THEME EXPLORATION

ambition and compromise

39 films · 2 directors

Tracing the thread…

FILMS THAT EXPLORE THIS
La La Land
La La Land
2016 · Damien Chazelle
State of Fear
State of Fear
1990 · Janusz Kijowski
Eagles of the Republic
Eagles of the Republic
2026 · Tarik Saleh
McCabe & Mrs. Miller
McCabe & Mrs. Miller
1971 · Robert Altman
The Devil's Advocate
The Devil's Advocate
1997 · Taylor Hackford
A Beautiful Life
A Beautiful Life
2011 · Andrew Lau Wai-Keung
Paranoia
Paranoia
2013 · Robert Luketic
DiDi Hollywood
DiDi Hollywood
2010 · Bigas Luna & Seth Gordon
Top Gun
Top Gun
1987 · Tony Scott
Viktor und Viktoria
Viktor und Viktoria
1933 · Reinhold Schünzel
The Shop on Main Street
The Shop on Main Street
1965 · Ján Kadár
Cold War
Cold War
2018 · Paweł Pawlikowski
Frankenstein
Frankenstein
2025 · Guillermo del Toro
Le Salaire de la peur
Le Salaire de la peur
1953 · Henri-Georges Clouzot
The Conformist
The Conformist
1970 · Bernardo Bertolucci
Touki Bouki
Touki Bouki
1973 · Djibril Diop Mambéty
Wadjda
Wadjda
2012 · Haifaa al-Mansour
The Young Girls of Rochefort
The Young Girls of Rochefort
1967 · Jacques Demy
Hard, Fast and Beautiful
Hard, Fast and Beautiful
1951 · Ida Lupino
7 Boxes
7 Boxes
2012 · Juan Carlos Maneglia
Savage Messiah
Savage Messiah
1972 · Ken Russell
Henry V
Henry V
1989 · —
Reprise
Reprise
2006 · Joachim Trier
Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance
Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance
2002 · Park Chan-wook
Year of the Devil
Year of the Devil
2002 · Petr Zelenka
Sick of Myself
Sick of Myself
2022 · Kristoffer Borgli
Boys Go to Jupiter
Boys Go to Jupiter
2026 · Julian Glander
2DIE4
2DIE4
2026 · André Abdala
All Greens
All Greens
2026 · Takashi Koyama
Chand Mera Dil
Chand Mera Dil
2026 · Vivek Soni
Cold War 1994
Cold War 1994
2026 · Leung Lok-Man
Doubles Match
Doubles Match
2026 · Hung Po-hao
Ídolos
Ídolos
2026 · Mat Whitecross
Mexico 86
Mexico 86
2026 · Gabriel Ripstein
Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie
Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie
2026 · Matt Johnson
Power Ballad
Power Ballad
2026 · John Carney
Sato and Sato
Sato and Sato
2026 · Chihiro Amano
Smart Working
Smart Working
2026 · Svevo Moltrasio
Space/Time
Space/Time
2026 · Michael O'Halloran
DIRECTORS WHO EXPLORE THIS
Billy Wilder Austria-United States

His films like Sunset Boulevard and The Apartment dissect how ambition corrupts individuals and institutions, while exploring the moral compromises required to survive in competitive systems.

 Rainer Werner Fassbinder Germany

His work, particularly The Marriage of Maria Braun and Lola, explores how characters navigate ambition within corrupt systems, constantly negotiating between their desires and the compromises required for survival and success.