THEME EXPLORATION

innocence vs experience

37 films · 3 directors

Tracing the thread…

FILMS THAT EXPLORE THIS
The Red Balloon
The Red Balloon
1956 · Albert Lamorisse
Sånt händer inte här
Sånt händer inte här
1950 · Ingmar Bergman
Miracle in Milan
Miracle in Milan
1951 · Vittorio De Sica
Flowers of Shanghai
Flowers of Shanghai
1998 · Hou Hsiao-hsien
Ponyo
Ponyo
2008 · Hayao Miyazaki
The Miracle of Marcelino
The Miracle of Marcelino
1990 · Ladislao Vajda
El espiritu de la colmena
El espiritu de la colmena
1973 · Victor Erice
L’école des femmes
L’école des femmes
1940 · Max Ophuls
Manila in the Claws of Light
Manila in the Claws of Light
1975 · Lino Brocka
Children of Heaven
Children of Heaven
1997 · Majid Majidi
Grave of the Fireflies
Grave of the Fireflies
1988 · Isao Takahata
The Manchurian Candidate
The Manchurian Candidate
1962 · John Frankenheimer
Rat Mouse Thief
Rat Mouse Thief
1999 · Sebastián Cordero
The State of the World
The State of the World
2007 · Apichatpong Weerasethakul
The Time That Remains
The Time That Remains
2009 · Elia Suleiman
The Year of the Everlasting Storm
The Year of the Everlasting Storm
2021 · Apichatpong Weerasethakul & David Lowery & Jafar Panahi
Angel at Sea
Angel at Sea
2009 · Frédéric Dumont
Babai
Babai
2015 · Visar Morina
Tourettes
Tourettes
1971 · David Cronenberg
J’ai pas sommeil
J’ai pas sommeil
1994 · Claire Denis
Lucky Miles
Lucky Miles
2007 · Michael James Rowland
Nowhere in Africa
Nowhere in Africa
2002 · Caroline Link
The Night of the Hunter
The Night of the Hunter
1955 · Charles Laughton
Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance
Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance
2002 · Park Chan-wook
The Devil's Backbone
The Devil's Backbone
2001 · Guillermo del Toro
100 Nights of Hero
100 Nights of Hero
2026 · Julia Jackman
Dolly
Dolly
2026 · Rod Blackhurst
Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair
Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair
2026 · Quentin Tarantino
Don't Leave the Kids Alone
Don't Leave the Kids Alone
2026 · Emilio Portes
Labyrinth of Lost Boys
Labyrinth of Lost Boys
2026 · Matheus Marchetti
Re-Creation
Re-Creation
2026 · Jim Sheridan
PLAVE Asia Tour [DASH: Quantum Leap] Encore in Cinemas
PLAVE Asia Tour [DASH: Quantum Leap] Encore in Cinemas
2026
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas
2008 · Mark Herman
Strong
Strong
2026 · Dimbo Atiya
Runaway
Runaway
1958 · Ritwik Ghatak
Seances
Seances
2016 · Guy Maddin
Teresa
Teresa
1951 · Fred Zinnemann
DIRECTORS WHO EXPLORE THIS
Pier Paolo Pasolini Italy

His films brutally juxtapose childhood innocence with societal corruption and violence, exploring how experience destroys purity.

 David Lynch United States

He systematically deconstructs the facade of suburban innocence to reveal the dark, surreal experiences lurking beneath small-town America.

 Hayao Miyazaki Japan

His narratives center on young protagonists who must surrender innocence to gain wisdom and agency in worlds of wonder and danger.