimalist cinema, favored by filmmakers who strive to create the most with the least.
Before diving into our list, let’s explore what minimalist cinema actually is. The term minimalism, often equated with “becoming simple,” can be defined in artistic terms as “a style that uses the smallest possible materials, a limited color palette, and only very simple shapes or forms.” However, the application of minimalism in cinema, as we will illustrate, differs significantly from its use in other art forms. Contrary to what might be expected, minimalist cinema is less concerned with the technology and technique used in the film and more focused on what is presented to the audience. To understand this framework better, we can compare minimalist cinema to a photograph or a painting.
Minimalist cinema elements
Several criteria can determine whether a film qualifies as minimalist cinema. These criteria include visuals, sound, story, and plot.
These elements influence how much information is conveyed to the viewer and how much they stimulate the viewer’s imagination. Films in which the intensity of these elements is sufficiently reduced are closer to being classified as minimalist cinema. According to the minimalist approach to filmmaking, abstraction often outweighs detail. This is because the ability of films to stimulate the viewer’s imagination offers a more vivid and original viewing experience compared to what can be achieved with a large film budget.
Minimalist cinema and sound
When considering sound among the four criteria of minimalist cinema, the auditory elements conveyed to the audience include voice-over, music, and dialogue. In minimalist films, dialogue should be clear and understated. Complex words are used sparingly, only if they are necessary to convey the desired perception or intentions of a character. Explanatory words are employed only when essential to understand the narrative. Unnecessary commentary is avoided. A style that “shows” rather than “tells” often leads directors toward minimalism.
In minimalist films, the soundstage should also be minimized. However, it’s important to remember that elements like voice-over are still necessary in moderation to create a compelling piece of cinema.
Minimalist cinema and visuality
Another factor in minimalist cinema is visuals; the primary objective is to reduce what the audience sees. As a minimalist filmmaker, you should consider the following:
- Remove distracting pictures from the wall.
- Narrow the frame of the film. Instead of overwhelming the frame with details, defocus the scene or hide it in the shadows.
- Dress actors in a single color rather than jeans and a silk-screen T-shirt, which might otherwise convey more about their character.
- Reduce the number of characters to the minimum possible.
- Consider making the film black and white.
- Once an element or characteristic in a scene influences the audience’s perception, remove all other details that might support that perception. Avoid cramming excessive detail into a scene, as it can create an atmosphere that overwhelms or distracts the audience from the film’s core messages.
Part of the visual experience involves camera movement and editing. Contemporary minimalist filmmakers typically prefer static shots from a tripod. They use camera movements solely to benefit the story, not to enhance the visual appeal. Minimalist filmmakers focus on the main purpose of the film to maintain the audience’s interest, avoiding unnecessary guesses, options, or prophecies about how events will unfold.
Minimalist cinema and story/plot
In minimalist films, story and plot are distinct concepts. The story describes what happens, while the plot refers to how the story is conveyed to the audience. A story can be complex, with numerous details that may be significant to the film. However, in minimalism, the story itself is less important than how it is conveyed to the audience.
If you can tell your 10-page story in 5 pages, and the shorter version has the same impact or message—perhaps even a stronger effect—then, according to minimalism, you should opt for the 5-page version. A longer version increases the likelihood of distracting viewers or causing them to lose interest.
A minimalist plot may cover the story from beginning to end, but it often does not. Minimalism depends on the viewer’s imagination and typically presents the story in a way that evokes a clear sense of what is happening. For instance, instead of showing a child destroying a house with toilet paper, depicting the child holding a roll of toilet paper, walking around the house with a grin, and then being punished and locked in his room is more engaging and keeps the viewer’s mind focused on the film.
Minimalist production processes can yield magnificent works if executed well. However, each concept discussed requires careful thought and carries potential risks. Today, we will briefly introduce 13 valuable minimalist cinema works that have earned their place in the history of cinema by incorporating every element we’ve discussed.
A Csendesek / Silent Ones (2013) – IMDB: 5.9
A woman who survives a car accident awakens some time later to discover that her little brother is missing. True to her promise to him, she boards a cargo ship in search of a new life. When her journey is abruptly interrupted, she embarks on a surreal adventure on the delicate boundary between life and death.
Jauja – Dreamland (2014) – IMDB: 6.3
The film chronicles the journey of a father and daughter traveling from Denmark to an unknown desert situated in a realm beyond the boundaries of civilization.
