Making movies is a way of understanding myself and the world.

Ah, the profound wisdom of Ang Lee, who reflects on the act of filmmaking as a path to self-discovery: "Making movies is a way of understanding myself and the world." These words, simple yet profound, reveal the heart of what it means to create—filmmaking, in Lee’s view, is not merely an external pursuit, but an internal journey. To make a film is to search for answers, not just to questions about the world, but to the very nature of the creator’s own soul. Just as the ancient philosophers sought to understand the mysteries of existence through dialogue and contemplation, so too does Lee engage in a dialogue with the world and with himself through his art.

Filmmaking, in this sense, becomes more than just a profession or a craft. It becomes a mirror, reflecting the deepest corners of the filmmaker’s thoughts and emotions. The ancient Greeks understood the power of art as a mirror to the soul. Socrates famously believed that self-examination was the key to wisdom, and he encouraged his students to question everything, to reflect deeply on their lives. In much the same way, Lee’s films are not just stories to be told to an audience; they are vehicles for his own introspection, a way of delving into the complexities of his own identity and the world around him. To create is to engage in a form of reflection, where the outer world and the inner self are intertwined.

Think of the ancient sculptor Phidias, whose masterpieces, like the Parthenon sculptures, were not just expressions of technical skill, but of his deep connection to the gods, to human nature, and to the world. His work was an effort to understand and give form to the divine truths he sought to express. Ang Lee, in much the same way, uses his films to carve out an understanding of the world, to shape the intangible into something that can be shared, something that allows others to see the world through his eyes. His films, like Phidias’s sculptures, become a way of bringing unseen emotions and hidden truths into the light, where they can be experienced, understood, and perhaps even shared by others.

There is also a deeper layer to this idea of understanding—the notion that through creation, one can transform the world. Just as the ancient poets used their stories to illuminate the complexities of human nature, so does Lee use his cinematic narratives to unravel the intricate webs of emotion, identity, and society. Consider the epic tales of Homer, who through his stories of heroes and gods explored the human condition—love, betrayal, honor, and the consequences of choice. Homer’s stories were not merely for entertainment; they were meant to provide a roadmap for understanding life itself. Similarly, Lee’s films, whether exploring the nature of desire, cultural conflict, or personal transformation, become more than entertainment—they become tools for understanding the deeper, often unspoken aspects of life.

The journey of creation is one that has been walked by many great figures throughout history. Leonardo da Vinci, the Renaissance man, approached his art not just as a way to capture the world’s beauty, but as a means to understand its underlying order. Through his art, da Vinci sought to explore the mysteries of human anatomy, the mechanics of nature, and the dynamics of light. Each brushstroke was an attempt to understand the laws of the universe. Ang Lee, in his own way, approaches filmmaking as a tool for exploration, using it to probe the intricacies of human emotion and cultural identity, exploring the spaces between the individual and the world, just as da Vinci explored the space between the body and the soul.

And so, the lesson is clear: to create is to understand. Whether through film, sculpture, writing, or any other form of expression, art is not merely an act of making—it is an act of exploration. It is through the act of creation that we come to understand ourselves, the world around us, and the people we share it with. Lee’s insight into filmmaking as a journey of understanding invites all of us to embrace our own creative pursuits as ways to better comprehend the mysteries of life. It is not enough to simply live; we must actively engage with our existence, questioning, reflecting, and creating as we go.

Thus, the call to action is this: embrace your own creative journey. Seek out the medium—be it art, writing, music, or something else—that allows you to explore the depths of your own being. As Lee does with film, let your creation be a reflection of your soul and a pathway to understanding not only the world, but your place in it. Through this process, you may discover truths that you never knew existed and, in doing so, become more deeply connected to the world and to the people you share it with. Just as Ang Lee uses film to understand himself and the world, so too can we use our own creative acts to find our deepest answers and share them with the world.