ABSTRACT

Chapter 3 examines these characteristics in more depth by focusing on the craft behind two well-acclaimed movies from the SEL, Sweetgrass, co-directed by Castaing-Taylor and Ilisa Barbash, and Leviathan, co-directed by Castaing-Taylor and Véréna Paravel. Through extensive interviews with the co-directors, and by analyzing Sweetgrass and Leviathan, this chapter examines both films’ methodological techniques to demonstrate how they are edited and constructed within specific philosophical principles identified in previous chapters. Experiential movies make us aware of ourselves as both subject and object; we sense ourselves as the watching audience anticipated by the movie. As a result we become more aware of ourselves in relation to the act of watching as well as in relation to others. In the gap between ourselves and the sheep in Sweetgrass we, as the film’s audience, immersively become aware of ourselves through the gaze of the other.