Godfrey Reggio Quotes

A collection of quotes by Godfrey Reggio.

Godfrey Reggio is an American filmmaker and director known for his pioneering work in the genre of film essays. Born on March 29, 1940, in New Orleans, Louisiana, Reggio began his career as a community activist and educator before turning to filmmaking. He is best recognized for his collaboration with composer Philip Glass on a series of visually stunning, non-narrative films exploring the relationship between humans and technology.

Reggio gained international acclaim with his debut film, "Koyaanisqatsi" (1982), which utilized time-lapse cinematography and extended shots of various landscapes and urban environments to depict the frenetic pace of modern life. This visually striking film, without any dialogue or traditional narrative, captivated audiences and established Reggio's signature style. He later continued this thematic exploration in the sequels "Powaqqatsi" (1988) and "Naqoyqatsi" (2002), completing what came to be known as the "Qatsi Trilogy."

Throughout his career, Reggio has been an advocate for using film as a medium to challenge societal norms and shed light on urgent global issues, such as consumerism, environmental degradation, and our dependence on technology. His distinctive approach to cinema, characterized by mesmerizing visuals and evocative soundscapes, has inspired and influenced countless filmmakers worldwide.

As of my knowledge cutoff date in September 2021, there may have been further developments in Godfrey Reggio's life and career that are not reflected in this biography.

So, not for lack of love of language, but because I feel our

So, not for lack of love of language, but because I feel our language is in an enormous state of humiliation, I decided to make films without words.

It's not that we use technology, we live technology.

It's not that we use technology, we live technology.

I think it's naive to pray for world peace if we're not goin

I think it's naive to pray for world peace if we're not going to change the form in which we live.

Having been an educator for so many years I know that all a

Having been an educator for so many years I know that all a good teacher can do is set a context, raise questions or enter into a kind of a dialogic relationship with their students.

It is very easy to make clear what you want a film to say, b

It is very easy to make clear what you want a film to say, but I did not wish to engage in overt propaganda, even for the right cause. I wanted to create an experience through the films, something where people could have the freedom of their own response to them.

But in fact if you look at film as a metaphor, only through

But in fact if you look at film as a metaphor, only through the negative can you have the positive print. What I'm trying to get to is the positive value of negation.

Now having said that, I realize that releasing a film in the

Now having said that, I realize that releasing a film in the real world is like trying to get General Motors to release a handmade car.

So to hope to be able to have peace, to be able to have just

So to hope to be able to have peace, to be able to have justice and environmental balance, are consequences of our behavior, not just our intentions.

What I'm trying to do is to at least raise a flag to the bli

What I'm trying to do is to at least raise a flag to the blinding light of technology.

Technology is not neutral.

Technology is not neutral.

Mystery is gone to the certainty of technological principles

Mystery is gone to the certainty of technological principles. So the real terror, the real aggression against life comes in the form of the pursuit of our technological happiness.

All tools have intrinsic politics and technology is the tool

All tools have intrinsic politics and technology is the tool of now.

Technology has become as ubiquitous as the air we breathe, s

Technology has become as ubiquitous as the air we breathe, so we are no longer conscious of its presence.

It's not just the effect of technology on the environment, o

It's not just the effect of technology on the environment, on religion, on the economic structure, on society, on politics, etc. It's that everything now exists in technology to the point where technology is the new and comprehensive host of nature of life.