Los Muertos (2004) – IMDB: 6.7
Vargas, a 54-year-old man, is released from prison in the Corrientes province of Argentina and seeks to find his now-adult daughter, who resides in a remote and swampy area. To reach her, he must travel great distances in a small boat on rivers, venturing deep into the forest. Vargas is a quiet and self-sufficient man, marked by the restraint of those who live close to nature. A profound mystery surrounds him, the people he encounters, and the places he traverses. Everything he experiences reflects the immutable world he finds almost unchanged after many years in prison.
Time (2017) – IMDB: 6.7
Adapted from Antonio Di Benedetto’s 1956 novel of the same name, this film follows the story of Don Diego de Zama, a Spanish officer who settled in Asunción during the seventeenth century and is awaiting an assignment to Buenos Aires. Determined to ensure that nothing detracts from his coveted position, Don Diego de Zama must endure various degrading tasks and humiliation from his superiors.
Stray Dogs (2013) – IMDB: 6.9
In Taipei, an alcoholic man and his two young children are barely managing to survive. Their situation begins to change when they encounter a lonely grocery clerk who has the potential to help them build a better life.
Tropical Malady (2004) – IMDB: 7.1
Tropical Malady explores a passionate relationship between two men with unusual consequences. The film is divided into two parts: the first half depicts the growing emotional attraction between the two men in a sunny and relaxing countryside setting, while the second half reveals the confusion and terror of an unknown threat lurking deep in the shadows of the jungle.
71 Fragments of a Chronology of Chance (1994) – IMDB: 7.2
The film, as its name suggests, is comprised of 71 scenes that revolve around a newly arrived immigrant, a couple who have just adopted their daughter, a university student, and a lonely old man.
What Time Is It There? (2001) – IMDB: 7.3
A watch salesman meets and falls in love with a young woman who is soon departing for Paris. In a bid to stay connected to her, he decides to convert all the clocks in Taipei to Paris time.
The Son (2002) – IMDB: 7.5
Olivier, a carpentry instructor at a rehabilitation center, initially refuses to take on a new student, Francis, as an apprentice. However, he later begins to follow the boy through the halls and streets. Later that day, his ex-wife Magali visits him and reveals that she is pregnant and that they should remarry. Olivier perceives a strange connection between these two events and continues his questioning as his perception of reality becomes increasingly blurred.
Red Desert (1964) – IMDB: 7.5
In a gloomy and dilapidated industrial area, young Giuliana struggles to cope with life. She is married to Ugo, the manager of a local factory, but is also involved with Corrado Zeller, one of her co-workers who visits her. Giuliana, indecisive and uncertain, cannot fully determine whether her role is that of a wife, a mother, or something else in the world. The question marks that arise in her mind lead to deeper questions. The sharpness of her discoveries and realizations during this process reveal to her that her escape from life may not be as prolonged as she initially thought.
The Turin Horse (2011) – IMDB: 7.7
While traveling in Turin, Italy, the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche witnessed a horse being whipped. He threw his arms around the horse’s neck to protect it, then collapsed to the ground. Less than a month later, Nietzsche was diagnosed with a serious mental illness that would leave him bedridden and mute for the next eleven years until his death. However, what is often overlooked is the fate of the horse for which Nietzsche risked his life. Béla Tarr, the acclaimed director of the 7.5-hour cinematic work Sátántangó, explores this question in his film The Turin Horse.
Taste of Cherry (1997) – IMDB: 7.7
Middle-aged Mr. Badii is planning to commit suicide. However, he desperately searches for someone to assist him in this endeavor. Having already dug his own grave on a mountain, Mr. Badii struggles to find someone who will bury him at the mountaintop immediately after his suicide, as everyone rejects his request. Eventually, he finds someone who can properly fulfill this task: an old Turkish embalmer with a sick child and a history of attempted suicide. But is everything as simple as it seems? Sometimes, even something as trivial as a cherry can distract a person from the idea of death….
Cleo from 5 to 7 (1962) – IMDB: 7.9
This film allows us to witness a few hours in the life of French singer Cléo, who is anxious about receiving the test results from her doctor at the hospital. We follow Cléo for two hours as she walks through the streets of Paris, convinced that she has cancer and will die from the disease. During these two hours, we see Cléo first encounter a soldier who has returned from the war in Algeria, and then meet the doctor who will provide her diagnosis. We experience her thoughts and feelings throughout this process.
We have now reached the end of our list of 13 notable minimalist cinema works, and thus the end of our article. We hope to see you in our upcoming articles. Goodbye for now…
