All novelists should live in two different worlds: a real one and an unreal one.
John FowlesRead
Maybe, as a Chinese woman, I was never told I would be a filmmaker, so I didn't have the ego set up.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Chloe Zhao reflects on the impact of societal expectations on her identity as a filmmaker.
In this quote, Chloe Zhao discusses how her identity as a Chinese woman influenced her journey in becoming a filmmaker. She suggests that the lack of expectation for her to pursue this path led to a more authentic self-discovery, devoid of the ego that might come from being conditioned to view oneself as a filmmaker from a young age. This speaks to broader themes of identity, societal roles, and the unshackling of preconceived notions.
Themes
IdentityFilmmakingSocietyExpectationsEgo
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech on diversity in film, one might quote Zhao to highlight the importance of authentic voices in storytelling.
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