THEME EXPLORATION

personal ambition vs hedonism

34 films · 3 directors

Tracing the thread…

FILMS THAT EXPLORE THIS
The Devil Wears Prada
The Devil Wears Prada
2006 · David Frankel
Cars
Cars
2006 · John Lasseter
Hajime no Ippo
Hajime no Ippo
2003 · —
State of Fear
State of Fear
1990 · Janusz Kijowski
The Smashing Machine
The Smashing Machine
2026 · Benny Safdie
Chand Mera Dil
Chand Mera Dil
2026 · Vivek Soni
Doubles Match
Doubles Match
2026 · Hung Po-hao
Lisztomania
Lisztomania
1975 · Ken Russell
Boiling Point
Boiling Point
2021 · Philip Barantini
The Maelstrom of Paris
The Maelstrom of Paris
1928 · Julien Duvivier
Elvis
Elvis
2022 · Baz Luhrmann
Mousitsa
Mousitsa
1959 · Yannis Dalianidis
Goal II: Living the Dream
Goal II: Living the Dream
2007 · Jaume Collet-Serra
Hunger
Hunger
2023 · Sitisiri Mongkolsiri
Scenes from a Marriage
Scenes from a Marriage
1973 · Ingmar Bergman
The Killer
The Killer
2023 · David Fincher
Viktor und Viktoria
Viktor und Viktoria
1933 · Reinhold Schünzel
Cold War
Cold War
2018 · Paweł Pawlikowski
Frankenstein
Frankenstein
2025 · Guillermo del Toro
Touki Bouki
Touki Bouki
1973 · Djibril Diop Mambéty
Wadjda
Wadjda
2012 · Haifaa al-Mansour
Ixcanul
Ixcanul
2015 · Jayro Bustamante
The Assassin
The Assassin
2015 · Hou Hsiao-hsien
The Square
The Square
2017 · Ruben Östlund
The Young Girls of Rochefort
The Young Girls of Rochefort
1967 · Jacques Demy
7 Boxes
7 Boxes
2012 · Juan Carlos Maneglia
Caramel
Caramel
2007 · Nadine Labaki
Emerald
Emerald
2007 · Apichatpong Weerasethakul
Chico
Chico
2001 · Ibolya Fekete
Gypsy
Gypsy
2011 · Rachel Leah Jones
Hibiscus Town
Hibiscus Town
1988 · Xie Jin
Ip Man
Ip Man
2008 · Wilson Yip
Reprise
Reprise
2006 · Joachim Trier
Red Bells
Red Bells
1982 · Sergey Bondarchuk
DIRECTORS WHO EXPLORE THIS
Federico Fellini Italy

His films like 'La Dolce Vita' and '8½' explore the tension between artistic ambition and the seductive allure of pleasure-seeking in modern life.

 Martin Scorsese United States

His works ('Taxi Driver', 'Raging Bull', 'The Wolf of Wall Street') consistently examine characters torn between personal drive and destructive hedonistic impulses.

 Wong Kar-wai Hong Kong

His visually lush films ('In the Mood for Love', 'Fallen Angels') juxtapose romantic and sensual indulgence against unfulfilled ambitions and emotional restraint.