In this series, we want to see and reflect on the body, the very foundation of our existence as embodied beings. It is the tangible, physical manifestation of our self. The body is not merely a collection of parts and functions, but rather a unity that shapes our lived experience and self-understanding. It is through the body that we forge our sense of identity, agency, and place in the cosmos. The body is not just a physical object, but a lived, experienced, and interpreted phenomenon that shapes the very fabric of our existence.
Hence, our body is something that we can read and interpreted. It’s a text. It’s a system of signs that communicates as a bearer of cultural markers, as clothing or gestures. The human body is a powerful narrative device, a canvas upon which a filmmaker inscribes complex social, political, and cultural messages. The body becomes part of film’s text, communicating meaning beyond dialogue. When the body changes, it creates a complex narrative where the body becomes a link between different cultures.
Divided into three distinct thematic categories, the films we propose invite us to reconsider the body not merely as physical form, but as a living, expressive text.
- Embodied Ideologies
- Quantum Sight
- Anatomy of Dreams
Embodied Ideologies: This group of films challenges us to reflect on the body’s role as a site of power and conflict, highlighting how it can symbolize both oppression and liberation. These films weave narratives where the body is both weapon and canvas, not merely a vessel but a statement, challenging us to rethink identity, resistance, and the ways in which we are inscribed by society. Films like “The Great Dictator” and “Do the Right Thing” examine how bodies become sites of political struggle. “Persepolis” offers a unique animated perspective on bodily autonomy in the face of the political oppression. “All About My Mother” explore the complexities of gender in our world.
Almodovar, Pedro. All About My Mother. Spain, 1999
Chaplin, Charles. The Great Dictator. USA, 1940
Lee, Spike. Do the Right Thing. USA, 1989
Satrapi, Marjane. Persepolis, 2007
Quantum Sight: suggesting vision that transcends current physical limitations, this category of films implies the ability to see at quantum levels or across multiple dimensions, pushing the boundaries of perception. Those films explore themes like how technology might alter or enhance our visual perception, the integration of artificial intelligence with human vision, or potential future developments in virtual or augmented reality. Those films approach the idea of body as a text by suggestion that in the future, our very way of seeing could be “read” or “written” like code, merging the biological with the technological or informational.
Sci-fi classics like “Metropolis” and “Blade Runner” present visions of how technology might reshape our physical forms, while “Stalker” offers a more philosophical take on the evolution of the human body and mind.
Lang, Fritz. Metropolis. Germany, 1927 [1984]
Scott, Ridley. Blade Runner [Final cut]. USA, 1982
Tarkovskij, Andreij. Stalker. URSS, 1979
Wenders, Wim. Wings of Desire. Germany, 1987
Anatomy of Dreams: this group of films merges the physical with the ethereal, suggesting that our dreams have a tangible, bodily structure that can be examined and understood. Dreams tell stories, and by connecting them to our bodies, those films remind that our bodies themselves narrate our inner experiences. Our dreams can represent change or possibility. Linking them to anatomy suggests that the body itself is a site of potential transformation, proposing that our physical forms are not just flesh, but living documents of our experiences, aspirations, and of our cultural context. “The Pillow Book” and “Orlando” are the films where the body is celebrated and adorned. This eclectic lineup also includes visually stunning works like “The Color of Pomegranates” and “Howl's Moving Castle”, which use the body as a canvas for artistic expression.
Greenaway, Peter. The Pillow Book. UK, 1995
Miyazaki, Hayao. Howl's Moving Castle. Japan, 2004
Parajanov, Sergei. The Colour of Pomegranates. URSS, 1968
Potter, Sally. Orlando. UK, 1992
In this cinematic exploration, the body emerges as an active protagonist, a site of transformation and a medium of communication that transcends the spoken word.
At the end, two books, just for starting:
Taiuti, Lorenzo. Corpi sognanti. L'arte nell'epoca delle tecnologie digitali. Milano: Feltrinelli, 2001
Di Summa, Laura T. A philosophy of fashion through film. On the body, style, and identity. London-New York-Dublin: Bloomsbury Academic, 2022
[Published 30/09/2024; last updated 07/12/2024]