escape from routine

His films like 'La Dolce Vita' and '8½' explore the tension between mundane existence and the desire for transcendence, fantasy, and freedom from societal constraints.

His animated works consistently feature protagonists escaping oppressive circumstances into magical worlds, most notably in 'Spirited Away' and 'Howl's Moving Castle.'

His poetic films like 'The Thin Red Line' and 'The Tree of Life' depict characters seeking transcendence and meaning beyond the constraints of ordinary life through philosophical and spiritual exploration.